An early love of guitar and singing shaped the creative trajectory of Li Jian, a Harbin native who dedicated his life to music at an early age. After winning a middle school singing competition, he aced a talent search by Tsinghua University and won a music scholarship, later joining the top pop duo Shui Mu Nian Hua. But this rugged individualist soon decided that a solo career was more his speed. His choice to embrace his unique signature voice proved a wise move—when "Chuan Qi" became a huge hit, he knew his instincts were right. Our playlist is a study in his dynamically diverse style.