Children song ‘Mot Con Vit’ becomes first Vietnamese song to hit 1 billion YouTube views

A scene from the music video for "Mot Con Vit." Photo from Heo Con TV - Nhac Thieu Nhi Vui Nhon YouTube

The video, an animated version lasting 4 minutes and 29 seconds uploaded to a channel focused on children’s music, reached this milestone on June 15. As of Monday, the video has amassed 1.02 billion views on the streaming platform.

It does not specify the singer. "Mot Con Vit" has outperformed numerous other music videos by well-known Vietnamese artists.

Poet Tran Dang Khoa praised the song, noting its simple and understandable lyrics and melody, which convey a clear description about the habits of ducks and encourage movement, making it ideal for preschool-aged children.

"The music is simple, innocent, not like something written by a professional composer," Khoa commented. "But its innocence is what makes the song timeless."

The song’s immense popularity has ignited curiosity regarding the composer and any associated royalties. A representative from the Copyright Office of Vietnam stated that copyright registration is not mandatory and there is currently no available information about the composer of this song.

Various documents and oral accounts attribute the song to Kim Duyen, although Do Hong Quan, President of The Alliance of Arts and Literature Associations of Vietnam and former President of the Vietnam Musicians Association, mentioned he does not recognize Kim Duyen as a member of the association.

Journalist Pham Hong Tuyen, daughter of composer Pham Tuyen, recalled her father discussing amateur authors, including "Duyen," who was a teacher in a northern province and is believed to have composed "Mot Con Vit." She could not confirm the composer’s middle name.

Composers Nguyen Thuy Kha and poet Tran Dang Khoa estimated the song’s age to be between 60 and 70 years, likely penned by an amateur, possibly a kindergarten teacher.

"In the old days, many teachers knew how to write music," said Thuy Kha. "They composed for their students and passed it on orally. It is unclear whether the author is still alive."

According to lawyer Le Quang Vinh from Bross and Partners Law Firm, video producers of "Mot Con Vit" are currently receiving royalties, but they would have to share these with the author should they come forward to claim their rights. Even if the author has died, copyright remains in effect for 50 years post-death.

Children’s songs continue to perform strongly on YouTube as their repetitive play by a young audience can drive up view counts significantly. The South Korean song "Baby Shark" currently holds 14 billion views after becoming a global phenomenon.

Other popular children’s videos include "Johny, Johny, Yes Papa" with 6.8 billion views, "The Wheels on The Bus" with 5.9 billion views, and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" with 2.1 billion views, as of June 26.