The first time Chinese audiences saw Dimash Kudaibergen on Hunan Satellite TV, he was a 22-year-old singer few people knew.
Standing on the stage of the hit music competition Singer 2017, he performed in a language not his own and poured his heart into every note as he tried to prove himself with his astonishing vocal range and technique.
He finished second, and the rest is history: world tours, songs in multiple languages and a global fan base numbering in the millions.
Now, at 31, the Kazakh singer widely regarded as one of his country's most iconic performers has returned.
This time, however, he's not here to compete. He's here to give back.
Recently, Kudaibergen served as the initiator of Hunan Satellite TV's first China-Kazakhstan co-produced music program, Voice Beyond Horizon.
The program brings together eight young music lovers from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Malaysia, and Italy for a 22-day journey across Kazakhstan, during which they will participate in music competitions and cultural visits.
The program is now being aired on Hunan Satellite TV, beginning on Feb 5.
Along the way, they visited Turkistan, Aktau, Almaty, and Astana for cultural immersion, collaborative music creation, and public performances.
Veteran Chinese singers Lei Jia, Li Yugang, Julia Peng, and Cai Guoqing, alongside renowned American music producer Walter Afanasieff, served as judges for the competition, offering guidance and advice to the eight young participants.
Kudaibergen was fully involved in both the competitions and travel organizing. For him, this project carries a deeper purpose.
"I returned as someone responsible for building a bridge between cultures and our countries," he says.
"Sometimes I was a mentor. Sometimes an older brother. Sometimes just a listener."
He adds that what mattered most was lending a patient ear to the participants' doubts, fears and discoveries.
His supportive approach, he explains, comes from his own experience.
Chinese audiences embraced him warmly when he was still an unknown singer, and now he feels a responsibility to offer that same support to the next generation of talent.
