The People’s Artist, who received the honor earlier this year, was mourned by fellow musicians and singers. People’s Artist Tạ Minh Tâm wrote on social media: “Mourning the loss of Thế Hiển.” Veteran singer Thanh Hoa paid tribute: “No matter where you go, your music and voice will remain in the hearts of Vietnamese music lovers. Farewell”.
Singer Phương Thanh posted a farewell message alongside a video of him performing “Nhánh lan rừng,” while singer Huỳnh Lợi remembered him with the words: “Rest in peace, brother. We will always remember you, ‘Nhánh lan rừng.’”
A composer’s final wish
In his last months, Thế Hiển endured immense pain yet continued to express a desire to recover and compose again. Speaking to Người Lao Động newspaper, he said: “I want to dedicate my life to music, and will keep composing until I can no longer do so.”
According to his son, composer Bảo Huy, Thế Hiển’s greatest unfulfilled wish was to attend a concert dedicated to his own works and to celebrate his People’s Artist title. However, the event was repeatedly postponed as he hesitated, worried that illness had changed his public image. He never lived to see that tribute.
Legacy of a musical journey
Born in 1955 in Nam Định province, Thế Hiển spent more than four decades in music, writing nearly 100 songs spanning youthful ballads, worker anthems, and military-themed pieces. His compositions, simple yet evocative, became staples of Vietnamese popular music in the 1990s and 2000s.
He was particularly known as the “composer of soldiers,” drawing inspiration from performances for troops on border posts and the Spratly Islands (Trường Sa). Among his best-known works are “Nhánh lan rừng,” “Vỏ ốc biển” (“Sea shell”), “Nỗi nhớ từ đảo xa” (“Longing from a distant island”), and “Lính đảo Trường Sa” (“Spratly Island soldiers”).
Composed in 1986 during a tour in Cambodia, “Nhánh lan rừng” became one of his most cherished songs, inspired by a soldier bringing a wildflower home to his loved ones.
![Thế Hiển was known as the "composer of soldiers"](https://en-cdn.baogialai.com.vn/images/880e5665ffa3630a6d6ef6b344d4f3e72bc759efa9a8da3dc283493afd1dd574f761753baa482da45168f815dfa206ed93e705202249cec3c5655be80dd116aa66216b468783c27c1d63f0a9f177ab11ae7be93db8f3e0fbc98e9ec2b94a5deb7649e80167f8ed6306ddac06a79891f1942b0ad38be49716105be3c2b9f1dc5663b0969c0e4a6f32da035465c360abdd/48082545927066618495222063302058326659863738n-17593483995522132757881-17593624124571789451845.jpg "Thế Hiển was known as the "composer of soldiers"")
National recognition
Thế Hiển was awarded Vietnam’s record for “composer with the most songs about soldiers” in 2012 and was honored with the title of Meritorious Artist. In March 2025, he was officially named a People’s Artist, one of the country’s highest cultural honors.
Despite his illness, he remained committed to performing, often traveling to remote regions and islands to sing for audiences, embodying the spirit of optimism that defined his life and music.
(Source: NLĐO)
