Den Vau sets record as most popular artist on YouTube Vietnam

On Thursday, Den Vau’s newly-released song "Nau An Cho Em" (Cook For You) rose to the top spot of the YouTube Vietnam’s trending chart, surpassing Son Tung MTP’s "Making My Way," with around 5.4 million views five days after its release.

Den Vau, 34, prepares meals for children in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien, Vietnam, in his "Nau An Cho Em" music video. Photo from Den Vau’s Facebook

The 34-year-old rapper said he was touched after his song, which was written about free meals for children in remote areas, gained attention from the public. Despite feeling happy every time his songs top music platforms, he doesn’t consider this key for a great song.

"The most important thing to me is whether my music touches listeners’ hearts. When I attend music shows, sometimes I see someone remember the lyrics of a song which has never risen to the top better than one that has topped the trending charts," he said.

Den Vau previously announced that revenue from the song would be spent building schools and providing free meals for children he visited at Sa Tong Semi-boarding Ethnic Primary and Secondary School in Muong Cha, Dien Bien.

Hoang Hoa Trung, founder and leader of the "Nuoi Em" (Upbringing You) volunteer project, which aims to support children in remote areas, said over 1,000 children had been supported so far.

Den Vau, born Nguyen Duc Cuong, is one of the most successful rappers in Vietnam. Prior to his music career, he worked as a garbage collector for seven years.

The rapper began his career with work such as "Dua Nhau Di Tron" (Take Each Other To Hide Away), "Di Theo Bong Mat Troi" (Chasing The Sun’s Shadows), and "Troi Oi Con Chua Muon Chet" (Oh God! I Don’t Wanna Die Yet).

The "Nau An Cho Em" music video features Den Vau and his friends visiting children in a mountainous area. The group of friends prepare meals for the students using specialties from the rapper’s hometown of Quang Ninh. The track has a tranquil and innocent atmosphere coming from the guitar riff at the opening and the voice of singer PiaLinh.