The song is Isaac's gift to the audience this Tet festival. — Photo courtesy of the artist via Vietnam News/ANN
HO CHI MINH CITY: Welcoming the Lunar New Year with a note of reflection, Isaac has unveiled his first Tet-themed song, marking both his artistic growth and a heartfelt longing for family reunions during the festive season.
The song, entitled More Than a Thousand Springs, has been released on multiple digital music platforms. With its upbeat tempo and cheerful melodies, it captures the vibrant atmosphere typical of Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations while exploring the familiar story of those living far from home, quietly longing for their families as the new year approaches.
The track takes listeners back to childhood memories many Vietnamese share when Tet draws near, from receiving lucky money and wearing new clothes to wishing the holiday would never end.
As people grow older, those wishes often become simpler, giving way to what may seem modest yet matters most: parents’ health and the happiness of family gatherings. This sentiment is summed up in the song’s central lyric: Having a father and mother is worth more than a thousand springs.
Speaking about the release, Isaac said he wanted to use music to tell his own story as a child who left home to pursue an artistic career.
For the singer, Tet is not only a moment marking the turn of the year but also a chance to look back on his journey and cherish time spent with his parents.
Over the years, Isaac’s family has lived apart in HCM City, Can Tho Province and the US, yet they always make time to reunite during Tet to maintain their close bonds, the singer shared.
More Than a Thousand Springs was written by Avi Kim Anh, the creator of many well-known songs, who, like Isaac, trained early and lived away from her family from a young age. This shared experience is widely regarded as a key factor in giving the song its authentic, relatable tone.
According to the production team, the creative process focused on balancing the lively spirit of Tet with the warmth of family emotions. The lyrics were deliberately kept simple and easy to absorb, avoiding clichéd imagery in favour of familiar, everyday details that resonate with listeners across generations.
For Isaac, More Than a Thousand Springs provides a chance to show a gentler side of himself, in contrast to his usually energetic image.
Through the song, the singer hopes to evoke feelings of closeness and warmth, reminding audiences of the importance of family reunions during the Lunar New Year.
Following the release of the audio version, Isaac said he would introduce further interpretations of the song, including a special artistic programme to be broadcast on Vietnamese television.
Isaac, whose real name is Pham Luu Tuan Tai, was born in 1988 in the Mekong Delta's Can Tho City. He was named among the 10 most popular singers at the Blue Wave music awards in 2016 and 2018, and received the Asia Star Award at the 2016 Busan International Film Festival for his role in the film Tam Cam: Chuyen Chua Ke.
He was also included in Forbes Vietnam’s 2018 list of 30 under 30 notable figures in the arts. — Vietnam News/ANN
