Reality show appearance opens up new paths

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."

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn