My journey into the world of sound started back in 2016, when I was still in high school. I was heavily influenced by artists from Japan and the U.S., and though I dabbled in songwriting and singing, it quickly became clear that my true passion lay not on the stage—but behind the console.

At 18, I got my first hands-on experience in audio while working for a podcast startup called Waves8. That’s where I began developing my skill set as a mixing and mastering engineer—learning not just the tools, but also how to translate creative vision into sonic form.

Fast forward a few years, I was introduced to Vietnamese indie artist Công/Inari through a mutual connection—another artist whose song I had previously mixed, which later went viral on YouTube and TikTok. That same mix was picked up by Universal Music Vietnam and featured on their media channels.

When Công approached me, he was still in the early stages of his career. He sent me a rough demo of a track he was working on called OVERTHINK. The song had strong songwriting potential, but the demo’s audio quality was… challenging, to say the least. Someone else had already attempted a mix, but the result was far from usable. It was clear this would require more than just polishing—it was a full-on sonic restoration.

Due to poor vocal recording conditions, we couldn’t go back for a new take. So, I began by running the track through Waves NS1 to reduce ambient noise. I had iZotope RX7 on standby for surgical noise reduction, but thankfully, NS1 was enough. Once the vocals were reasonably cleaned, I applied my personal vocal chain—a setup I’ve refined over time—to bring the lead to life. It clicked instantly with Công’s tone, giving the vocal presence and clarity.

On the production side, I gave feedback on the low end—specifically the kick. I asked Công to rework it for more depth and punch, to help anchor the track rhythmically. We then moved to mastering with Ozone 11, whose new features offered noticeably more flexibility and precision compared to earlier versions like 8 and 9.

Once we finalized the master, I had a gut feeling the song would resonate. Still, I expected modest numbers—maybe 100k to 200k views. But the track took on a life of its own: 500k, 700k, and now over 1.4 million views on YouTube. The bigger surprise came when OVERTHINK climbed Spotify’s Viral 50 chart in Vietnam—starting at No.6, then No.3, and ultimately reaching No.2, above some of the country’s top-charting artists. (I no longer have the screenshot of the No.2 ranking, but I still keep the one from when it hit No.3.)

It was a huge milestone for both of us—especially for Công, a truly independent artist. Since then, we’ve continued to collaborate, and OVERTHINK remains a project that I’m incredibly proud of—not just because of its success, but because it proves how far solid engineering and creative partnership can go, even when starting from a rough demo and a less-than-ideal recording setup.