Reality show appearance opens up new paths

In 2017, Rukhiya Baidukenova was 18 years old as she watched Kazakhstan singer Dimash Kudaibergen perform on Singer, a popular talent show for professional vocalists produced by Hunan TV.

Better known in China as Dimash, Kudaibergen developed a wide fan base. Baidukenova, as a singer herself and a big fan of Chinese TV shows, found herself hoping to take part in Singer one day.

Seven years later, the 25-year-old fulfilled her wish, appearing onstage at the reality show.

As the first of the international competitors in the latest season of the show, launched in 2017, Baidukenova stood onstage bathed in the glow of anticipation. As a hush fell over the audience, she took a deep breath and her voice resonated with raw emotion as she began to sing the late American singer-songwriter Eric Carmen's 1975 smash hit, All by Myself, which was also covered by French-Canadian singer Celine Dion.

Her vocal range and emotional rendition quickly captivated the audience.

"I was very nervous. I had only three days to prepare for the performance," says Baidukenova, who performs in China under her given name of Rukhiya.

Although she failed to get into the next round of the competition, inspired by the warmth and generosity of the audience, Baidukenova made a sudden decision to stay and immerse herself in Chinese culture.

"I planned to return home after performing on Singer but later changed my mind. I've been living in Beijing for about two weeks. I'm learning Mandarin, taking music lessons and expanding my repertoire, especially with Chinese songs, as well as making new friends," says Baidukenova, adding that she is drawn to the sound of the guzheng (the ancient Chinese zither) and is keen on learning to play.

She adds that when she was in Changsha, Hunan province, where the reality show was recorded, she felt at home as it reminded her in some ways of her hometown.

The day of the interview, Baidukenova had just recovered from a fever and her throat was still sore. Her music teacher, Lan Tianyang, a singer and voice coach, played a few notes on the piano and asked her to sing the Mongolian folk song, Mu Ge (Song of the Herdsmen).

"She is a very talented singer and from our first class, I could tell that she would become a star," says Lan, who also coached Kudaibergen. "In my teaching approach, I use lots of methods borrowed from traditional Chinese operas. She learns very fast. In operas, there are different roles, such as qingyi (young female roles) and laodan (senior female roles), and performers use different voices to interpret them. I have my students learn these techniques."

Born and raised in Taldykorgan in southeastern Kazakhstan, Baidukenova has displayed a passion for singing since she was a child.

She says that when she was young, she was shy and quiet and loved singing because it was her way of expressing herself.

Her grandfather played the dombra (a traditional two-stringed plucked instrument) and her grandmother was a singer. When she was born, her grandfather named her after her grandmother, Rukhiya. Rukhiya means "persevering" in English.

From the age of 9, she began to receive vocal training at an art school in her hometown and in 2015, she moved to the capital Astana to study music at the Kazakh National University of Arts.

However, her father did not support her singing dream at first. "My father works in a factory and my mother is a full-time mother. They wanted me to have a stable job and apparently being a singer was not what they wanted me to do," says Baidukenova, who also has an elder sister.

Before she went to university to study music, she promised her parents that she would prove herself as a singer.

In 2021, when she was 22 and still a student, Baidukenova won the Grand Prix at the International Arts Festival Slavianski Bazaar, the largest arts festival in Belarus.

Launched in Vitebsk in 1992, the event propelled her to fame and brought her opportunities to perform abroad.

It also persuaded her parents that she could have a career as a singer.

"Now my parents have changed their minds and encourage me to pursue my music dream. They are the best role models. They taught me to be independent and pursue my goals," she says.

Before appearing on Singer, Baidukenova visited China four times, including to perform at the opening gala of the Kazakhstan Tourism Year in Beijing in March.

"China and Kazakhstan are neighbors and we share lots of things in common. For example, the people of both countries are hardworking and value tradition, especially showing respect for our parents and taking responsibility for our families," Baidukenova says. "I am looking forward to my journey in China unfolding."