HCM CITY (VNS)— Nguyen Duy Dung of Hoi An City has won the latest edition of Tieng Hat Mai Xanh (Evergreen Voice), HCM City Television's (HTV) singing contest for amateurs aged 35 and above.

The 45-year-old souvenir salesman at the Hoi An Market, received 62.62 per cent of total votes from the audience in the contest's grand finale held on Friday.

Holding his own after a month of performing on stage, he managed to beat eight other finalists on the strength of his rendition of love songs.

At the grand finale held at the Hoa Binh Theatre in District 10, he showed off his skills in an emotion-packed solo performance of Vi do la em (Because It is You) by Dieu Huong, as well as a duet - Pham Trong Cau's Mua thu khong tro lai (Autumn Never Returns) - with veteran singer Anh Tuyet.

Composer Tran Long An, head of the judges panel, told the winner: "You are smart in choosing romantic songs which are very popular among the audience."

Dung said his victory would motivate him to "continue my dream of singing and performing on big stages and in front of big crowds".

Dung was also the winner in the 35-50 age group, while 53-year-old Tran Ngoc Hoa of HCM City won first prize for contestants between 51 and 65. Last year, Hoa had been a semifinalist.

The winner of the 65 and above group was 71-year-old Mai Van Dang of Binh Duong Province. This was the third time he was participating in the contest.

The grand prize winner received VND50 million, while winners of each group got VND30 million each.

Tieng Hat Mai Xanh was first organised by HTV and May Quynh Media in 2011. This year, 2,700 people took part in the contest's auditions held in Ha Noi, Da Nang and HCM City in early March. — VNS