Composer Quoc Trung expressed his dismay at the state of the Vietnamese music industry in a recent interview with DTiNews.

Composer Quoc Trung

“\'The Vietnamese music industry is a bit fake, and it tolerates far too many bad quality songs. People can only listen to boring songs once or twice,” Trung said.

He added that Vietnamese pop music was poor not only in terms of quantity but also quality. Despite being increasingly varied in terms of genres, few of the songs were really good enough to merit being released.

“The way that Vietnamese live shows are organised is completely different to abroad. In Vietnam, a gig usually features a mix of bands and singers and this is creating a point of reference for audience - or a habit of comparing performances,” Trung noted.

According to Trung, “Music is about difference. It’s funny to compare a lyric or a track from one singer with another. As I have said, shows need to have a consistent style or genre of music”.

A concert needs a good concept, artists and tracks, not a whole range of singers who are just making up the numbers by adding their songs to the performance. This is not only dull but also a waste of money, the composer claimed.

“When I have an idea, I don’t need stars to feature in my shows. To be successful, singers should define their target audience,” he said.

Quoc Trung recently organised a gig with his former wife, singing sensation Thanh Lam. The diva used the opportunity to perform a set featuring classic songs that brought her fame a decade ago.

Despite being divorced, the two still perform together and will work on Thanh Lam’s new album.

Quoc Trung and Thanh Lam at a recent show

Quoc Trung and two children