Album Cọp: A whisper to the inner child in everyone

Within the form of an adult, there always exists an 'inner child.' That child not only embraces childhood memories but also yearns for moments of safety to indulge in peaceful dreams. It's the child who once giggled at fairy tales, who let their soul flow with sweet melodies, who believed that love and kindness could solve all difficulties. Despite the rush of life, that child is still there, quietly listening and waiting for an opportunity to be comforted.

Fairy tale music – the melodies of the Cọp Album, like a gentle embrace comforting that child. Love and faith are expressed in every word and melody, as if bringing each person back to their purest, most primitive emotions – where everything can begin with love and sharing. 

Album Cọp: A whisper to the inner child in everyone. 

Fairy tale melodies carrying lessons, embracing a lifetime

Fairy tale melodies embrace a lifetime 

Fairy tales grow up with each person—through summer afternoons spent eagerly listening to Grandma’s stories, through the pages of books in the classroom, or through the heartfelt tales of old farmers in vast rice fields. Fairy tales enter our lives so naturally that, even as adults, though we may not remember where we first read or heard them, we still carry with us their lessons of wisdom, kindness, and love.

It is this simplicity and sincerity that make fairy tales a part of the "inner child" within each of us. The fairy-tale melodies from Album Cọp embrace us like gentle arms, reminding us of the most genuine and purest values in life. Each song in the album is a piece of the journey that reimagines the familiar folktale 'Trí Khôn Của Ta Đây' —not only bringing it to life but also carrying timeless lessons for both children and adults alike. 

Fairy-tale melodies embrace a lifetime.

Melodies that carry life lessons 

The Cọp Album serves as a musical thread connecting childhood to life. In the album, the melody of 'Dạo chơi trong rừng' evokes a childhood scene where the young tiger innocently explores the world—just like our early years, filled with curiosity and endless questions. From there, 'Cọp hỏi' becomes a song of wonder and thirst for knowledge, touching on the innate desire to learn that exists in every human heart, regardless of age. 

The turning point arrives when 'Đốt Cọp' resounds with powerful melodies, portraying the pain and loss the tiger endures—much like the hardships we all face in life. Then, 'Ru Cọp' gently cradles the soul with nature’s soothing lullaby, offering comfort for the wounds each of us has experienced. As the village realizes its mistake, 'Tìm Cọp' emerges as a song filled with urgency, expressing remorse and the desire to make amends—awakening within us a lesson on responsibility and healing. These melodies embrace the inner child in each person, providing a sense of safety and reaffirming that love has the power to heal all wounds. And then, 'Thương Cọp' teaches us about forgiveness and care, a reminder that genuine love brings about positive change. As the album concludes with 'Cả làng thương nhau', the fairy-tale melody once again affirms that true wisdom lies in sharing love, cherishing one another, and embracing happiness together. Within the embrace of these melodies, the inner child within us is comforted, guided, and reminded that wisdom only truly shines when it is built upon the foundation of love. 

The Cọp Album – Life Lessons Through Fairy Tale Melodies 

Through the fairy tale melodies of The Cọp Album, those timeless values are conveyed vividly, touching the hearts of all, guiding us through the twists and turns of life. 

Looking at life through the lens of The Cọp Album 

From the gentle fairy tale melodies that embrace a lifetime, The Cọp Album not only brings the listener back to childhood memories but also opens up a fresh perspective on the present. The simple lessons from the story 'Trí khôn của ta đây' (Part 1 and Part 2), evoked through music, do more than just soothe "the inner child" in each of us—they spark a profound reflection on how we live, love, and share in our daily lives. It is these timeless human values that transform the album into a lens through which we reassess life: truthful, delicate, and full of humanity.

From the perspective of the author and the recording artist  

Each piece in The Cọp Album is like a multi-dimensional lens, not only vividly recreating the storyline of the fairy tale 'Trí khôn của ta đây' but also unveiling the deeper meanings hidden behind each character, action, and choice. The melodies and lyrics of the songs lead the listener into a colorful setting, where rural Vietnamese stories appear with simplicity, imbued with a humanistic spirit. In this space, the recording artist is not just a storyteller but also a bridge between the author's ideas and their own emotions, infusing life into each note so that every song is not just a melody, but an emotion that touches the soul.

Each song is a collaborative effort of "like-mindedness" between the author and the singer 

The recording process is a journey of discovery, where the singers and the author delve into the meaning of the story, seek empathy with the characters, and convey the message from their hearts to the hearts of the listeners. The song 'Thương Cọp' is a prime example, where the melody and lyrics not only portray the pain of the Tiger – a symbol of the wounded beings – but also embody the spirit of tolerance and love from the villagers when they realize their mistakes and come together to make amends. The recorder also plays a role in “normalizing” the fairy tales. Through the handling of melody and lyrics, the lessons from the fairy tales touch all the senses of the listener, making them more relatable and easier to feel than ever before. In this way, the recorder is not only the messenger but also the guide who leads the audience to view life through the lens of the Cọp Album.

Fairy tale melodies bring the fairy tale story to the heart. 

From the author's perspective, the music in The Cọp Album is not just a means of telling the story, but also a bridge between the old and new generations. The author understands that today’s younger generation may not be as exposed to the rural context filled with countless fairy tales as the previous generation was; however, through music, these values can still permeate the inner child within each person. Each song serves as a bridge, bringing the fairy tale into the hearts of both adults and children, helping them to see the simplicity of love and kindness in modern life.

The more you look, the clearer it becomes, the more you return to the core values 

The Cọp Album is not only a musical work but also a mirror reflecting human values, guiding the listener back to the pure essence of humanity. Each melody and lyric in the album is a reminder of simple yet profound things: love, kindness, compassion, and the spirit of mutual support and solidarity. 

When we listen to each song in the album, it seems that these values become clearer, like a glass that illuminates things we sometimes forget amidst the hustle and bustle of life. The most primal things, the unchanging values through the flow of time—such as love, sincerity, and courage—are the foundation for how we interact with one another in this life. Therefore, each time we listen to the works in the Cọp Album, we realize that everything we seek in life, whether success, happiness, or personal fulfillment, shares one common thread: they all revolve around love.

The Cọp Album – A product of Trao Studio and Trao Books  

The Cọp Album not only brings beautiful melodies but also serves as a wake-up call, reminding us that all values in life ultimately return to the core value of "love" – love between people, love for nature, and all living beings. The more we reflect on the values the album offers, the more we realize that on the journey of life, love is the only thing that can connect everything, serving as an endless source of motivation to help us overcome challenges and live more fully every day.

The Cọp Album was composed based on the storybook "Trí khôn của ta đây" (Part 2), written by author Lương Ngọc Đức and published by Trao Books in 2021.  In addition to the album release, Trao Studio, in collaboration with Trao Books, has launched the Cọp gift box, which includes a book, seeds, games, and other items to raise funds for the album's release. Of the revenue from product sales, 20% will be used to help conserve the Cọp.

From: Xuân Nhi