Female students Tran Nguyen Uyen Linh and Van Mai Huong will vie to be crowned
Viet Nam Idol in the finale of the series’ third season on Saturday night.

Performances last
Saturday were the final chances for Uyen Linh and Mai Huong to impress judges
and viewers with their talents, performing foreign and Vietnamese songs,
including a new tune by composer Huy Tuan.

Huong, at only 16
years of age, was not seen to be in a position of strength going into the final,
but she has consistently wowed audiences and judges with voice and
professionalism.

She sang a fresh
rendition of Trai Tim Am Nhac (Music Heart) last week and said the song
represented her thoughts about music over her four-month journey with Viet Nam
Idol.

Huong bowled over
audiences with her cover of Hot and Cold by Katy Perry when she surprised
everyone by appearing in a black wig and glasses.

“You can definitely be
called a music star despite being only 16 years old,” said judge Diem Quynh.
“You are very professional to sing a song that makes viewers forget your age.”

Quynh believed the
young student at the Military Culture and Arts College had a long career ahead
of her because of her talent.

Meanwhile judge Quoc
Trung said that Huong would be a new image for pop singers and an idol for the
teen music audience.

Linh, 22, is a recent
graduate of the Viet Nam Academy of Diplomacy. Last week, she sang Sao Anh Chang
Ve (Why You Don’t Return), composed by the Viet Nam Idol judge, Trung.

She entertained
viewers with a wonderful improvisation on the melody and even changed a few
words.

Stars in their eyes: Top 2 Viet Nam Idol 2010 Van Mai Huong and Tran Nguyen Uyen Linh. The winner of the series’ third season will be announced on Saturday night. — File Photos

“I can sue you for
changing my song without permission,” laughed Trung. “But I will share the
royalties with you because you made it fresh.”

Linh’s performance of
Take Me to the River was so infectious it had the judges joining in singing and
dancing along to her performance, which also demonstrated her ability to sing
fluently in English.

For the final song,
she performed Cam On Tinh Yeu (Grateful for Love) which Huong had performed
before. Linh modulated her voice in the song and turned in an emotional
performance that moved judge Siu Black.

“I don’t want to
compare you and Mai Huong, but your singing added much more emotion to the
song,” said veteran singer Siu Black.

Linh is herself a
“veteran”, having competed in the previous Viet Nam Idol and Viet Nam
Television’s song contest.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News