A new and improved version of the television music show Bai Hat Viet (Vietnamese Songs) will be aired on Vietnam Television (VTV)'s Channel 6 next month.

Of the many music shows aired on VTV, Bai Hat Viet is the only for young song-writers. Since 2005, it has popularised many new songs by emerging artists.

Several award-winning composers have made a strong impression on audiences and industry experts alike.

Many Vietnamese music reality shows are adapted from foreign formats, and in order to compete, locally produced Bai Hat Viet must improve to win back audiences, according to organiser and composer Luong Minh.

A show on July 26 night at the HCM City Opera House will feature a number of hit songs made popular on the show. The work, titled Vong Quay Cuoc Doi (Circle of Life), includes eight numbers that have triumphed at the Bai Hat Viet awards since 2005. Circle of Life will be performed by singers Dinh Manh Ninh and Ha Tram.

In the new series of the TV show, the format has been tweaked so three new songs and the stories of their production will be introduced in the first three weeks of the month. The final week will be a live show featuring live performances of all the songs.

Featured producers and musicians will include Quoc Trung, Huy Tuan and Duc Tri, who are veteran song-writers.

The show was awarded the Devotion Award by the Vietnam News Agency's The Thao &Van Hoa (Sports & Culture) daily in 2008.-VNA