Who is Sơn Tùng M-TP?

Sơn Tùng M-TP is one of Vietnam's biggest pop stars, a singer, songwriter and performer known for catchy, polished hits and high-profile music videos. His real name is Nguyễn Thanh Tùng, he was born in 1994 in Thái Bình province, and songs like "Lạc trôi," "Nơi này có anh" and "Hãy trao cho anh" made him a household name in Vietnam.

If you're exploring V-pop, he's one of the first artists people will point you to.

How to say his name

Sơn Tùng is said roughly as "shun toong" in Southern speech or "sun toong" in Northern speech, with a level tone on Sơn and a falling tone on Tùng. M-TP is usually said letter by letter. Fans and media often shorten it to Sơn Tùng or Tùng.

Early career

Sơn Tùng grew up in Thái Bình, in Northern Vietnam, and began making music as a teenager. He gained attention online in the early 2010s, and songs like "Cơn mưa ngang qua" helped him build a fan base among young listeners. Later, "Em của ngày hôm qua" became a major hit and pushed him into the mainstream.

He also acted, including a role in the 2014 film "Chàng trai năm ấy," and the soundtrack song "Chắc ai đó sẽ về" became another well-known track.

The breakthrough hits

A few songs are especially important to his career:

• "Lạc trôi" blended pop with traditional Vietnamese visual elements in its music video, and was widely praised for its style.
• "Nơi này có anh" is a romantic pop song that became one of his most popular tracks.
• "Hãy trao cho anh" featured American rapper Snoop Dogg, drawing international attention.
• "Chúng ta của hiện tại" and "Muộn rồi mà sao còn" continued his run of widely watched releases.
• "Chúng ta của tương lai" extended the "chúng ta" (us) song titles fans had come to recognize.

His releases are typically treated as big events, with teasers, countdowns and huge first-day viewing on YouTube.

His style

Sơn Tùng's music draws on pop, R&B, EDM and hip-hop, often with polished production and memorable hooks. His music videos are known for strong visual concepts and fashion. Many listeners note the influence of global and Korean pop in his sound and image, combined with Vietnamese lyrics and settings.

He typically writes his own songs, and much of his work is released through his own company, M-TP Entertainment.

Fan culture

His fan club is known as Sky, and fans are famously active, organizing streaming campaigns, attending concerts and supporting new releases online. The fan base is one reason his music videos reach large audiences so quickly. You'll see "Sky" mentioned often in comments and social media posts about him.

Like many big stars, he has faced public debates and criticism at times, including discussions about musical similarities to other songs. Those debates are part of his public story, but his popularity has remained strong.

Why he matters in V-pop

Sơn Tùng is often seen as a symbol of modern V-pop: a self-made artist who built a career through online platforms and grew into a major brand. He helped show that Vietnamese pop could have big production values and attract international collaborators. For a broader look at the scene, see what V-pop is and V-pop groups and how the scene works.

Where to start listening

If you're new to his music, try this order:

• "Nơi này có anh" for an easygoing introduction
• "Lạc trôi" for a more atmospheric, culturally inspired sound
• "Hãy trao cho anh" for the Snoop Dogg collaboration
• "Chúng ta của hiện tại" for a later, more reflective track

His official YouTube channel has the music videos, and his songs are on major streaming services.

Learning Vietnamese through his songs

Pop lyrics are a fun way to practice listening. Many of Sơn Tùng's songs use everyday words about love, memory and longing, like anh (I, said by a man), em (you, to a partner), nhớ (to miss) and yêu (to love). Our guide to nhớ vs. thương explains two words that come up constantly in Vietnamese love songs.

Pick one song, read the lyrics with a translation, then listen again without it; you'll be surprised how much you catch the second time.