Finding her voice

The American enjoys singing Chinese folk songs in their original tunes and styles. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

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"Is that you singing or from the recording?" her mother asked.

"No, it was me," she replied.

"You sound exactly like a Chinese. How did you do that? That's amazing!" her mother said in admiration.

"That was the first time I remember my mother ever praised me to my face," she says. "I was very happy. I finally found what I am supposed to do. Since then I would learn any Chinese song I heard and work hard on my Chinese pronunciation."

Though she still hadn't overcome the stage fright she felt in 2009, she decided in 2013 to audition again, this time for Starlight Boulevard, the first singing competition variety show created in the country 10 years ago.

She spent many sleepless nights thinking about her clothes, makeup and songs during the competition. She also stopped eating for several days to fit into her dress. She insists on performing old Chinese folk songs with the original tunes and styles, rather than adding any modern elements, like rap and rock.

"I know lots of artists modernize old music. For me, I don't want to change it at all. I want it to be pure," she says.

One of her favorite Chinese films is Farewell My Concubine, an award-winning movie directed by Chen Kaige in 1993. Running through the film are Peking Opera melodies that entranced worldwide audiences, including Lowdermilk.

"People have been training for years to perform these kinds of art onstage. Lots of Westerners come to China and think it's just about singing in a high voice and having facial expression, which is completely wrong," she says. "Every little movement has a meaning, even the way they paint their faces. We should take it seriously."

Now, Lowdermilk also acts in a TV serial and her goal is to produce her own music in a soft rock style and work with young Chinese musicians.

"I never planned to be a singer. But after what I have been through, I realized that it's OK to dream," she says.

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