HA NOI — Vietnamese candidates aged above 18 are invited to compete in a local version of NBC's popular reality singing contest The Voice to be aired on Viet Nam Television (VTV) in May.

Giong Hat Viet (Vietnamese Voice), produced by VTV and the Cat Tien Sa Media and Television Company, aims to uncover real Vietnamese singing talent.

Contestants will perform songs in genres such as pop, rock, hip-hop and country, the short-listed competing in a blind audition (in June), a battle phase (in July) and live performance shows (in September).

The jury (made up of both mentors and trainers) will include famous singers such as Dam Vinh Hung, Ho Ngoc Ha, Thu Minh and Tran Lap.

The Voice premiered on the NBC television network on April 26, 2011, based on a similar Dutch version. The programme has been screened across 47 countries world wide, with Viet Nam the second in Asia after South Korea. VNS