MINH knew who he was from a very early age. From writing songs at 13 in his room to going on to perform for festival crowds across Asia, he knew he was meant to be in the spotlight. Born and raised in Vietnam, the pop singer-songwriter’s discography is entirely in English and transcends all global boundaries through the shared language of music.
His summer hit “Gossip” was met with high praise for its catchy melodies and relatable storytelling that deeply resonated with audiences around the world. In late November, MINH went on to release his debut EP THANK GOD! IT DIDN’T WORK OUT, featuring four new tracks with the addition of his previous single “Out With Grace.”
Sitting in a comfy white tee with a beaming smile, MINH shared the heartbreak that inspired his new release and every piece that’s made him into the person he is today in a video interview with EnVi.
A GROWING VISION
The entirety of MINH’s EP comes from the deepest parts of his soul, capturing the most honest stages of heartbreak. He wants to depict something up close and personal by featuring a close-up of him crying through a piece of glass in the album artwork. To pull viewers’ focus to his tears, you see the raw emotions behind his eyes rather than a more glamorous image. Even in the backdrop, MINH emphasizes the significance of blue being his signature color for this era, which aligns with cover artwork for past releases like “Out With Grace.” By keeping his visuals cohesive and emotionally driven with purpose, MINH is giving us the most unfiltered version of himself yet.
The EP opens with “Damaged,” a beautifully tragic ballad that shares themes of overthinking after a breakup and how people can be the worst critic to themselves. MINH wrote the song with a touching message to cry it all out and to place importance on giving yourself time to grieve a relationship. “What got me through this whole breakup was letting myself be able to go through every possible emotion,” MINH shared with EnVi. And yes, that included silently screaming in the shower and wondering why someone would do you dirty like this, too.
While he grew up listening to classic heartbreak songs from icons like Adele, deep down he could never figure out why they were so dramatic. But after his first breakup, MINH understood how “when you’re in that rollercoaster of emotions, you just think it’s never going to end.” Even though he fell into a rabbit hole of heartache, he’s glad he can look back and still be grateful for the lessons and truth he’s learned.
MINH also gave some wise advice: allow yourself a few months or so to let your emotions flow out, while reining in the key to healing. “If I didn’t let myself cry, I would still be mad at or resentful about the situation but I let myself go through the emotions,” the singer-songwriter emphasized. MINH is happy to report he’s in a much better place than he was just a couple months ago.
Moving across the tracklist, you’ll find tracks like “Out With Grace” and “What I Never Had” that mix genres like R&B and electronic pop with moody instrumentals. MINH considers both to be big contrasts from his older songs, but something he always wanted to make. He calls himself a “student of pop music” and has felt a reassuring wave of confidence to experiment new sounds more with his current team of composers. “I love vocal chops, like anything 2016 EDM, people think it’s really corny but I think it’s genius,” MINH excitedly shared as he looks forward to performing both live in the near future.
NEVER GIVE UP AND JUST SHOW UP
Reflecting on his past, MINH credits himself for never giving up even when he felt like he wasn’t ready. Considering others that were also depending on him, he couldn’t let them down and has consistently showed up every time. Recalling what jump-started the project, MINH noted, “Even though I was heartbroken, I still came to work and I was like, ‘You know what, I just gotta go through it.’”
In a hilarious turn of events, MINH shared a story about a call he had with his manager shortly after a breakup. “My manager called me and I was crying on the phone. He’s like, ‘Are you crying’? I’m like, ‘Yeah, I just went through a breakup.’ He’s like, ‘Good. Now you can write good songs.’” But the main lesson overall? In MINH’s words, “Never give up and just show up.”
That’s the exact energy MINH’s been giving us, as the singer has posted new behind-the-scenes content showcasing his creative process for each track. Outside of the studio, MINH enjoys the ability to change or scrap any lyrics he sees fit on his own time. But once he steps into the studio with fellow composers Cody, Glenn, and Maribelle, it all changes. He explained, “All ego and pride aside, you have to leave that at the door.”
He expressed gratitude for both the creative and personal connections he’s shared over this project stating, “It was just like theater camp or going to school, you’re at production rehearsals and don’t want to go home.” His team’s ability to write while having a great time together not only helped get every song done on the EP in under three hours, but created a safe environment for MINH to let his thoughts run wild.
BEYOND THE STUDIO
It’s safe to say MINH is highly beloved by his fans, or MINHIONS, for his artistry and their memories together. MINH recalled getting a very interesting text involving a fan named Han. One day, a family member of hers asked for his height and body measurements to which MINH replied curiously but was also slightly worried for what this meant.
Usually singers will know if they made it from someone recognizing them in public, signing their first autograph, or attending an award show. But the real deal? Having someone make a cardboard cutout of yourself. MINH found himself to be a part of the fan’s Quinceañera.He jokingly embraced the fact, “There’s a family picture of her with her whole family, her and her big puffy dress with a cardboard cutout of ME!”
On a deeper level, the singer enjoys a post-show ritual of meeting his fans after shows. Hearing them share with him things like “Your music has helped me through my darkest times” makes MINH feel seen within all the chaos of life.
When he’s not pouring his heart out into music, MINH has a couple different ways he likes to reset. Pickleball is his most recent obsession, but confessed he used to be a former hater of the sport. Over time, he had a change of heart sharing, “But then I started playing with my friends and like you know what? I get it.” For almost five months straight, it became a habit for him to get up every morning to go play for three hours a day and then head to the studio. Currently, he’s started playing tennis after dominating the pickleball court but also loves watching movies,drawing, or painting in his free time.
Of course, you can’t be a true student of pop culture if you’re not chronically online. MINH understands this well, as doomscrolling has been a long-time hobby of his. Particularly with Youtube, MINH shared, “I just love a good one hour video, a good podcast, you know. Trisha Paytas, like that is my vibe.” As video essays have become more popular on the platform, you can pretty much find MINH plugging in any discussion of pop culture to disassociate.
LOOKING AHEAD
There’s no concept or genre MINH wouldn’t try, but he eagerly shared two that have caught his attention. He loves the songwriting found in country music, as he’s been tuning in to Kacey Musgraves a lot recently. Plus, after his breakup, folk music has taken over his playlists, with Bon Iver making a feature on his daily soundtrack. “Maybe my folklore is coming,” MINH teased.
And it looks like MINH wants to work it out with Julia Michaels on a remix of “What I Never Had, as she was his pick for a future collaboration. We’re crossing our fingers to manifest a deluxe version any day now!
Otherwise, MINH is still on the grind, with performances set for this weekend at the Hobby Horizon Festival in Vietnam. He’s extremely excited to perform “Thank God!”to mark its live debut. Along with the excitement of having a completely different setlist from previous shows, MINH is more than prepared to present his newborn project with crowds everywhere. Put best by the man himself, “If you come to a MINH show, it’s going to be high energy, great time, great band, and just vocals. I’m going to serve a performance.”
You can listen to his new EP THANK GOD! IT DIDN’T WORK OUT now, available on all streaming platforms. Stay updated with MINH on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Want to hear the stories of more global artists? Read our interview with Glasshouse, where the band shares about their past and present together here!
