Dong Quan: Hoang Kieu, a worker, was too hungry to go to the toilet to drink plain water

Born in an unqualified family in Hanoi, Dong Quan experienced a deprived childhood, lost his mother at a young age and was raised by his grandmother. His childhood was associated with a series of days of working part-time, being independent, and soon stepping into life to earn a living.

At the age of 16, while his peers were studying or playing, he worked as a sewing worker, earning a living with a small salary. Sometimes, during lunch breaks, he had to run to the toilet to drink water to relieve hunger because he had no money for rice. It was an unforgettable image in the early years of his life: a thin young man, sitting quietly in a garment factory, in his heart only hoping to have enough money to pay his tuition fees and pursue his artistic dreams.

Overcoming adversity, he passed the valedictorian exam at Hanoi College of Culture and Arts, marking the first turning point in his journey as an artist. But studying well does not mean having enough to eat. The memories of his student years are encapsulated in a room so small that friends call it a "cuckoo cage". The rent is only 100,000 VND a month, but it is also the place where he hangs paintings of Dan Truong, Lam Truong, Hong Nhung – once idols – to motivate himself.

In a cramped room, Dong Quan studied and worked part-time, occasionally singing in tea rooms or small events, as long as he had extra income to sustain his life. He was once advised to quit his job because he was "poor, has no beauty, and often sings". But perseverance and belief in his voice helped him survive.

The next milestone came in the early 2000s when he registered to participate in the Television Singing Contest – a playground where many popular voices were discovered. On that memorable contest night, Dong Quan performed the song "Carrying street goods" with all his emotions for his late mother. He said, at that time, it was like being immersed, no longer knowing what he was singing, only remembering that the audience was silent and burst into tears. The result: he won the third prize. For a person who was once despised because of poverty, that victory was like "winning the jackpot" – not only opening the door to art but also bringing the recognition he had always wanted.

But his artistic journey has not yet brilliant. He did not become a star overnight, but continued to quietly sing, accumulating experience. At some point, the name Dong Quan received more attention when he revealed his kinship with two famous figures: musician Hoang Thi Tho and businessman Hoang Kieu. He shared that his grandmother was the younger sister of musician Hoang Thi Tho, since then he has been a grandchild. As for Mr. Hoang Kieu – a Vietnamese-American billionaire who was in the top 400 richest billionaires in the United States – is a paternal relative. Although the blood distance is not close, being recognized as the grandson of two high-caliber figures has made many people look at him with different eyes.

However, Dong Quan himself admitted: "Called me, but it is very difficult to approach Uncle Kieu". When Mr. Hoang Kieu organized a music program at Ben Thanh market, at first he did not know that he was a family member. It was not until the representative of the Department of Culture contacted Dong Quan to invite Dong Quan to sing the opening song, that the organization informed him again. After that, Mr. Hoang Kieu happily confirmed the relationship and invited him to the US to perform in charity and community programs. Despite the opportunity to stand on the big stage overseas, the relationship between the two was not always close. Dong Quan told the truth: "There was no moment when I shared the stage with Uncle Hoang Kieu or took a close photo. Only when I sit down to eat, my uncle introduces this as my nephew." That shows that, even though he is a family member, he still has to advocate and prove his ability, there are no privileges given for free.

Performing in the program organized by Mr. Hoang Kieu brought Dong Quan a lot of pressure. He said, because he knew that he had the name "Uncle Kieu", every time he went on stage, he had to prepare carefully, practice every note, every pronunciation. The uncle's show is always live singing, large audience, careful listeners. Any negligence can be considered "lighthearted". Therefore, he is many times more strict with himself. Even after each performance, he didn't dare to fall asleep right away, but listened to the recording himself, to see how he performed, there were some parts that were out of breath or unclear words.

However, thanks to his performances in the US, Dong Quan has more opportunities to contact the overseas Vietnamese community – audiences who love bolero, yellow music, and lyrical music. Although not noisy and not marketable, his name is gradually known in a stable audience. Small shows and cozy exchanges are a place to help him stick more with the singing profession and find solace after years of struggle. He does not follow trendy mixes, does not PR with tricks, but chooses a rustic path, just like himself – from plain water toilets to live stages abroad.

As for his family, Mr. Hoang Kieu is a successful businessman, who used to be a laboratory technician at Abbott and then founded RAAS – a company specializing in plasma research. His success comes not only from business but also from the spirit of community. Many major charity programs in Vietnam have his contribution, especially after the floods in the Central region or the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, musician Hoang Thi Tho was a golden name in Vietnamese music before 1975, famous for immortal songs such as "The moon falls on the bridge", "Ta Ao Wedding", "The old way"... The two men belong to two generations, two fields, but both are the pride of the family. And Dong Quan, although not born in wealth, still carries with him a part of the cultural memory and responsibility to preserve that name – not by business or composition, but by singing.

Currently, Dong Quan still sings regularly at large and small events. He kept a simple lifestyle, often visiting his grandmother – who raised him to grow up. Despite her advanced age and weak health, she is still the person he always mentions with respect. His life is not ostentatious, does not appear in game show competitions, does not "run the air", but is persistent in his own way. For him, every time he can stand on stage, sing to the audience, whether it is a fair or a tea room, it is a gift.

If you look at Dong Quan's journey from his youth to the present, you can see that a picture has gone up not thanks to luck, but thanks to patience. From a boy working as a worker, to an artist standing on the international stage, recognized by billionaire Hoang Kieu as a grandchild, accepted by the audience not because of his name but because of his voice – that is a journey that is not easy to have. In the entertainment world, which favors noise, Dong Quan's quietness and persistence are rare. Maybe he is not famous, not at the top trending, but he makes people remember for his sincerity and consistency. And sometimes, it is those simple things that create real value for an artist.

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