Yet when music leans excessively towards entertainment, can it still generate enduring artistic value? Musician Do Bao shared his reflections with us.
Moving beyond fleeting “crazes”
Q: From your perspective, what is the greatest challenge facing artists in today’s social context?
Musician Do Bao: I believe that in any era or circumstance, artists must uphold spiritual and cultural values — not only through technically accomplished works that truthfully reflect life, but also by going ahead of their time to unlock society’s capacity to absorb new values, while renewing universal values to suit contemporary realities. To achieve this, artists sometimes need independence of thought, rather than being swept along entirely by temporary tastes or commercial pressures. Striking a balance between pure creativity and meeting social demand is always a challenge worth reflecting on.
Q: In a period when entertainment dominates and is heavily prioritised, what difficulties arise in distinguishing genuine art?
Musician Do Bao: Today’s music market is experiencing an explosion of entertainment-driven content, a demand for instant stress relief, a culture of speed and pressure from metrics such as likes and views. Community standards appear insufficiently studied, often passively and spontaneously following the rules set by foreign platforms. In that sense, we are free, yet unconsciously deprived of freedom in both production and consumption of information. Information is increasingly difficult to classify, and it is ever harder to determine what is true or false, good or bad.
For any artist who wishes to pursue a long-term path and create works with enduring vitality that outlast fleeting crazes, the challenges are therefore even greater. They must remain steadfast on their journey while being more adaptable to change than ever before. This is by no means easy.
Q: In such a rather cluttered artistic environment — like a painting filled with overlapping shades of light and dark — is it also difficult for the public to recognise a true artist or a work of genuine value?
Musician Do Bao: I find myself unsettled by such an important question, as though we are referring to a handful of individuals capable of tidying and beautifying a vast and busy landscape. We have a broad environment comprising artists, managers and, above all, a large audience. Today’s audience exerts a powerful reverse influence on artists and managers when it comes to shaping what kind of market, industry or music scene is deemed appropriate.
I believe there are always true artists and valuable works everywhere. But whether society seeks them out, listens to them and builds upon what they have created remains an open question.
Q: Music is flourishing on digital platforms, but do you believe these platforms are a reliable yardstick for determining artistic value?
Musician Do Bao: I think artists must always understand the environment in which they operate, and this is particularly important for young artists, who possess abundant creativity and often more time. The environment closest to young people today is a broad and liberal entertainment market that lacks effective yardsticks for determining value.
In my view, digital music platforms are useful tools, but they are not suitable places to define artistic value. They are better at measuring economic value and consumer taste for particular products. Yet they can easily create misconceptions within the community. For example, I have heard certain songs that appeal to primal instincts and are presented in a vulgar manner, yet they are embraced and widely covered by a segment of the audience. When such songs achieve high rankings on platforms, it can foster the illusion that they are major works. That is a drawback of the current artistic environment. Young artists must dare to confront and recognise this reality.
I understand that artists must earn a living and survive within a market mechanism. However, they also bear responsibility for shaping aesthetic standards. If young people choose to move in an easy professional environment oriented towards effortless consumption, they may not feel they are missing out. Yet I believe that sometimes they must dare to forgo such easy spaces in order to reserve energy for journeys of greater meaning. The remaining question is what young artists want and what they choose for their future.
Building a healthy “ecosystem” for music
Q: In your view, what role do policymakers play in shaping a healthy and positive music environment?
Musician Do Bao: Policymakers and cultural advisers should focus on building an ecosystem comprising both people and new definitions, where values are properly named and criteria for classification and evaluation are clearly established. We should not simply follow existing international standards — such as those set by global music platforms or major multimedia corporations — merely because it is difficult to do otherwise.
At the same time, targeted investment could be directed towards culturally valuable artistic projects, performance spaces, aesthetic education for the public and support for artists’ access to resources. The goal is to create an “ecosystem” in which both pure art and high-quality entertainment music have room to develop, and where audiences have the opportunity to access multiple layers of value.
Q: It is a reality that artists who exert a positive influence on the public have not yet become the core force guiding public taste online. Do you think they should be given more favourable conditions by policymakers to spread their influence and inspire audiences more strongly?
Musician Do Bao: I am not entirely certain of my own view, but I have always thought that policymakers might consider studying carefully, placing trust in and providing conditions for outstanding individuals or collectives capable of serving as leading figures and symbols. This is, of course, difficult, and there remains much to discuss.
For example, when producing large-scale programmes, if trust and responsibility have been entrusted to artists, their requirements should be met so that these programmes can be realised on a much larger scale, rather than becoming trapped in longstanding procedural constraints. If such constraints cannot be overcome, perhaps it is better not to proceed. But once undertaken, it should be done in a fully convincing manner — with adequate investment, effective support and intelligent promotion.
The “locomotives” of the music industry are important. They suggest a direction and draw many carriages along responsible and cultured tracks, converging resources and contributing to elevating or reshaping the face of culture and the arts in each period.
Q: As for artists themselves, what does their ability to connect with the times mean in the current context?
Musician Do Bao: Each country has its own characteristics, starting points and cultural and educational foundations, which require adaptation in its own way. Certain aspects can be moderated if there are sufficient criteria to assess and control inputs and outputs across mainstream, underground and completely free music environments.
In managing broadcasting, editing and event organisation, there must be clear and humane institutions capable of rationally determining what is appropriate for the community and what is not. These are delicate filters that must be carefully designed with foresight.
At the same time, artists themselves must proactively adapt and find their voice on new platforms, especially now that artificial intelligence is profoundly shaping creative thinking and music consumption habits. Genuine influence arises from a combination of the quality of the work and the artist’s own ability to connect with the spirit of the age.
Thank you, musician Do Bao!
