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Recently, singer Hoang Quyen released her album "A Diary of Melody," featuring 8 songs she composed and produced, selected from over 30 songs created in a short period. "A Diary of Melody" is like a diary showcasing her thoughts on the beauty of love and life, reflecting Hoang Quyen's own experiences during her twenties.
Hoang Quyen took a turning point in her career with the release of her new album, becoming both a singer and a songwriter.
This is Hoang Quyen's fourth studio album in her 10-year singing career, but it's a significant album marking the beginning of her journey from a pop singer to a singer-songwriter. It also signifies the start of Hoang Quyen's grand journey, pushing beyond the shadow of her Vietnamese music divas to become a songwriter who tells love stories through melody, life experiences, and musical aspirations.
Sharing about the creation of the album "A Diary of Melody" after 10 years of singing, singer Hoang Quyen said: “I wanted to transform the pages of my diary into melodies. At 27, when I started composing, it was like one day, I was a water tank and had an excuse to turn on the tap. Then, whatever I thought of, the melodies flowed out. At that time, I felt like a new door opened, welcoming me into another world. I felt more love when I wrote music. Gradually, my approach to life also became more objective when I wrote. That was the most wonderful experience I had while making this album. I think it's a very special new beginning, for a different life, maybe I've grown up now?”
Exhibition space
While still pursuing Pop – the musical style Hoàng Quyên usually follows – in "A Diary of Melody," the blend with Jazz, Rock, and hints of folk elements creates a fresh and modern musical spirit, giving wings to the singer's voice, making it intimate, romantic, and captivating. Her vocals are free and "in control," yet the classical quality and the spirit of a "storyteller" who stands outside of trends and caters to popular tastes remain strong.
Beyond just songwriting, "A Diary of Melody" marks a breakthrough for Hoang Quyen in her role as a producer, directly involved in the music-making process with domestic and international collaborators, aiming for consistency from songwriting and arrangement to live band collaboration and release.
The album A Diary of Melody features collaborations with many internationally renowned artists, including Thanh Bui, Benjamin James (chord arrangement), and Tim Vander (music producer for Adele and Taylor Swift). The album also represents a significant step forward in production, collaborating with Abbey Road London, a leading global record label, for mastering (the final step in post-production, balancing audio elements and optimizing playback across all multimedia systems).
An installation featuring Hoàng Quyên's music is placed within the exhibition space.
In this project, Thanh Bui duets with Hoang Quyen on the bilingual Vietnamese-English song "Colors". Speaking about this collaboration, Thanh Bui said he was impressed by Hoang Quyen's talent and diva-like voice. The songwriter affirmed that he enjoys collaborating with young artists who have passion and vision like Hoang Thuy Linh or Hoang Quyen, believing they will create a new mark on Vietnamese music.
The album “A Diary of Melody” is presented in a limited edition 100-copy lacquer box, like a work of art. A digital version is also released on online music streaming platforms. Inside is a disc containing 8 of Hoang Quyen's first original compositions and an artbook, "A Diary of Melody," serving as a project diary, preserving musical scores, poems, and artwork.
The album "A Diary of Melody" is presented in a limited edition lacquer box, with only 100 copies available, as a work of art.
The album is currently on display at the "Quyen Gallery No.1" art exhibition, featuring music, painting, and installation art, at the Vincom Contemporary Art Center VCCA (B1-R3, Royal City 72A Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi) from August 10th to September 4th, 2023.
The exhibition includes a screening of a music video and painting by singer Hoang Quyen and painter Vu Dinh Tuan titled "Please Let Today Pass By," combined with the display of nearly 40 works of silk paintings, oil paintings, lacquer paintings, and installation art, as a connection to the inspiration and inner feelings of renowned artists: Artist Vu Dinh Tuan, Artist Tao Linh, Artist Nguyen Tran Cuong, Artist Vu Hiep, Artist Nguyen Manh Thang, and Artist Le Dang Ninh.
In her debut album, A Diary of Melody, Hoang Quyen selected 8 out of 30 songs she had written.
Singer Hoang Quyen said: “This is a novel project, a moving museum that expresses the harmony in the souls of artists, embodying the spirit of 'interculturalism' as different art forms intersect in the same space and time.” With this exhibition project, I must say I am very fortunate to have received many nods of approval from artists who share my vision. We work together, energizing each other to create more unique works. Therefore, this exhibition is like a connection between artists at that time.”
