An event at Dormitory B of VNU-HCM started with heavy rain. The surface was slippery, and the program was postponed. So we weren’t off to a good start. However, the audience stood their ground with enthusiasm unsolid, cheering and creating an atmosphere ready to explode when the program officially started.
18.18 Ignites the Stage
18.18 was the first to step on the stage. Although the stage conditions were affected by rain, the opening performance was still solid and professional. The drum, bass and guitar beats were clearly and firmly expressed, giving the feeling of a band with good stage experience. The vibrant, powerful beat of pop punk quickly restored energy to the entire simulation after a long wait. The coordination between members helped the opening screen hit and effectively kicked off the forum all night.
Datmaniac’s Verbal Fire
Datmaniac is one of the top fast-flow rappers in Vietnam today. His performance is always full of precise technique, especially in the ability to maintain breath and rhythm when rapping quickly, with almost no errors during the performance. His live voice is clear, stable, and doesn’t differ from the recording.
The songs performed have the inherent characteristics of Datmaniac: creative rhyming, high speed and accuracy. The most notable in the performance is the song “Thien Ha Truoc Hien Nha“. Its hook “ey ya eya oh” makes the atmosphere leave the stage, becoming viral as the audience sings along, creating a good connection between the artist and the audience. A definite one of the night’s highlights.
Đá Số Tới and the Sing-Along Spirit
Đá Số Tới brings a modern and youthful musical color, characterized by easy-to-remember melodies and emphatic lyrics. Right from the familiar opening line “Da So, Da So, Da So Toi, do you make me choo loi?“, the audience’s response comes instantly.
Their performance ran smoothly as their several songs got trending on social media recently. Making them a recognizable act wherever they appear. The positive stage spirit, good coordination and comfortable performance style have kept the program’s vibrant pace. Thereby, Đá Số Tới plays a good role in the content flow, maintaining a passionate atmosphere in the stage area.
Lil Wuyn delivered a performance with a clear shift in emotion and tempo. He opened with the song “An” — a track with a gentle and narrative tone. The song’s content focuses on reflecting personal experiences in life, creating a quiet enough space for the audience to have time to focus on listening and feeling the message the artist wants to convey.
From that emotional atmosphere, Lil Wuyn gradually increased the energy with each performance. The ending with the song “Nguoi Viet” created a strong explosion on stage. The song’s content promoted the national spirit and pride of the Vietnamese people, combined with a strong beat that made the audience below respond in unison through cheering movements and shouts. Thanks to that, Lil Wuyn’s performance acted as a stepping stone to accelerate the overall program.
Lil Wuyn’s ability to master the stage and flexibly change his performance emotions helped him demonstrate his mettle as a professional live performer.
Jaigon Orchestra’s Cinematic Journey
Jaigon Orchestra continues to experiment with their already colorful to the setlist. They open with “Leo Cây” — a song with interesting material: gentle but still enough to pull the audience’s emotions into it. Not stopping there, “Chinatown” sounds like a subtle explosion: attractive rhythm, modern Asian melody.
The uniqueness of Jaigon Orchestra comes from the way they combine musical instruments. The melody from the trumpet creates a “vibe” that is difficult to describe — both rustic, wild and cinematic. The band’s vocals are unquestionable: powerful, emotional and with an accent that makes the musical story come to life much more.
Jaigon Orchestra doesn’t just perform, they create their own atmosphere, making the audience feel like they are entering a new “sound world” that is still very familiar. Jaigon Orchestra brings a colorful musical space with a clear experimental orientation. Songs like “Leo Cây”, “Chinatown” and “Đi Đi Em” were presented with a tight sound structure, highlighting the combination of wind instruments and modern rhythms.
The group created a good effect when leading the audience to a continuous transition: from a gentle opening performance to a stronger climax, helping the stage area to maintain continuous attention. The vocals were stable and showed their own style, not being lost in the crowd. Jaigon Orchestra left an impression with a distinctive musical atmosphere, making it easy for the audience to remember their appearance in the lineup.
Trương Thảo Nhi and the Pop Connection
Trương Thảo Nhi brought a series of songs familiar to young audiences, creating a connection right from the start. The performance was visually invested: the lighting and stage movements were coordinated smoothly, helping the climaxes stand out more.
The song “Đánh Bắt Cá Xa Bờ” left a clear impression thanks to the easy-to-follow rhythm and the chorus that created a good interaction effect with the audience. Her stable voice and confident performance style helped Trương Thảo Nhi maintain positive energy throughout the performance.
Overall, her performance contributed to maintaining the emotional flow of the program and keeping the atmosphere lively in the audience area.
Liu Grace delivered an energetic performance, especially attracting attention with “Anh Chưa Biết Em”. The rap rhythm is decisive, the flow is clear and the ability to master the rhythm helps her maintain her form throughout the performance.
Confidence in stage interaction and the ability to “heat up” the audience are Liu Grace’s strongest suits. The switch flows are handled firmly, showing off her own musical skills and personality. As a young, rising rapper, Liu Grace has proven her appeal and become a notable highlight at the event
Suboi: The Queen Reinvented
Suboi appeared with a newly arranged setlist, performed exclusively for School Fest 7. The entire performance was supported by a live band, creating a more vibrant and powerful sound than the official recordings.
A highlight of the performance was the collaboration with Mess in the song “Pistol”, bringing a new and engaging musical experience thanks to the unique rhythm structure and good coordination on stage.
The most surprising moment came when Suboi opened the performance of “Nsao” with the intro of “Vào Đời” a familiar melody to the previous generation of young audiences. This handling created a clear nostalgic effect, at the same time showing a smart staging mindset to guide the audience’s emotions.
Suboi maintained a confident performance style, controlled the flow steadily and proved her position as one of the typical representatives of Vietnamese rap on the live stage.
Thai VG’s Grand Finale
Thai VG was the one who ended the night with a setlist of 10 songs, exceeding the audience’s expectations for the performance duration at a student event. The arrangement of the performance was intentional: he opened with slow songs, focusing on the story and emotions; then gradually moved to songs with strong rhythms, flexibly combining live band and DJ to keep the stage intensity always high.
Each song was carefully choreographed with continuous support dancers and changing costumes for each part, showing the meticulousness in the entire performance.
One of the important highlights was the “VG Cypher VietNam HipHop” performance, gathering many members who were in his team at Rap Việt, such as Yuno Bigboi, Long Nón Lá, TỌI, Wavy, Cadmium, Hydra, Voltak, … The spirit of the Hip-hop community was clearly reaffirmed right on stage.
In addition, Thai VG also had collaborations with Suboi, Liu Grace and colleagues from the US, adding diversity and internationality to the program. Thanks to the ability to continuously control the stage for nearly an hour of performance, Thai VG ended the music night with the level of sublimation that the audience expected.
School Fest 7: Next Dimension is not only a music night but also an affirmation of the vitality of the student community and the spirit of young Vietnamese music. The values that the program brings go beyond the stage: it is the connection between generations of artists, the real experience of the audience, and proof that music always has the ability to lead emotions, even in adverse circumstances. School Fest 7: Next Dimension has ended successfully, leaving positive expectations for the next season.
Photo & Words: Gia Huy
