Thousands queue to qualify for Vietnam rap contest

By Hoang Nguyen April 4, 2023 | 05:19 am PT

Droves of would-be contestants lined up down a Ho Chi Minh City block Monday and Tuesday to audition for the third season of the hit music contest show Rap Viet.

People queue up for Rap Viet tryouts in HCMC on April 3, 2023. Photo by Vie Channel

According to organizers, more prospective hip-hop star hopefuls are trying out this year than for previous seasons.

The first day of auditions saw 1,500 people try out. Participants who registered later in the day had to come back on Tuesday, Tuoi Tre Newspaper reported.

Three local artists are in charge of judging the casting call: "Vietnamese hip-hop queen" Suboi, singer JustaTee and a rapper who chose to hide their face.

The identity of the new mystery judge will be revealed later in the show to build hype.

Rapper Suboi (C) and singer JustaTee are the judges of Rap Viet's third season. Photo by Vie Channel

For the audition round, the contestants have to perform over instrumentals chosen by the organizers.

The next round of tryouts will take place in Hanoi on Thursday and Friday.

The first two seasons of Rap Viet were well-received by audiences, attracting over 3.5 billion views across digital platforms (mainly from its YouTube channel).

The show was one of the most popular music shows in Vietnam in both 2020 and 2021. The 2022 season was postponed due to Covid.