Singer Hà Lam Bùi: Cọp is an album that embodies both artistic value and strong educational significance.

As the composer, vocal arranger, and singer of the Cọp album, Hà Lam Bùi has brought magical and vibrant melodies to its songs. Through this, she has helped convey the album's messages and lessons in a profound and meaningful way. 

Born and raised in Hue, Hà Lam Bùi began her musical journey at the age of eight, studying professional elementary-level piano at the Hue Academy of Music. Pursuing a career in professional arts, she later graduated with a degree in Musicology from the Vietnam National Academy of Music and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the Central University of Pedagogy and Arts. As a musician, singer, and freelance actress, Hà Lam has earned numerous national awards, including: First Prize in Golden Voice of Hue, First Prize in Red Flamboyant Singing Contest in Hue, First Prize in Summer Vocal Group in Hue, Second Prize for her composition in Ha Tinh, "B" Prize from the Central Youth Union of Vietnam, "B" Prize for Vocal Performance in the Vietnam Musicians' Association Awards, Second Prize in Harmony Battle on VTV3. Additionally, she was a member of the Hanoi Catholic Youth Choir, which made it to the finals of Vietnam’s Got Talent on VTV3 in 2016. 

Singer, Composer Hà Lam

What brought you to the Tiger Album project? 

I was fortunate to be introduced to this album project by a friend—a fellow member of the choir.

Before starting the process of composing, arranging harmonies, and recording for the Tiger Album, what were your thoughts on its content? 

I was truly excited when listening to the Tiger Album. I found it to be a meaningful album for children, and moreover, it helps revive fairy tales that have been gradually forgotten over time.

During the working process, did you encounter any difficulties? 

Since it’s a children's album, I had to think more about the harmony arrangements to ensure they were appropriate, so that the harmonies wouldn’t sound too mature or overly complex, nor too simple. The recording process was similar; I also had to adjust my harmony singing to make it less mature, and although I’m not sure if it’s completely pure, I hope it’s good enough to suit the nature of the songs. That was the difficult part for me, but eventually, everything was organized smoothly. 

Composer and Singer Hà Lam composed and arranged harmonies for 7 tracks in the Cọp Album

Which piece impressed you the most after completing the composition, arrangement, and harmony singing? 

All the songs in the album are very impressive, so choosing just one is difficult for me. But I can mention three that stand out. First is "Ru Cọp," I shed many tears while working on this song, it really touches the listener's emotions. The second is "Dạo chơi trong rừng" – a song where, during the recording process, I truly felt like I was jumping and skipping through the forest. And the final one is "Đốt Cọp" – a very captivating song that made me want to add even more harmonies to the album.

Which piece did you spend the most time on for the composition, arrangement, and harmony singing process? 

It is "Đốt Cọp" – a song I invested a lot in creating harmonies, and the recording and editing process took quite a lot of time.

As both a composer and a singer, how do you feel the artistic value of the Album Cọp is reflected in its various aspects?

Each song carries a high level of artistry. Some have light, cheerful, and lively melodies like "Cả làng thương nhau," "Tìm Cọp," "Dạo chơi trong rừng," and so on. Others maintain a gentle melody but are deep and soothing like "Thương Cọp" and "Ru Cọp." As for "Đốt Cọp," it's very "rock," fiery, and somewhat mysterious, like a musical, bringing freshness and excitement to the entire album. Overall, all seven songs are children's songs that are easy to remember and sing along to, yet still rich in artistic value through their melodies. 

For Hà Lam, all 7 pieces in the Cọp Album contain high artistic value.

How did you carry out the composition, harmony arrangement, and vocal harmonization? 

I received the songs and listened to them carefully. Once I connected with the song, I immediately started composing, arranging the harmonies, recording, and editing. It sounds simple, but it's actually a long process.

For you personally, do you have any plans to compose more children's music albums? If so, could you name some of the songs you have already composed?

Currently, children's music receives very little attention from all age groups, so I really want to make children's songs more popular with the public, so that children can sing songs that are appropriate, innocent, and pure for their age. That's why I've always had it in mind to create this album, but haven't had the conditions to do so. I've also composed many children's songs, some of which have been completed and aired on local television stations, such as: Cóc ơi cóc hỡi (2009), Tuổi thơ mến yêu (2009), Vầng trăng yêu thương (2007), Mùa xuân đến (2006), Nắng lên rồi (2003)...

The Album Cọp is inspired by the fairy tale "Trí khôn của ta đây" (Part 2).

From your perspective, what does the Album Cọp convey to the audience? 

The Album Cọp carries a high educational value, which is very necessary for the children's age group, guiding them toward the most beautiful and virtuous qualities. Notably, I see that the Album successfully conveys compassion, empathy, understanding, and deep love for all beings and life on Earth to the audience.

Do you want to send any message to the audience? 

I hope everyone will take the time to fully enjoy all 7 pieces of the Album Cọp, as each song has its own unique color—sometimes gentle and calm, sometimes fiery and energetic. More importantly, all 7 pieces contain meaningful messages and lessons. 

Thank you so much, Hà Lam.