Son of the leader of The Wall group: Not relying on his father, starting his own business in America

The decision to start a music career in the international market, not relying on the famous "shadow" of his father, shows an independent journey of courage and desire to affirm Nguyen Tran's (born 2002) own personality.

The release of his debut song What 's the point? not only marked the beginning of Nguyen Tran's solo music career, but also opened up an interesting story about the journey of a young talent born into a family with a musical tradition.

Musical bloodline inherited from father and The Wall

Nguyen Tran showed his passion for music from an early age. Guitarist Tran Tuan Hung, leader of the band Buc Tuong, shared his surprise when he saw his son, since 7th grade, passionately watching hours of performance videos of world- class rock bands such as Pink Floyd, Queen, Mark Knopfler or Nirvana.

"I observed my son, partly because he is my son, partly because I found this quite rare in boys his age, who are usually only interested in pop music or K-pop. It was a big surprise to me. I wondered, could it be an unconscious influence from me?", guitarist Tran Tuan Hung confided.

Mr. Hung realized that Nguyen's musical interests came naturally, as part of his living environment. "Just like how I like Arsenal football team, Nguyen also unconsciously started to like Arsenal. The same goes for music, if the father listens to rock music, the son will naturally like rock music too," Mr. Hung said.

Since childhood, Nguyen Tran has been passionate about music. Nguyen also learned to play the guitar before he could even hold a pen. After that, he followed his father and the Wall group to perform in the North and South many times, even playing music with the group in front of thousands of audiences.

Nguyen Tran frankly admitted that the imprint of Buc Tuong and his talented father had a profound impact on him. "I listened to my father's music and Buc Tuong since I was in my mother's womb," Nguyen humorously shared.

The memories associated with The Wall are not only inspiration but also a solid foundation for Nguyen Tran's development.

Few people know that Nguyen helped the legendary rock band produce demos for their two recent albums: Con duong khong ten (2020) and Bac bac (2023). After that, he had many opportunities to stand on stage and perform with Buc Tuong.

Tran Tuan Hung and his family always support their two children (Nguyen Tran is the eldest) to pursue their passion with all their heart, but with responsibility.

"My family and I always support our children to live their passion to the fullest, as long as they work hard and are responsible for themselves and society," Mr. Hung affirmed.

It is this philosophy that has helped shape Nguyen's path, encouraging him not only to have creative freedom but also to be responsible for his products and choices.

Vietnamese artist debuts in America

Being the son of a musical icon like Tran Tuan Hung is both a motivation and a pressure for Nguyen Tran. "I have pressure. It's the kind of pressure that wherever I go, people will associate my name with guitarist Tran Tuan Hung or Buc Tuong," Nguyen shared.

However, the male singer also considers this an advantage: "When other young artists start out, there is no support from big artists like the members of Buc Tuong. I have this so I should feel happy" (laughs).

He is confident that his music is unique and different enough to separate itself from the style of his father's generation.

Starting a music career in the US is a bold choice, because this market is competitive and requires great effort.

"If I had developed in Vietnam with existing relationships, it would have been easy for me to find opportunities. But I wanted to choose a path that would clearly mean losing my biggest advantage, but also the most valuable experience of my youth, whether it was success or failure," Nguyen Tran frankly said.

The reason behind this decision was the desire to challenge myself and explore new limits. "I think Vietnam is a home to return to. I will never ignore developing in Vietnam. But when I have been professionally trained in the US, living right in the center of the world's music and entertainment industry, why not do something?", Nguyen expressed.

After graduating from Denison University, Ohio, USA with a degree in Music Production and Communications, Nguyen Tran currently lives and works in Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world. The new environment has broadened his musical horizons, exposing him to many different genres and styles.

"When I was in college and met more people, I started listening to more, all genres of music. Gradually, I formed my own musical style, a mix of pop and rock," Nguyen shared.

Nguyen Tran believes that if he can succeed in a harsh market like the US, he will be able to do the same in Vietnam. With the release of his first song after collaborating with a record label in the US, Nguyen Tran has initially found freedom and his own path.

Before appearing in student-scale performances at universities or on the streets of America, Nguyen Tran played music in the indie and rock music scene in Vietnam.

According to Nguyen Tran, his career in the US is no different from "starting" a company, doing everything himself, finding performance opportunities, and building relationships in the profession.

The release of What's the point? marks Nguyen Tran's first steps. He will start with small stages in Los Angeles to perform his own songs.

With its emotional guitar melody and narrative lyrics in English, the song depicts the feeling of loneliness in a crowd, when we think we have all the conditions to be happy but still feel empty inside.

"Los Angeles gives me light, blue sea and excitement, but it is also here that I realize loneliness more clearly than ever, along with homesickness and nostalgia for Vietnam," Nguyen confided.

Nguyen's choice to write the lyrics in English for What's the Point? was not only due to his ambition to reach out internationally, but mainly because "this language helps him convey the emotions of this song best." He affirmed that he will continue to write music in Vietnamese in the future.

Photo: Character provided

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/con-trai-truong-nhom-buc-tuong-khong-dua-vao-cha-tu-lap-nghiep-o-my-20250821185500423.htm