Today, music effortlessly travels across borders, and cultural lines blur with each viral beat. The modern soundscape is an open frontier, where genres intermingle, heritage meets hype, and where cultural identities are reshaped with every mix. Melodies rooted in specific cultures are finding homes in global playlists. This is the landscape in which Làng Văn, a Vietnamese-American cultural institution and multimedia company, steps forward to preserve the legacy of Vietnamese music while ensuring its relevance and resonance with future generations.

Làng Văn is situated in Westminster, California, the heart of the Vietnamese diaspora in the United States. It’s a steward of culture, a curator of memory, and an innovator in music technology. Since its founding in 1982, Làng Văn has grown into the most expansive Vietnamese music archive in the world, a living testament to decades of artistic expression. Housing numerous sound recordings, compositions, videos, and record labels, the company’s catalog spans the sonic spectrum, from traditional folk ballads to experimental hip hop. Essentially, Làng Văn has helped shape the nation’s music.

Still, Làng Văn isn’t simply looking back. It’s looking forward with intention. Its leadership, the daughter of the original founders, Lan Nguyễn and Chúc Lê, understands that while music may begin in a specific place or time, its impact should never be confined. The company now finds itself at a pivotal crossroads where its legacy meets opportunity. How does one evolve heritage without losing its soul? How does one modernize the message without diluting the meaning?

Làng Văn COO, Mimi Nguyễn, found that the answer lies in embracing global relevance without abandoning cultural roots. She states, “Just as K-pop shattered assumptions about what non-English music could achieve worldwide, Vietnamese music, too, holds untapped global potential.” Làng Văn sees this moment clearly.

“We think of music as an emotional bridge,” Nguyễn says. “A familiar rhythm or lyric can transport someone to a distant memory, taking them back to the exact moment they first heard the sound. We want to make Vietnamese music accessible sonically and emotionally.” Essentially, the company is exploring how Vietnamese music can live on global stages not as a relic but as a relevant, contemporary force.

Làng Văn sees technology as a critical tool in this vision. It’s currently laying the groundwork for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its creative process, aiming to use its exclusive rights to its massive catalog. Làng Văn, with full ownership of its material, has the freedom to innovate without compromise.

It’s experimenting with ways to blend traditional Vietnamese vocals with modern beats, exploring AI-generated remixes that honor legacy while pushing sonic boundaries. “Imagine a classic ballad reinterpreted with dancefloor energy or a folk melody transformed into lo-fi soundscapes for Gen Z listeners. That’s what we want to create,” says  Nguyễn.

The new generation behind Làng Văn is deliberately pulling back the curtain, inviting audiences into the stories behind the music. For decades, the company let its work speak for itself, with the founders remaining largely anonymous. But today, that’s changing. The family is ready to share the inspirations, sacrifices, and creative choices that have shaped the Làng Văn sound.

Làng Văn looks forward to beginning its new chapter with digital platforms, AI experimentation, and global ambitions. Its philosophy remains the same: music has no borders, but it does have roots. And those roots matter. They’re what gives the music its soul, truth, and power to connect across time and space. Whether remastering old records for streaming platforms or reimagining legacy tracks through AI, Làng Văn is shaping a future where Vietnamese music evolves, thrives, and resonates worldwide.

Originally published by LAWEEKLY on July 3, 2025. Written by Matthew Kayser

📣 Follow our Làng Văn blog for more Music news, timeless gems: Blog · Instagram · Newsletter

🇻🇳 Xem phiên bản Tiếng Việt

Published: June 1st | International Children’s Day

On International Children’s Day, Billboard Vietnam released a heartfelt feature titled “6 Classic Children’s Songs Across Generations,” highlighting beloved songs that shaped the childhoods of millions. Among the standout selections is “Tân Cổ Tía Má Em” by Xuân Mai, a name synonymous with Vietnamese children’s music.

🎵 Listen to the Featured Song on Spotify:
Title: Tân Cổ Tía Má Em
Artist: Xuân Mai
ISRC: USJ3V1230309 | UPC: 886296913541
Album: Con Cò Bé Bé 7
Release Year: 2004

Blends traditional and contemporary elements in a way that’s both rhythmic and reflective. Its gentle horns, soft percussion, and soulful saxophone create a dreamy, atmospheric soundscape perfectly capturing the tender emotions of childhood memories and family bonds.

“Children’s music is a magical sound that guides our hearts from the very first steps we take in life.” – Billboard Vietnam

🎥 Watch the full Billboard Vietnam reel:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1222018756038912

Meet Xuân Mai – Vietnam’s Youngest Icon

Xuân Mai is one of Vietnam’s most celebrated child singers. Bursting into the spotlight at an astonishingly young age, she captured hearts across generations with her angelic voice and charismatic performances. Her discography includes numerous best-selling children’s albums and live concert tours, with songs like “Con Cò Bé Bé,” “Cha Mẹ Là Tất Cả,” and of course, “Tân Cổ Tía Má Em.”

Her name continues to resonate today, thanks in part to nostalgic millennials and Gen Z fans, as well as a new wave of young audiences discovering her music on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. With billions of views across social media and streaming platforms, she remains a cultural icon — a rare case of a child star whose songs still carry deep emotional meaning decades later.

A Timeless Voice for a Growing Generation

Vietnam’s youth market is massive, with over 16 million children aged 0–9 and a growing diaspora worldwide in countries like the United States, Australia, Canada, and France. With Vietnam ranking #6 globally for TikTok usage, artists like Xuân Mai are uniquely positioned to reach both nostalgic fans and curious new listeners across generations.

Her early success would likely qualify for a Guinness World Record — as the youngest Vietnamese artist to embark on concert tours, sign album deals, and release music under a record label. Her legacy lives on not just as a musical phenomenon, but as a symbol of childhood, family, and cultural connection.

#BillboardVietnam #XuânMai #LangVan #InternationalChildrensDay #VietnameseMusicHeritage

📚 Want more stories about iconic Vietnamese music and artists? Explore our blog at blog.langvan.com or follow us on social media.