A farmer from the northern province of Hai Duong became a quick internet sensation after posting hundreds of off-key songs on social networks, both in Vietnamese and English.
Recently, “Lệ Rơi” (Falling Tears), the nickname of the farmer, whose real name is Nguyen Duc Hau, has been among the most popular internet searches in Vietnam, attracting thousands of likes and comments.
All of his videos are filmed on his computer in his simple bedroom. Lệ Rơi said that he is really interested in music, even though he knows he is a bad singer. He said that he does it for fun and to share his joy with others.
"Singer" Lệ Rơi
Despite all his fans, though, he has also garnered some criticism from "real" musicians who have called him a "disaster".
He continues to say that he is not seeking fame but singing for singing's sake. However, on June 29 he announced that he would stop singing to alleviate the criticism.
Jealousy amid Vietnamese showbiz?
Recently, Lệ Rơi was invited to perform at a small concert at a bar. His photo was used on for the programme banner. This shocked many experts who look down on his fast rise to popularity. He has also been featured by a number of media outlets, and even was invited to join an online exchange held by a newspaper, with a sponsor.
Veteran singer Quang Dung, who rarely raises his voice over such cases in the industry, said, “I can’t believe what is going on”.
Some of the music experts even blamed the public for contributing to the deterioration of the Vietnamese music industry, saying that many times people simply choose what they listen to for relaxation or a laugh, just to satisfy themselves.
Incredibly, Lệ Rơi was paid tens of millions of VND for his performance at the bar, a sum equal to that which might be paid to well-established singers such as Angela Phương Trinh.
One of his performances can be watched at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3my7z9Ig7x
