The event was attended by several well-known Xam artists and researchers such as Xuan Hoach, Thanh Ngoan, Van Ty and Thao Giang. However, emeritus artist Ha Thi Cau, who is considered the last Xam singer from the 20^th century, could not come due to her poor health.  

The art, believed to have originated during the Tran Dynasty 700 years ago, was performed after the rice harvest to ward off misfortune. It was a popular way for visually impaired people to earn a living in Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Hai Duong, Bac Giang, Ha Tay, Hung Yen and Hanoi before and after the 1945 August Revolution.    

The art had died out by the 1960s until researchers and devoted artists tried to revitalise the art form in the 1980s, but failed. In 2005, the Vietnamese music development centre brought Xam singing to the public eye and the art form has gradually thrived in cities and provinces such as Hai Duong, Bac Giang, Hung Yen, Hai Phong and Hanoi.   

Xam singing comprises of a group of singers and musicians who play instruments such as drums, castanets, the Nhi/Co fiddle and the mono chord.