HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - Vietnamese pop stars whowere popular in the 2000s have made a TV comeback with two newreality shows.

Dan Truong had an impressive return on September 14, appearing on theopening of the weekly show Bai Hat DauTien (Debut Song) launched by Vietnam Television (VTV).

The show honours the career of singers who have made great contributions to thecountry's music.

“Bai Hat Dau Tien gives me anopportunity to show my gratitude to my fans who have supported me for 20years,” said Truong, whose last TV appearance was in 2014.

“I want to share my love for music and introduce my hits during my career tofans,” the 44-year-old said.

During the show, Truong performed songs that established his name,including Kiep Ve Sau (CicadaLife), a Cantonese pop song with Vietnamese lyrics by Nguyen Ngoc Thien.

Truong’s favourites songs like Di Ve Noi Xa (Go FarAway), composed by Le Quang and Hon Moi Xa (Long Distance Love) by TranMinh Phi, were featured as well.

The singer revived his hit Ao Mong Tinh Yeu (TheIllusion of Love), a duet with songtress Cam Ly that rocketed himto fame, by performing with Vietnamese-Korean singer Hari Won onthe show.

“I’m excited for my beloved fans to hear my favourite songs and stories aboutmy singing career. I want to take my fans back to our youth,” said Truong.

Comic actor Minh Du, a big fan of Truong, said: “Dan Truong’s songs playan important role during my youth. Watching his performances on TV reminds meof beautiful memories of youth.”

Truong began his singing career in 1997, overcoming challenges along the way tobecome a big star.

In 1999, his first album, Dan Truong Collection, featuring his favouritehits, helped him become a new star in the country’s music industry.

Three years later, his top hit Giac MoMau Xanh (Blue Dream) became a hit phenomenon and helped him win hisfirst Mai Vang Award for the year's best singer, presented by Nguoi Lao Dong (Labourer) newspaper. Hewon the award nine times.

For many years, he has been named one of the top 10 singers in Vietnam bythe local press and listeners of the Lan Song Xanh (Blue Wave) music programmeon the Voice of HCM City radio station.

Truong has released 37 albums featuring pop, dance and contemporary folk music,with total sales of 1.2 millions copies, and has organised 13 live shows.

Along with music, Truong enjoys acting. He was the leading actor in TVseries on school life, Thu Ba Hoc Tro (StudentsAre the Third Most Scary Thing), and rom-com movies NuHon Dau Xuan (Spring Kiss) and YeuAnh! Em Dam Khong? (Dare You Love Me?).

After Dan Truong, Bai Hat Dau Tien willbring pop stars like Ngoc Son, Phuong Thanh and Jimmy Nguyen back toTV. The show is broadcast at 8:30pm every Monday on VTV3.

Like Bai Hat Dau Tien, Shadow Singer, a Vietnamese version of a Koreanshow, is also reintroducing TV audiences to famous singers.

The show’s highlight is the reunion of bands who impressed audiences bornin the 1980s and 1990s but later broke up.

One of them is AC&M (Acapella and More), a four-member boy band which brokeup in 2009. Two members of the band, Hoang Bach and Nam Khanh, movedwhen sharing the stage of Shadow Singer after the split.

“I’m speechless. Ten years is a long time for us. Now we can singtogether,” Bach said.

Khanh added that he had dreamed of a day when all members could sing acapella again.

AC&M was founded in 2001 with four graduates from the HCM City Conservatoryof Music: Dinh Bao, Hoang Bach, Nam Khanh and Thuy Vu.They focused on a capella and pop, which wowed audiences with theirskills and voices.

The group won top prizes, including best song in 2003 and best band in 2004 and2005.

After breaking up, Bao and Vu moved to live in the US. Khanh became alecturer at the city’s music conservatory, while Bachhas continued his music career.

Shadow Singer is broadcast at 9:15pm every Sunday on VTV3./.