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| Phan Huy Thanh performing at an event in Hue |
From singer to songwriter
Born in 1989, Phan Huy Thanh currently lives and works in Huong Tra. Besides his full-time job as a tax officer, he is also a familiar singer at cultural festivals and events in Hue and other localities, including Hue Festival, Hue Countdown, Bao Loc–Lam Dong Festival, Hue International Music Festival, etc.
Passionate about music from an early age, with a beautiful voice, full of energy, Thanh frequently participated in amateur music competitions in Huong Tra Town. In 2011, he entered the Summer Solo Contest, a big singing competition organized by Hue City Cultural House. “Those were unforgettable days for me. From Huong Tra, I rode my motorbike to Hue every weekend to sing with the band and to listen to other competitors. For the first time in my life, I made it to the semifinal.”
With music knowledge that he had accumulated for years, in 2015, Thanh returned to the singing competition and won top prize. At the same time, he also earned first prize for the category of group singing.
After winning the championship, Thanh sang on numerous stages throughout Hue. In the process, he realized that songs about modern-time Hue was few, which urged him to compose songs about contemporary Hue.
His debut song of the type was Non, which tells the story of non bai tho (poetry conical hat), an iconic image of Hue women. Blended with contemporary folk, the song, with its lively rhythm, serves as a cheerful invitation to those who wish to explore the ancient capital. Released in 2020, Non won second prize at the songwriting contest ‘I Love Hue’ and Prize C of Ancient Capital Awards (2024). He then gained membership of the Thua Thien Hue Musicians’ Association.
“The Ancient Capital Dictionary”
Thanh’s path to becoming a songwriter differs from that of many of his peers because he has never received any formal training in music. “I’m not professionally trained, so my composing is different as well. Normally, ideas come up to me unexpectedly. From that first melody, I develop it to become a complete piece. Then I record it and send it to a music arranger who helps transcribe it for me.”
So far Thanh has finished about 10 songs in that way, centering around the theme of Hue, including Non, An gi o Hue, Nha nha Tet, Nguoi nguoi Tet, Tu dien Co do, etc.
Written in late 2025, Tu dien Co do has earned over three million views on social media platforms. The song is based on the traditional Hue folk tune of Ly ngua o, with a very exciting rap verse containing colloquial sayings in Hue dialect (Răng rứa; đi mô rứa; em tên chi ; không can chi ; bên nớ tề ; cà rật cà tang ; chưa bưa à? ; mệ mà ôn; chưa dôn, ...).
Sharing about the inspiration behind the song, Thanh said, “I noticed there are many interesting video clips featuring the dialects of Nghe An, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, etc., but not Hue. So I decided to write this song, using the joyful melody of Ly ngua o, including colloquial sayings in Hue dialect and their explanations,” said Thanh about his song.
Like The Ancient Capital Dictionary, Thanh’s other songs are all about everyday life in Hue, such as An gi o Hue, introducing well-known dishes including bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodle soup), com hen (mussel rice), banh beo, banh nam, banh loc, etc. As of now, he is finishing the song Tour Hue mot doi about famous places of interest in Hue, based on the melody of ho gia gao (rice-pounding chanting).
is themes that not many other people exploit while at the same time portraying a modern Hue based on Hue folk materials. “Before writing a song, I always read carefully relevant documents. But the most important thing of all is feelings. I want each of my songs is like “a page of a dictionary” about the Ancient Capital which helps people understand Hue more, then love Hue more,” said Phan Huy Thanh.