Entertainment

Talented young artist Dang Tra Xuan Minh and a three-year story with a guitar

Published

6 years ago

May 5, 2020

“Not playing the guitar, the person lacks confidence in him”, that is the answer that “Đặng Trà Xuân Minh” dedicated to the question “why choose guitar?”. He may still have the innocent appearance of a 12th grader, but when it comes to the guitar, he’s a real artist.

Three years on the guitar

Artist Dang Tra Xuan Minh

Dang Tra Xuan Minh is currently a 12th grade student, at the most beautiful age of each person. At that age, people often will have many friends, and will also have a lot of fun together … to grow up. But for Xuan Minh alone, the guitar is a great love. And the boy of that pure appearance decided to stick with it and write with him the beautiful stories for his youth.

It is known that Xuan Minh chose to study guitar from the 10th grade. In the beginning, there were many surprises, and many difficulties. Because the characteristic of learning guitar is not only requires perseverance when practicing but also confidence in your own sense of sound. Because the guitar is a highly integrated performance instrument, it requires the player to use a variety of technical groups, to complete a work. So, depending on the sound as well as the specific strengths of each different guitarist will produce different structures on the sound tone in each work. Therefore, it can be said that young guitar players like Xuan Minh are really creative artists in their endless passion for music …

Artist Dang Tra Xuan Minh

And when asked, “Do you remember the funniest thing about when I was able to play the guitar?”, Xuan Minh just smiled and replied in a very carefree manner “At first, I often lost my beat”. That answer may seem a little off-topic with the question, but the truth is that only those who bravely carry out their passion can find joy from their “lost times”. Because when we look back on those times, we know how much we have grown up. And that boy, Xuan Minh probably understood the value of that, so he had the same answer.

A young man soon chose not easy things

Dang Tra Xuan Minh (Minh Meo) with many impressive articles, photos and clips released on music media such as Spotify, Youtube, … Among them, there are two clips that were initiated by Xuan Minh. Each frame and sound quality to record his beautiful feelings about the youngest days of life. Those are the two music videos of the songs “Ngày Của Mẹ and Tết Về Sớm Nhé” By expressing rustic and sincere, every frame, every verse in those products of Xuan Minh really brings a lot of beautiful emotions to the listeners. And although he is only a 12th grade student, Xuan Minh has soon acquired his initial shape on the art person.

Xuan Minh said “I often like to play songs like “Ngày Của Mẹ”, “Tết Về Sớm Nhé”, “Yêu Như Trẻ Con”… those pop songs. Because those songs are good and have many memories. ” It can be seen that, for Xuan Minh, memories are extremely important. His favorite songs, mostly pop songs, have a gentle melody, clear lyrics but also full of affection and respect. Especially on the topic of family. Thereby, we again see Xuan Minh as a young man with many passions and personalities but not a thorny, beat-hearted artist, but an artist with a warm heart.

Artist Dang Tra Xuan Minh

Along with that, choosing to invest in their own MV products is a challenging option for Xuan Minh. Due to the fact, Dang Tra Xuan Minh is still a high school student with not much spare time, along with learning pressure as well as difficulties in adolescence. But Xuan Minh chose to put in a lot of energy and dedication to each of his favorite songs, showing how strong his love for art is. Indeed, it is not an easy path for a high school senior student Dang Tra Xuan Minh.

The guitar is still the most familiar companion

Artist Dang Tra Xuan Minh

Despite many difficulties and choices, Xuan Minh still decided to stick very much with his beloved guitar. Even in his first music video, “Tết Về Sớm Nhé”, the image of Dang Tra Xuan Minh holding a beautiful guitar, fascinated with the first notes is also an unforgettable impression. And then followed by a series of short pictures of that fragile boy walking, accompanying his guitar in every song, each offering emotions that are hard to describe in words. Thus, Xuan Minh really respect and seriously with his own passion. And with my beloved guitar too! That is the very special beauty, especially of this young man who is still a high school student.

Everyone has their own choices to make sense of their own lives. And with Dang Tra Xuan Minh, he chose the guitar to write beautiful and meaningful memories, but not only for himself, but also for the fans who love Xuan Minh.

Check out his channel on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9gvrt3zYuroEE0s_EUwyqQ

Entertainment

Take the Gig, Meet the People, Build the Life: Sarah Angel’s Real Talk for Musicians

Published

1 month ago

January 16, 2026

Jonathan Grilli

Too many talented musicians spend the early years of their careers standing still, waiting. Waiting for the “right” gig. Waiting to be discovered. Waiting until they feel completely ready. But while they hesitate, others with less experience but more urgency are out there taking the jobs, building connections, and gaining ground.

Sarah Angel has seen this happen again and again. A successful live entertainer and founder of Posh Piano, she didn’t wait for a perfect opportunity to appear; she built her career by saying yes to what was already in front of her.

Sarah’s journey didn’t begin with a business plan. It began on stage, performing at corporate gigs and high-end events. For a while, she did what many musicians do: she showed up, played the set, and collected the paycheck. But the turning point came when she realized how much more others were earning off her talent. While she was being paid a small cut, the booker was making thousands. That gap shifted everything. She didn’t get angry, she got to work.

Sarah learned to run sound, bought her own equipment, built piano shells to give her setup a polished look, and began booking directly. Before each event, she would spend hours hauling gear and setting up the space herself. She didn’t wait for anyone to hand her a better gig; she created it. That same mindset carries into how she mentors and advises young musicians today.

For Sarah, one of the biggest traps new performers fall into is comparison. Instead of focusing on their own style and voice, they mimic what’s already out there. But copying someone else won’t lead to a sustainable career. What matters most is figuring out what makes you different and building on that. Your individuality is not a risk; it’s the foundation of your career.

Equally important, she says, is learning to say yes more often. Not every opportunity will be glamorous or well-paid. But every job is a chance to meet someone new, gain experience, or get your name in front of people who can open doors down the road.

This is where so many early careers stall, not because of a lack of talent, but because of hesitation. When performers constantly hold out for something better, they miss what’s right in front of them. Taking one job often leads to five more. And even if a gig doesn’t seem ideal at first, it often brings value in ways that are not obvious right away.

Sarah compares it to building momentum. Each job adds to your experience, your network, and your visibility. It’s not just about stacking performances, it’s about putting yourself in motion. The more active you are, the more people think of you when opportunities come up. That kind of consistency can’t be faked, and it can’t be replaced with a few viral moments online.

Another common challenge she sees is indecision. Musicians who spend too much time analyzing every offer often lose out on real growth. Taking action, even imperfectly, leads to more progress than standing still. Not every gig will be a perfect fit, but most will teach you something valuable.

Over the years, Sarah has also learned to be intentional about who she surrounds herself with. She chooses to work with musicians who are not just talented, but reliable, respectful, and open to learning. Attitude often matters more than technical skill. It’s easier to grow as a musician than to fix a lack of work ethic.

Sarah Angel’s career didn’t come from waiting or wishing. It came from working. She showed up, learning as she went, and made smart choices when it counted. The music industry doesn’t reward perfection, it rewards presence, action, and growth over time.

If you are serious about building a career in music, start with what’s in front of you. Take the gig. Meet the people. Build a life. One step at a time.