Grammy-winning soul singer Joss Stone tops a long list of artists from 10 different countries performing at the second Monsoon Music Festival (MMF) in Ha Noi next month.

Joss Stone.

In a video sent to the festival's organisation board, Stone, who is also a songwriter and actress, expressed her excitement about visiting Ha Noi and said she "can't wait to perform here".

The singer, who became one of the youngest artists to ever win a Grammy, will thrill Ha Noi's audience with her passionate and powerful voice during a one-and-a-half-hour performance at Thang Long Imperial Citadel on October 10.

Stone began her singing career at 13 and three years later, in 2003, she rose to fame with her debut album The Soul Sessions.

In 2004, her second record Mind Body&Soul earned her three Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist.

It also spawned a self-penned UK Top 10 single, You Had Me, and earned her two Brit Awards the same year.

Stone's third album, 2007's Introducing Joss Stone, showcased her songwriting abilities, and broke into the US charts at No 2, marking the highest debut ever for a female British solo artist on the Billboard charts. More than 12 million albums have been sold to date.

In the same year, at 19, Stone's version of Family Affair, which she performed together with John Legend and Von Hunt, was awarded the Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a duo or group.

Her other albums, 2009's Colour Me Free! and 2011's LP1, also reached the Billboard Top 10.

Big names

This year's MMF also features the all female Australian/British string quartet Bond. Dubbed the best-selling string quartet of all time, the band are set to perform on Sunday, October 11.

The Danish band WhoMadeWho will open the festival on October 8.

The line-up also includes British jazz singer Zara McFarlane, electronic band Samaris from Iceland, guitarist Thomas Oliver from New Zealand, the indie rock duo Catfish from France, DJ Shinichi Osawa from Japan and Norwegian singer and actor Samsaya.

A diversity of styles is apparent at this year's MMF, with the five-member band Great Mountain Fire from Belgium and Matt Robertson, a British composer and producer who combines electronic music production with classical composition and cinematic sound, showing this.

Vietnam Idol 2010 winner Uyen Linh headlines the list of Vietnamese artists which also features Hoang Thuy Linh, Toc Tien, Tien Tien, Pham Anh Khoa, Trung Quan, Dong Hung, Le Cat Trong Ly, and Ta Quang Thang.

The Maius Philharmonic orchestra, consisting of music students, will also perform as will DJ Slim V and VJ Crazy Monkey, rapper Kimmese and lead vocalist of the rock band KOP, Thai Chau.

Debuting last year, MMF was a highlight of 2014's cultural calendar. Enjoyed by the audience, media and the artists, the event then won the Devotion Award for Music Show/Festival of the Year.

The 2015 festival takes place at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, 19C Hoang Dieu Street from October 8-11. For the MMF's performance schedule and ticket information, please visit www.monsoonfestival.vn. 

VNS