Singer Duc Phuc's historic victory at the Intervision 2025 international music competition in Moscow, Russia, has left a strong mark on the global music map. Surpassing 22 talented artists from many countries, Duc Phuc excellently won the championship, bringing glory not only to himself but also to the Vietnamese music industry. Duc Phuc's unique performance of the song "Phu Dong Thien Vuong" has become a brilliant symbol, affirming the strength and integration of Vietnamese culture in the international arena.
Vietnam's representative - singer Duc Phuc - excellently won the championship with an explosive performance of "Phu Dong Thien Vuong"
"Phu Dong Thien Vuong": Symphony of tradition and modernity
The Intervision 2025 finale took place at Live Arena, Moscow, bringing together 23 representatives from various countries, including prominent names from Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Cuba, China and India. However, all eyes were on Duc Phuc's 20th performance. With elaborate preparation, he brought a performance called "Phu Dong Thien Vuong", composed by musician Ho Hoai Anh and inspired by the immortal poem "Tre Viet Nam" by poet Nguyen Duy.
Duc Phuc made history when he won a prize of more than 9 billion VND in a music competition in Russia.
Duc Phuc's performance was a bold and sophisticated combination of traditional folk music and modern music such as rap. Opening with familiar verses about bamboo, a symbol of the nation's vitality and resilience, the performance led the international audience into a proud story about Saint Giong. The entire stage was meticulously staged with lighting effects, choreography and Vietnamese props such as conical hats and sedge mats. In particular, the rap performed in three languages: Vietnamese - English - Russian conveyed a strong message: "Today we make history together", creating a deep connection with the global audience.
The song conveys the message about the vitality, will and mettle of the Vietnamese people to international friends.
Commentator Yana Churikova (Russia) did not hesitate to comment: "This is one of the most elaborate stagings of Intervision this year. I am impressed with Duc Phuc's discipline and dedication." The meticulous investment in music, images and costumes has helped the performance both honor traditional culture and be close and accessible to international friends.
Duc Phuc and the dance troupe opened the performance with a poem called “Vietnamese Bamboo” by poet Nguyen Duy: “Green bamboo, ever green/ The story of the old days when there was a green bamboo bank…”
With his excellent performance, Duc Phuc completely convinced the international jury. The final scoreboard exploded when he achieved 422 points, far surpassing the runner-up Nomad Trio (Kyrgyzstan) with 373 points and Dana Al Meer (Qatar) with 369 points. This victory brought Duc Phuc the prestigious crystal cup and a cash prize of 30 million rubles (equivalent to 360,000 USD, more than 9 billion VND), one of the largest prizes in the history of the competition.
From the image of a resilient bamboo tree, the performance leads the audience to the symbol of Saint Giong riding an iron horse flying to heaven.
The moment Duc Phuc emotionally said: "It is a great honor for me to be standing here", along with the image of the red flag with yellow star fluttering on the giant LED screen, became one of the most emotional highlights of the final night. His victory is not only a source of personal pride but also a testament to the creativity, bravery and strong integration of Vietnamese music in the international flow.
Brilliant imprint of Vietnamese foreign culture
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Duc Phuc’s victory is not only a historic moment for contemporary music but also a brilliant mark for Vietnam’s foreign culture. Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong said that the selection of Duc Phuc was based on strict criteria of performance experience, ability to inspire and a song that is imbued with national identity but still close to international trends. Duc Phuc has fully met these criteria.
Duc Phuc emotionally said: “I would like to send my deep thanks to the crew and the audience who have accompanied and cheered me on throughout this journey. The moment I held the Intervision 2025 trophy and saw the Vietnamese flag flying, I felt extremely proud and happy. This is the motivation for me to continue to create and contribute to the country's music.”
The success at Intervision 2025 has demonstrated the effectiveness of international cooperation, opening the door for Vietnamese music and identity to reach a global audience, contributing to the internationalization of Vietnamese culture. With the foundation of being one of the outstanding young singers of Vietnamese showbiz, having won the championship of The Voice Vietnam 2015 under the guidance of singer My Tam, Duc Phuc has constantly strived, matured and shone on the international stage.
Duc Phuc's victory is considered an important milestone, affirming the position of Vietnamese music in the international arena.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin said when welcoming the participating artists: "Culture and music have no borders." Duc Phuc's success has affirmed the talent of young Vietnamese artists, and more than that, it is a testament to the unifying power of art. This is the motivation for other young Vietnamese artists to continue to create and contribute, bringing the most beautiful things of the country to the world.
