At just 5 years old, this chubby boy with a bowl haircut and innocent smile was able to earn enough money to buy a car and purchase a four-story house in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. Every night, this boy could perform in 6-8 shows, with earnings converted to gold reaching dozens of taels a day. He is the musical prodigy of Vietnam, “Bé Châu”.
The name that once made the Western music market buzz, who shared the stage with stars like Hoài Linh and Trí Tài, became one of the earliest successful child music phenomena in the Vietnamese entertainment industry. However, the early fame came with a high price. As market tastes changed, the sad dance songs performed by a child began to face opposition, marking a period of decline. Bé Châu gradually lost his position, retreating into silence. He faced significant life events, and from the spotlight, he almost disappeared from the artistic scene.
What is the life of the once-famous musical prodigy like now?
When mentioning the child musical prodigy of Vietnam, no one can forget the image of the clever chubby boy known as “Bé Châu”. Bé Châu's real name is Nguyễn Huy, born in 1997. In the early 2000s, this name was a phenomenon, performing as frequently as A-list stars of that time. Nguyễn Huy grew up in a family where his parents made a living by singing street songs. Perhaps it was that environment that sparked his passion for music from a very young age.
From the age of 5, Nguyễn Huy could imitate the dance moves and performance styles of famous singers of that time, such as Nguyễn Hưng, Nguyễn Phi Hùng, and Lâm Chí Khanh, just by watching TV or tapes. The turning point came when he participated in a music video featuring many artists. This clip was later remade by bootleggers, and when people did not know the boy's identity, they arbitrarily gave him the stage name Bé Châu. Little did they know that this unofficial name would become the stepping stone for Nguyễn Huy to rise to fame, especially in the Western audience community.
At that time, the boy performed a series of lively pop songs, mainly in the dance genre with themes of heartbreak, such as Hãy Cho Tôi, Con Tim Mù Lòa, and Trả Nợ Tình Xa. From 2006 to 2007, Bé Châu's fee was estimated to fluctuate around 7-8 million VND per show, a dream figure at that time, especially for a boy under 10 years old. Each night, he could perform at various venues, sometimes running to 8 consecutive stages. If converted to the gold price at that time, his daily income could reach nearly ten taels of gold, something almost unimaginable for a child artist.
Not only that, Bé Châu also had the opportunity to share the stage with many big names like Hoài Linh and Trí Tài. From a boy in a family of street singers, Nguyễn Huy helped his parents change their lives in just a few years of singing. His performance fees were enough to buy a car and a four-story house right in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. At the peak of his fame, Bé Châu was always accompanied by 4 assistants to take care of and support him. The early fame brought Bé Châu not only glory but also wealth, admiration, and fame. However, that spotlight also came with many sacrifices.
The intense show schedule severely affected his health. The packed performance schedule left no time for rest, forcing Bé Châu to temporarily stop singing to recover his strength. A few years later, the trend of children singing adult music began to face much controversy from the public. The trend that once helped Bé Châu rise quickly faded, leading to the silence of a name that was once highly sought after.
In 2016, he tried to make a comeback through a television game show, transforming perfectly, but the effect did not last long. The name Bé Châu no longer created the same buzz as before.
By 2018, Bé Châu's family life faced a major crisis. The family's business failed, leading to bankruptcy. The spacious house in District 7, which was once the result of years of singing in his childhood, had to be sold to pay off debts. That same year, during a provincial performance, he suffered a serious injury, tearing the ligaments in his knee. After surgery, his ability to perform dance moves was severely affected, and he could no longer dance as before. The shock did not stop there, as during the same period, his sister and grandmother passed away one after another. The successive losses pushed him into a state of collapse.
Not only facing personal crises, Bé Châu also got entangled in troubles with colleagues in the industry. During long tours, he had the opportunity to work with an artist. Initially, the interactions were normal, but after a while, this person began to exhibit suggestive behaviors that crossed the line. Although he initially thought it was just a joke, when he realized the situation was not simple, combined with his already unstable and negative mood, Bé Châu decided to withdraw from the show to avoid encountering that person and to protect himself.
Having fallen into a crisis both mentally and in life, but to share the burden with his parents, Bé Châu still tried to rise again. He once took a job at a bar as a server to earn extra income. Putting aside the stage, the lights, and the applause, he started with the smallest jobs, hoping for his family to stabilize again soon.
Looking back at the darkest period of his life, Bé Châu, or more precisely Nguyễn Huy, went through days completely closed off from the world around him. He lived alone in a rented house, almost not communicating, not eating, and felt himself falling into a dead end. But after a long time of torment and despair, he began to understand that if he continued to give up, everything would only get worse. He had started from scratch to step onto the stage, so he could also start over from scratch once again. But this time, it would be in silence.
Despite carrying the pain of losing loved ones and the wounds from past relationships, Nguyễn Huy chose to view everything with a more positive mindset. He saw those losses as a form of liberation and learned to let go instead of dwelling on the pain. Besides working as a staff member at the bar, he accepted singing at some weddings. These small parties were both to make a living and to help his parents pay off debts. Thanks to the help of an acquaintance who opened a printing business, the family's work gradually stabilized, and debts were being resolved.
Currently, his parents have opened a small café in District 7, a cozy space to start over after the upheavals. Although he has been away from the stage for a while, Nguyễn Huy continues to improve himself. When not performing, he spends time self-learning music composition, honing his skills, and seeking new directions in music. No longer just a boy who danced instinctively, the current Nguyễn Huy is a mature artist, calm, knowing exactly what he wants, and ready to start over with tranquility.
After a long absence, he officially returned to the stage and no longer used the stage name Bé Châu. Instead, he chose to return with his real name, Nguyễn Huy. This is not only a change in how he is addressed but also a declaration for a new journey where he works with a more serious, self-reliant, and independent mindset than before.
In 2024, Nguyễn Huy, along with Producer Tuấn Mario, unexpectedly won the show “Challenge the Limits”. The title of Champion marks an important milestone in his comeback career, affirming that Nguyễn Huy's musical journey continues. Although this time the start is not as grand as before, it is full of determination. His return surprised many people. The face that was once associated with the cute chubby images of the early 2000s has now completely changed. The current Nguyễn Huy has a romantic appearance, somewhat rugged, with a clear maturity after many years of life experience.
Notably, although there was a unit that offered to sponsor the cost of cosmetic surgery to refresh his image, Nguyễn Huy still decided to decline. He did not want any intervention that would change his appearance. For him, looks may change over time, but what is genuine from within is what should be preserved when stepping onto the stage. And that is the journey full of joy and sorrow of the once musical prodigy of Vietnam, Bé Châu.