Inspirational Communication - MV Music “Để Mị Nói Cho Mà Nghe” by Hoàng Thuỳ Linh

Author: Hang Le

Women's empowerment in the arts, particularly in music, is a well-known topic. However, each artist has their unique perspective and storytelling techniques when exploring women's empowerment in their media productions. One outstanding example is Hoàng Thuỳ Linh's music video "Để Mị nói cho mà nghe", which delves into the perspective of a character in Vietnamese folklore literature and features strong Vietnamese cultural elements. This distinctiveness of the music video contributes to its appeal and makes it one of the most inspiring forms of communication for me.

The music video is set in Vietnam and draws inspiration from the portrayal of women in ancient Vietnamese literature. However, the current context is also highly relevant. Vietnam and other Asian countries are strongly influenced by gender stereotypes and male chauvinism. Women are often undervalued and have their decisions controlled by men (Kwakwa 2015). Nevertheless, Hoàng Thuỳ Linh breaks all the rules and challenges these outdated beliefs. She chooses to tell the story of a historical female character, Mị, differently. In the literary work "Vợ chồng A Phủ," Mị followed the man. However, in the MV, Hoàng Thuỳ Linh intentionally puts Mị in the scene to speak up for herself and make her own decisions. The purpose of the music video is not only to entertain the audience but also to promote and elevate Vietnamese culture and literature. The video incorporates ideas from various Vietnamese literary works such as "Vợ nhặt," "Chí Phèo," "Tắt đèn," and "Số đỏ."

In terms of the message, the video skilfully utilises these literary references related to women to highlight the message of empowering women and calls for women to stand up and take charge of their own lives. The video also supports breaking stereotypes together, just as Hoàng Thuỳ Linh helps a woman escape from a manipulative man in the video.

Since the music video is based on Vietnamese literature, the primary target audience is the Vietnamese audience who can understand the significance of these literary works. Additionally, based on the message of the music video, Vietnamese women are also a specific target audience to whom Hoàng Thuỳ Linh wants to convey the message of women's empowerment.

As a Vietnamese woman, I was deeply moved by the MV Music video "Để Mị nói cho mà nghe" for its powerful message that goes beyond mere entertainment. It not only encourages women to challenge long-standing stereotypes in Vietnam, but it also motivates me to spread this message to others. As an aspiring communication professional, I find great inspiration in Hoàng Thuỳ Linh's creative use of storytelling, which seamlessly blends traditional Vietnamese literary elements with a fresh, youthful, and contemporary approach in the MV. Being a Vietnamese person studying communication, I always strive to share Vietnamese culture with the world, as evident in my portfolio. Therefore, learning from this MV's valuable technique of blending tradition and modernity holds significant value for me. I hope that not only myself but also many young individuals studying communication will always recognise the value of our national culture and incorporate its essence into our communication products, thus preserving our heritage.

Reference

Hoàng Thuỳ Linh (19 June 2019) ‘Hoàng Thuỳ Linh - Để Mị Nói Cho Mà Nghe (Let Mi tell) | Official Music Video’ [music video], Hoàng Thuỳ Linh, YouTube, accessed 7 October 2023. https://youtu.be/JAhdeizXpaQ?si=pvKIU0ubcMCvrGGB.

Kwakwa V (20 October 2015) ‘Vietnam: Breaking gender stereotypes that hinder women’s empowerment’, World Bank Blogs, accessed 9 October 2023. https://blogs.worldbank.org/eastasiapacific/vietnam-breaking-gender-stereotypes-hinder-women-s-empowerment#:~:text=One%20cultural%20norm%20negatively%20impacting,born%20for%20every%20100%20girls)..