IELTS Speaking – Âm nhạc

I mostly listen to indie pop and acoustic music, both Vietnamese and international. I like songs with meaningful lyrics and a relaxed vibe, rather than anything too loud. Recently, I've also been getting into jazz, because a friend introduced me to some classic albums, and I find it great background music for studying.

Yes, almost all the time. I listen to music while I'm commuting, cooking or doing housework, because it makes boring tasks go by more quickly. When I'm studying, though, I have to be careful. Songs with lyrics distract me, so I stick to instrumental music or lo-fi playlists, which help me stay focused.

Yes, my parents sent me to piano lessons when I was about seven. I have to admit that I didn't enjoy practising very much, and I gave up after about four years. Looking back, I really regret quitting, because I've completely forgotten how to read music. I'd love to take it up again one day.

Yes, a few times. The most memorable one was an outdoor concert by a Vietnamese indie band in Hanoi last year. The atmosphere was electric, and thousands of people were singing along to every song. It was so much more powerful than listening through headphones, and I lost my voice the next day from all the singing.

The piece of music I'd like to talk about is a Vietnamese song called 'Mẹ yêu', which is a gentle ballad about a mother's love. I first heard it when I was about eight years old. My mum used to play it on an old cassette player while she was cooking dinner, and she would often hum along. I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics at the time; I just liked the melody, which is soft and quite slow. It was simply part of the background of my childhood, along with the smell of her cooking. These days, I don't listen to it every day, but I'd say I put it on maybe once or twice a month, usually late at night when I'm feeling a bit low or missing home. I've saved it at the top of one of my playlists, so it's always easy to find. And every year on my mum's birthday, I send her a short video of myself singing a few lines of it, which has become a bit of a family joke because my singing is terrible. The reason it means so much to me is that it reminds me of my mother and of home. When I moved to Hanoi for university, I really struggled with homesickness during the first few months. One evening, I happened to hear this song in a café, and it brought back so many memories that I almost burst into tears. Since then, it's become a kind of comfort for me. Listening to it makes me feel close to my family, even when I'm far away. It's also made me appreciate the lyrics properly for the first time, and I've realised how much my mum sacrificed for us.

Enormously, I'd say. In the past, people mainly discovered music through the radio, TV or recommendations from friends, and you had to buy a whole album to hear it. Now, streaming platforms use algorithms to suggest songs based on what you already like, so new music is constantly being pushed towards us. That's great for exposure, and it's helped lots of independent artists find an audience without a record label. On the downside, I think algorithms can trap people in a bubble, because they keep recommending similar songs. So in a way, there's more choice but sometimes less variety.

I think it should be, at least in primary school and the early years of secondary school. Music isn't just about entertainment; research suggests it can improve children's memory, concentration and even their maths skills. It's also a great way for children to express themselves and work together, for example in a choir or school band. That said, I wouldn't force older teenagers to keep studying it if they have no interest, especially when they're preparing for important exams. Perhaps the best approach is to make it compulsory early on and optional later.

I think a major reason is exposure. Young people today are surrounded by global pop music on social media and streaming platforms, whereas traditional music is rarely played in those spaces. Traditional genres, like Vietnamese 'ca trù', can also feel slow and hard to relate to, since the lyrics often use old-fashioned language. That said, I've noticed an interesting trend recently. Some young artists are blending traditional instruments with modern beats, and these songs have become surprisingly popular. So I think traditional music can win young audiences back if it's presented in a fresh way.

It's a difficult question. On the one hand, top stars attract huge audiences and generate a lot of income for many people, so it's understandable that they're paid accordingly. On the other hand, I don't think the gap always reflects talent or hard work. Many brilliant musicians struggle to make a living, partly because streaming platforms pay artists only a tiny amount per play. So I'd say the system isn't entirely fair. It might be more balanced if streaming companies shared their profits more evenly, giving smaller artists a better chance of surviving.