In recent years, remixing pop, love, and even patriotic music into dance/electro rhythms has become increasingly popular in Vietnam.

The most recent dance/electro hit is “Con Buom Xuan” (Spring Butterfly), the translated version of a Chinese song from the 1960s, “China Cha Cha Cha.”

The song, remixed by young singer Ho Quang Hieu into dance music, instantly created quite a stir in the local music market and can now be heard everywhere, particularly during Tet (Vietnam's Lunar New Year).

It has attracted millions of views so far on YouTube.

Although several other singers also perform the song, Hieu has profited the most from it, as he has received many show offers and earned some VND40-50 million (up to US$2,358) a month in royalties from cell phone services and online views and downloads.

The upbeat, cheerful song has inspired some hundred dance clips based on it both within and outside the country.

An overseas Vietnamese student can even sing the song in five different languages.

Although dance/electro music entered Vietnam several years ago, the genre is at its peak now.

Patriotic folk songs and classical pieces are also increasingly remixed into dance/electro music.

Many people, particularly youth, embrace this experimental transformation of classic songs.

However, many have voiced their disapproval that unsuitable genres are being remixed into dance/electro music.

In vogue

Despite the mixed opinions, the genre is gaining quite a firm foothold in local showbiz.

Both established and young singers such as Luu Huong Giang, Mai Khoi and 2010 Vietnam Idol winner Phuong Vy are adopting this genre in their work and performances, thus getting more job opportunities, particularly at bars and discotheques.

Singing competitions like Vietnam Idol or The Voice Vietnam also feature dance/electro music.

The local ongoing version of the “Pop Star to Opera Star” reality show devoted one night to the genre, in which contestants fused opera with dance/electro music.

Although many local singers typically feature one or more dance/electro songs to add life and variation to their music, few have released entire albums featuring the genre.

Only a few of the all-dance/electro discs by Vietnamese artists, including “Thien Dang” (Paradise) and “Body Language” by “dance music queen” Thu Minh, have received critical acclaim.

A fad only

The genre has yet to receive its due recognition, however.

It has long been considered to be the music heard at bars and discos, where people dance wildly to the electrifying musical beats rather than pay attention to the singers’ actual voices.

According to experts, in reality, dance/electro music has several subgenres, some of which are quite technically demanding.

Veteran singer Hong Nhung, one of the country’s “divas,” once admitted she has yet to fully master the genre.

“Enjoying dance/electro music is one thing, but creating a good album in the genre is quite another,” local composer/mixer Vo Thien Thanh observed.

“What we are hearing now is mostly ‘cheap’ dance/electro music, which will hold only a short-lived appeal.”