The children’s song “Mot Con Vit” is the first Vietnamese song to reach one billion views on YouTube

A scene from the music video for “Mot Con Vit”. Photo by Heo Con TV – Nhac Thieu Nhi Vui Nhon YouTube

The video, an animated version lasting 4 minutes and 29 seconds and uploaded to a channel focused on children’s music, reached that milestone on June 15. The singer is not named.

“Mot Con Vit” has outperformed many other music videos by popular Vietnamese artists.

Poet Tran Dang Khoa praised the song, highlighting its simple and understandable lyrics and melody, which provide a clear description of the ducks’ habits and encourage movement, making the song ideal for preschool children.

“The music is simple, innocent, not like it was written by a professional composer,” commented Khoa. “But it is precisely this innocence that makes the song timeless.”

The song’s enormous popularity has sparked curiosity about the composer and the royalties associated with it. A representative of Vietnam’s Copyright Office stated that copyright registration is not mandatory and no information about the composer of this song is currently available.

In various documents and oral reports, the song is attributed to Kim Duyen, although Do Hong Quan, president of the Alliance of Arts and Literature Associations of Vietnam and former president of the Vietnam Musicians Association, mentioned that he does not recognize Kim Duyen as a member of the association.

Journalist Pham Hong Tuyen, daughter of composer Pham Tuyen, recalled her father talking about amateur writers, including “Duyen,” who was a teacher in a northern province and is believed to have composed “Mot Con Vit.” She could not confirm the composer’s middle name.

Composers Nguyen Thuy Kha and poet Tran Dang Khoa estimated the song’s age to be 60 to 70 years old and suspected that it was written by an amateur, possibly a kindergarten teacher.

“In the past, many teachers knew how to write music,” says Thuy Kha. “They composed for their students and passed it on orally. It is unclear whether the author is still alive.”

According to lawyer Le Quang Vinh of the law firm Bross and Partners, the video producers of “Mot Con Vit” currently receive royalties, but would have to share them with the author if he asserts his rights. Even if the author dies, the copyright remains valid for 50 years after his death.

Children’s songs continue to be very popular on YouTube, as repeated play by a young audience can significantly increase views. The South Korean song “Baby Shark” currently has 14 billion views after becoming a global phenomenon.

Other popular children’s videos include “Johny, Johny, Yes Papa” with 6.8 billion views, “The Wheels on The Bus” with 5.9 billion views and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” with 2.1 billion views (as of June 26).