Thien Khanh’s journey to the international stage

Pursuing her dream with determination

At the festival, Thien Khanh performed “Con Co” by Luu Ha An in the solo category. The event brought together young artistic talents from 16 countries and territories. Taking the competition as an opportunity to challenge herself, Khanh gave her best on stage.

Passionate about music from an early age, Khanh was particularly drawn to singing. However, as her father initially did not support her pursuing an artistic career, she was not able to seriously follow her passion until she was 18.

In her early years as a performer, Khanh sang with music groups and at cafés and lounges in the Phan Thiet area. During secondary and high school, she regularly took part in school performances, Provincial Youth Union programmes and community cultural events.

In Grade 12, through an acquaintance, Khanh began studying under Nguyen Hai Dang, a vocal teacher in Phan Thiet with more than 20 years of teaching experience.

“When I first started taking vocal lessons, I felt quite pressured because I could not fully understand everything my teacher was explaining,” Khanh said. “But with his patient guidance and my persistence, I gradually found the right way to learn, improved my understanding of vocal techniques and became more confident.”

Coming from a family with no artistic background, Khanh devoted considerable time and effort to training. At one point, her eagerness to improve quickly led her to practise too intensely, causing her to lose her voice for three months.

“It was an important lesson that taught me not to rush the process. In the arts, persistence and proper practice are always more important than pushing yourself too hard,” she said.

Shining on the international stage

Her teacher, Nguyen Hai Dang, said Khanh has steadily improved her vocal technique, sense of rhythm and stage performance. Throughout her training, she has remained dedicated and hardworking, making consistent progress.

Her natural musical ability has also helped her quickly grasp vocal techniques and concepts, he added.

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Thien Khanh’s greatest strengths are her exceptionally wide vocal range and her ability to handle demanding songs. Her emotional delivery, expressiveness and interpretation of musical works are also among her strongest qualities.”

Nguyen Hai Dang, vocal teacher in Phan Thiet

Despite her young age, Thien Khanh has already earned several notable achievements, including second prize at the 2022 provincial student singing contest and a consolation prize at the 2023 Sea Star Television Singing Contest, where she was the youngest contestant. She currently works as a vocal teacher at Golden Art Centre.

To prepare for the competition, Khanh spent considerable time rehearsing, studying her chosen piece, refining her vocal technique and maintaining her physical and mental well-being.

“It was a professional competition featuring many talented contestants from different countries, so it was a valuable opportunity for me to learn and grow,” she said.

Khanh said she was surprised by the result and honoured to represent her centre and Lam Dong Province on an international stage. “This achievement is not only a source of pride but also motivation for me to keep improving, learning and pursuing my passion for music,” she added.

Khanh plans to compete in the Crescendo International Arts Festival in Hanoi and the Lam Dong Television Singing Contest. For her, the gold medal at the Asia Arts Festival is not only the finish line, but also motivation to continue learning, training and competing at home and abroad.

To further develop her musical career, Hai Dang said Khanh should work on pitch accuracy, physical presence and stage performance. He also encouraged her to master advanced vocal techniques, deepen her emotional expression and refine her interpretation of each piece.