Before the pandemic, which seems like decades ago, underground artists in Vietnam were relegated to the back of the line, while the focus was on foreign touring DJs stopping by for a day or two at most. One of the good things that happened during COVID-19 is that it forced people to refocus. Since Vietnam had one of the strictest policies about letting people into the country in the world, local and underground artists have now elbowed their way into the front. To celebrate this hyper-local awakening, Mixcloud’s third installment of Worldwide Vibe will be live from the bustling streets of Saigon.

“There’s always music in Vietnam, and that’s no exaggeration,” says Demon Slayer, who also has a real name, Dan Nguyen, “Whether it’s speakers outside a store, or speakers latched onto a moped, the city is loud in every sense of the word. And that energy is reflected in the music.” Demon Slayer is curating the event with Saigon Community Radio, in partnership with V2X, LIONS SHARE, and Eastern Margins, with a focus on local and mainstream sounds colliding. The six-hour marathon livestream on Mixcloud will include Jase, 2Stone, Triple D, Teddy Chilla, Minoto, Larria, Tizone, mess. [live], Puppy Ri0t, and Tanecore.

One local sound in Vietnam that has been blowing up is Vinahouse. This distinctly mainstream genre that many people outside of Vietnam have never heard of amplifies local hits and ballads to a blistering 140 BPMs is streamed 4,359 each day [!!!] by creators in Vietnam. For the Worldwide Vibe Vietnam party, expect some Vinahouse, but also a lot of things that you have never heard before.

The Worldwide Vibe Vietnam will be held Saturday, March 26, from 18:00 to 22:40 Vietnam Time. [11:00 to 15:40 London Time]. The event can be watched live here.