Young Hmong artists reclaim roots through music and a language relearned

The future of the Hmong language and culture in Việt Nam is in good hands and music is at the forefront. Fusing Hmong elements with contemporary musical styles, a wave of young independent Hmong artists is showing what it means to be proudly Vietnamese Hmong. By Trần Khánh An In a small studio tucked inside an apartment block in Hà Nội, an unusual scene unfolds as the sound of a traditional Hmong flute and khèn drifts through the room, merging with the pulse of digital beats and the rapid flow of rap verses in Hmong. Here, three young independent Hmong artists – NT One, THEENG VANG and Ly Mí Cường – usually gather to create new music. Yet behind the sound lies a quiet paradox: they are...