Illustration: Liu Xidan/GT

Renowned Kazakhstani singer Rukhiya Baidukenova staged a song about her hometown and its people at China's Central Opera House in Beijing on Tuesday night for the opening of the China-Kazakhstan Year of Cultural Exchanges. 

Ever since her debut in China during a talent show in 2024, the Kazakhstani singer has stood out as a heartfelt connector between the two nations. With her powerful, emotive vocals and genuine warmth, she has emerged as a living embodiment of people-to-people ties - turning melodies into a bridge that spans across the vast steppes and ancient rivers linking China and Kazakhstan. 

"The song that I staged is about my homeland and its people as it speaks of great love," she told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"Through my voice, I want to invite my Chinese friends to visit my beautiful homeland of Kazakhstan." 

That welcoming spirit and sincere affection captures the essence of her musical philosophy: using pure emotion to lay the strongest foundation for cultural understanding. 

In 2017, Baidukenova was 18 years old when she watched fellow Kazakhstani singer Dimash Kudaibergen perform on hit show Singer. 

She told the Global Times that, inspired by that moment, she hoped to stand on the same stage one day. In 2021, she became the Grand Prix winner of the 2021 Slavianski Bazaar at the Vitebsk International Festival of Arts, also known as the Slavic Bazaar, according to a report by the Astana Times.

In 2024, at 25, she fulfilled her dream, taking the stage of the reality show. Though she did not advance past her challenge against veteran Chinese singer Sun Nan, the experience in China opened unexpected doors.

"After participating in Singer, I received many invitations from Chinese producers," she recalled. 

"More importantly, China feels incredibly warm and familiar to me. The natural environment, the pace of life - everything makes me feel comfortable. I genuinely, sincerely love the atmosphere here." 

Having chosen to develop her career in China for the past two years, she views herself as a devoted student. "I have learned so much in China," she said with gratitude. "From vocal techniques to musical styles, I have drawn rich nourishment from many outstanding Chinese teachers." 

She has observed that cultural exchanges between China and Kazakhstan are growing ever closer, with diverse musical traditions enriching each other. "Both countries possess deep historical and cultural heritages, along with a rich musical traditions and extensive skills and knowledge," she said. 

Baidukenova's journey has traced a vibrant map of Chinese cultural landscape. During Peking University's "Top Ten Singers" finals, she joined students in performing the classic Chinese folk song "Jasmine Flower," blending her signature coloratura technique with the gentle melody. At the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center's seaside theater, she delivered "Nightingale" during the opening of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization art festival. In Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, she celebrated the World River Song Festival with the Kazakh-language music piece "Mahabbatgarish" (Love's Universe). 

Yet the deepest common ground, she said, lies in "the shared passion and dedication both peoples hold for pursuing artistic excellence." 

Her soaring popularity has inevitably drawn comparisons to another beloved Kazakh artist in China - Dimash Kudaibergen. Baidukenova, however, expressed admiration for the senior singer and hopes to carry forward the mission of using music to foster friendship. Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva captured the spirit perfectly at the opening ceremony when she described such exchange events as "a dialogue of cultures that transcends translation."

"Such initiatives lay a solid foundation for the future of our countries and serve as a source of inspiration for the younger generation," she added.

Kazakhstan's People's Artist, singer Alisher Karimov, performed the Chinese song "Cloud of the Hometown." He told the Global Times that he chose it from thousands of songs because it truly touched his heart.