Hưng BlackhearteD and the Formula Bringing Vietnamese Rock to Hollywood

Whisky a Go Go, Steelheart, and the Recording Academy are three legendary milestones that many artists spend an entire career pursuing. However, the Vietnamese rock band DẠ MA achieved all three in less than a year.

Imagine an artist living in the United States forming a band of Vietnamese musicians across different generations. Together, they reimagine traditional folk melodies through the lens of modern rock. How long would it take for their name to appear on a poster at Hollywood’s sacred rock sanctuary? How long to open for a legendary band they idolized since childhood? And how long to earn a seat on the Voting Member Committee of the Grammy Awards?

Five years? Ten years? Two decades?

Hung BlackhearteD needed less than twelve months after founding DẠ MA to accomplish all those dreams.

DẠ MA officially debuted in the summer of 2025. By November 2025, they became the first Vietnamese band to perform on stage at Whisky a Go Go. In July 2026, two massive achievements followed in quick succession. The group secured the opening slot for heavy metal legends Steelheart, and frontman Hung BlackhearteD received an official invitation to join the Recording Academy.

Hollywood rarely relies on miracles. Therefore, to understand how Hung BlackhearteD and DẠ MA condensed a decades-long journey into under a year, one must look at their strategic development.

For longtime fans of the 2000s Vietnamese rock scene, Hung BlackhearteD needs little introduction. As the lead vocalist of Black Infinity, he pioneered melodic death metal blended with gothic and black metal influences. Black Infinity bore strong Western imprints in its song structures, harmonies, and language choices. In fact, most of their songs were written in English to connect easily with global audiences.

That global strategy yielded results. In 2010, Black Infinity’s track “The Secret” became the first Vietnamese rock song featured on the UK magazine Metal Hammer‘s “Planet Metal” compilation CD. The song also propelled them into the Top 10 of a Southeast Asian band competition, where Thailand’s The Nation praised them as a formidable contender. Interestingly, “The Secret” also marked a rare moment where Black Infinity infused traditional Vietnamese culture into their music through the subtle tones of the dan tranh (zither).

DẠ MA will be the official guest artist performing alongside Steelheart on July 24, 2026. Photo: Eventbrite.

While Black Infinity used an international musical language to reach the world, DẠ MA took the opposite approach. They do not aim to be a global band playing Vietnamese music. Instead, they choose to be a steadfastly Vietnamese band operating by global music industry standards.

DẠ MA reimagines timeless folk classics such as Trong Com (The Rice Drum) and Beo Dat May Troi (Drifting Duckweed, Floating Clouds). They combine the signature sound of the dan bau (monochord) with heavy distortion effects, wear traditional ao dai on stage at Whisky a Go Go, and sing entirely in Vietnamese right in the heart of Hollywood. Listeners recognize Vietnamese cultural icons even before understanding the technical performance.

“The Secret” successfully elevated Hung BlackhearteD and Black Infinity onto the international stage. Photo: Black Infinity.

Through DẠ MA, Hung wants the world to do more than just understand his words. He wants the world to recognize who he is, how Vietnamese artists approach rock music, and the richness of Vietnamese culture when placed alongside any global musical identity.

DẠ MA’s Hollywood cinematic works vividly embody Vietnamese identity. Photo: YAMA – DẠ MA Fanpage.

Sharing the thought behind this shift, Hung expressed feeling a responsibility to build something meaningful for Vietnamese rock on the international stage once he stepped into the center of the arena.

That mindset reflects a seasoned professional navigating the music industry’s most fiercely competitive market. Hollywood is overflowing with exceptional bands. Stepping into this arena merely to showcase technical speed or vocal power offers little competitive edge.

DẠ MA performs in traditional Vietnamese ao dai at Whisky a Go Go. Photo: YAMA – DẠ MA Fanpage.

Instead of offering an internationalized version of Vietnamese rock, Hung presents authentic Vietnamese cultural heritage. More importantly, he integrates these cultural elements into a world-class production pipeline, featuring mixing by Tim Palmer and mastering at Sterling Sound. DẠ MA considers both cultural identity and technical excellence indispensable requirements to share the stage with artists like Trapt and Steelheart.

Hung BlackhearteD pursues the ambition of bringing Vietnamese rock to the international stage. Photo: YAMA – DẠ MA Fanpage.

Hollywood does not need another band imitating American rock. However, it always welcomes artists with a distinct identity. While Black Infinity proved individual creative capability, DẠ MA demonstrates that Vietnamese culture is a genuine competitive advantage in the global rock landscape.

DẠ MA’s lineup brings together acclaimed musicians across three generations of Vietnamese rock. Photo: YAMA – DẠ MA Fanpage.

Beyond Hung’s vision, DẠ MA draws its strength from a veteran lineup of Vietnamese rock musicians spanning multiple generations. The band features guitarist Cao Minh (formerly of Disgusted), guitarist Tran An Nguyen (formerly of Khau and son of Bức Tường guitarist Tran Tuan Hung), bassist Quoc Hung (formerly of Sai Gon Metal), keyboardist Hoang Pio (formerly of The Headline and Friends), and drummer Tony Nguyen (formerly of 3Somelues and Midnight Fire).

Together, these musicians prove that a band singing in Vietnamese and sharing Vietnamese stories can earn genuine respect right at the heart of the global music industry.