Have you ever wanted to be the star of your own show?
For Xueqian (Chien) Zhang, who moved to Adelaide from China to study, the 2025 Adelaide Fringe Festival presented a unique opportunity to follow her dreams and create a unique artistic offering. We chatted with Qian about her journey from China to Australia and how she found her voice in Adelaide.
Uprooting to Adelaide
Qian explains that she really wanted to find her independence by moving overseas to study. Australia seemed like the perfect option because she already had family living in Sydney. During her time in Adelaide, Qian studied Social Work at UniSA and Vocal Performance at AC Arts. Her vocal performance degree was the first time she really enjoyed studying, she says. Obviously, the next step was to hit the stage!
A star in the making
This month, Qian will present her solo show, A Voice in the Making—From China to Australia. She describes the show as a “light-hearted true storytelling and music.”
Qian explains that the story begins in China before she was born and continues until today. Containing “a charming fusion of folk-pop, ukelele, a taste of my homeland and my original songs”, Qian is about to showcase the beautiful result of finding her voice and true passion in Australia.
“Growing up, I always wanted to know what I was born to do or be passionate about doing, but I didn’t know the answer until a few years ago. It’s been a very winding, interesting journey entwined with laughter and tears.”
Bringing a performance to life
Qian has been working hard to bring her show to life since last October. She explains that crafting her art, from music to writing the script and delivery, was particularly rewarding.
“Writing the script has been a wonderful journey and an opportunity for me to connect more deeply with my younger self, upbringing and my culture too,” she says.
Qian’s creative journey was supported by a Fringe Fund grant, which enabled her to learn from two talented mentors – music mentor Kym Purling and acting mentor Valerie Berry from ActNow Theatre – as well as her local artist and theatre communities.
In particular, ActNow Theatre played an important role in Qian’s exploration and growth as an independent artist. ActNow assisted with her Fringe Fund application and provided rehearsal space.
“It’s a very lovely community hub that puts emerging artists in touch with a network of creative collaborators,” explains Qian.
ActNow runs inclusive community workshops, which focus on diversity in the arts and are run by artists from Adelaide’s First Nations, POC and LGBTQIA+ communities.
Qian has just been selected as one of ActNow’s Cultural Leaders for 2025.
“I am very excited to see how this one-year-long professional development opportunity is going to improve my leadership skills in the arts industry,” she says.
Choosing a story for international students
Qian’s cultural heritage was an important motivation in deciding to create her very own show. There weren’t many shows about international students or new migrants, so she wanted to create one that would resonate with her community. “I always want to grow, learn and explore my potential as a singer-songwriter and storyteller. So this was the perfect opportunity for me to do a solo show for the first time,” she says.
“I believe my story is worth telling. It’s about how I found my voice and true passion from China to Australia and my important learnings along the way, which I think will resonate and inspire many international students and immigrants and provide insights for locals to know what our journeys might look like.”
Starting your own show
With her experiences, Qian is more than happy to share tips with other performers and international students. She explains that if you experience stage fright, it means you care! She helps settle any nerves by preparing thoroughly and reminding herself that she just needs to be herself and share her story from the heart.
To any international students who wish to share their stories, Qian says, “Just do it!” She explains that everyone doubts themselves but it’s important to remember that all of our stories are unique.
“I think that when we are being our authentic selves, we attract people who are in the same channel as us. That’s why it’s very important. The more we share from our true hearts, the more connected we can be.”
You can see Qian’s heartfelt show on March 15, 16 and 18. Click here to get your tickets now, or head to the Insider Guides Instagram for a chance to win free passes!
