wanting qu, musician, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, chinese music artist, vancouver, bc, yvr, west coast entrepreneur, business

Finding Her Voice Again: Wanting Qu Returns with Wanting Music and Love Letter

Born in Harbin, China, Wanting Qu came to Canada at 16 as an international student. What began as an educational journey became a lifelong story of resilience, creativity, and self-discovery, leading her to become an internationally recognized Chinese Canadian singer-songwriter, pianist, guitarist, and producer.

With a passion for storytelling through music, Wanting spent years honing her craft before gaining global recognition with her self-written and self-composed breakthrough hit, “You Exist in My Song (我的歌声里).” The song became one of the most-viewed Mandarin singer-songwriter songs on YouTube, surpassing 200 million views and connecting with audiences around the world through its emotional honesty and universal message.

Her debut album, Everything in the World, achieved multi-platinum success across Asia, earning chart-topping releases and establishing her as one of the leading Chinese Canadian artists of her generation. Signed with Nettwerk Music Group, Wanting continues to create music that bridges cultures and languages through heartfelt songwriting.

Beyond her musical achievements, Wanting is a passionate advocate for compassion, wellness, and environmental sustainability. After overcoming breast cancer, she found renewed purpose in using her voice to inspire hope, healing, and positive change. Her latest album, Love Letter, is a deeply personal collection exploring love, courage, resilience, and the power of human connection.

wanting qu, musician, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, chinese music artist, vancouver, bc, yvr, west coast entrepreneur, business

Business Bio

Although music was always Wanting Qu‘s passion, pursuing it went against the expectations placed upon her. Choosing to follow her own voice, she stepped away from the path others had envisioned for her and began building a life and career through songwriting, determination, and resilience.

After years of writing songs, performing local shows, and embracing the early rise of Facebook and YouTube, Wanting built a devoted global following that led to recording deals with Nettwerk Music Group and Universal Music. Her breakthrough hit, “You Exist in My Song (我的歌声里),” surpassed 200 million YouTube views, and her debut album, Everything in the World, achieved multi-platinum success across Asia.

At the height of her career, Wanting faced profound personal challenges, including the loss of her mother to injustice and a breast cancer diagnosis that tested her resilience and hope. These experiences deepened her compassion and inspired her advocacy for animals, environmental sustainability, and health.

Now returning after several years away, Wanting‘s latest work, Love Letter, is her most personal yet — songs born from love, loss, resilience, and hope, created to remind listeners that healing is possible and no one has to face life’s challenges alone.

In Her Words

“There were a couple of defining moments in my life that shaped my dream of pursuing music. I sang in front of thousands of students during talent shows in junior high school in China, and the recognition I received gave me my first taste of how powerful music could be. Later, I sang in front of strangers at Metropolis at Metrotown during a MuchMusic VJ Search Karaoke Contest and received the loudest cheers from the crowd.

Those moments made me want more. I wanted to create that feeling — to make people cheer, smile, and connect through my singing. It was not until later that I discovered my ability to write songs and found another way to share my stories through music.

My given name is Wăntíng (婉婷), which means graceful and peaceful. My family name, Qu (曲), means music. I was born in Harbin, China, during the one-child policy. Without siblings to play with, I often felt alone, but that solitude taught me to look inward, reflect deeply, and stay curious about the world.

wanting qu, musician, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, chinese music artist, vancouver, bc, yvr, west coast entrepreneur, business

TWINKLE, TWINKLE

When I was five, my mom took me to visit a friend. While they were chatting, I climbed onto the piano bench and started pressing the keys. A few minutes later, they both stopped and stared — somehow, I had figured out how to play Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. It was the very first time I had ever touched a piano.

My mom’s friend encouraged her to enroll me in lessons. I studied piano from six to nine, and then everything stopped. Practicing for exams took away the curiosity and joy I once felt.

FINDING MY VOICE

When I sang at family gatherings, I no longer felt invisible. Bringing smiles to people’s faces made me feel useful. At 16, life brought me to Canada, far from my family and everything I knew. I was naive and easily trusted people, and that led to being taken advantage of. Those experiences shaped me into a stronger person and a critical thinker.

My friend’s guitar became my comfort, and through music I found a place to express myself and feel joy. As time went on, the loneliness I once felt became the place where my music was born. I began finding my voice as a singer-songwriter, shared demos and live performances online, and gradually reached hundreds of thousands of listeners as an independent artist.

THE BREAKTHROUGH

My album caught the attention of Nettwerk Music Group and Universal Music Asia. They signed me, and my debut album went multi-platinum, winning Best New Artist and Best Singer-Songwriter of the Year. My song 我的歌声里 (You Exist in My Song) was recognized as one of the best songs of the decade.

I had embraced social media during its breakout years, using YouTube and Facebook to connect directly with listeners. I also reached out to Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk — whom I had met four years earlier — through Facebook. I had waited until I felt ready and confident enough to share my music with him. Six months later, I was signed to Nettwerk, and two years after that, co-signed with Universal Music Asia.

FROM TOP TO DARKNESS

During my 2014 tour, I performed in front of a sold-out arena in my hometown — most importantly, in front of my mom, who had once opposed my choice to pursue music. She sat there smiling with pride. I thought, this is it. Nothing could ever top this moment.

Two months later, my mom was arrested. To this day, she remains behind bars for crimes she has always maintained she was innocent of. It broke me. After years of public scrutiny, injustice, bullying, and death threats, I went from the highest point of my career to a place darker than I ever imagined. Then, at 36, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2020.

CHOOSING TO LIVE

The cancer was invasive and needed to be removed immediately. I entered survival mode. For a brief moment I felt angry, but that quickly turned into action. I focused on what I could do to heal. Only now mattered.

The hardest decision of my life was choosing between preserving the appearance of my left breast or letting it go to protect my future health. I chose health and underwent a single mastectomy with flat closure. Before surgery, I wrote One More Day — a love letter to her, the closest thing to my heart, both literally and figuratively. By the time I finished, my heart felt clear. I was ready to let her go with love, gratitude, and peace.

wanting qu, musician, portfolioyvr, helen siwak, chinese music artist, vancouver, bc, yvr, west coast entrepreneur, business

FOOD AS MEDICINE

After surgery, I committed to physiotherapy and transitioned to a more plant-based diet, which I believe played an important role in my recovery. I earned a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from eCornell and gained a deeper understanding of how food can impact our health — and how it can become one of the most powerful tools for healing.

VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS

Documentaries opened my eyes to the suffering of animals in the meat, dairy, and egg industries. I wrote Saviour to call for compassion for innocent, voiceless beings. I am now six years cancer-free. For the past six years I have been an animal rights activist, and I will continue using my voice and platform to speak up for the voiceless.

I also have a wonderful man in my life who makes me laugh every day, supports me, and treats my heart with kindness. His name is River, and there is a song on the album called River. I wonder what that is all about.

LOVE LETTER

I love the person I have become. I am grateful for all the struggles and pain I have experienced, because they have given me a bigger heart — to love harder, care deeper, and give back more. I dedicate Love Letter to all the inner children within us.

I truly want to be useful in this world. If my music can help even one person who is struggling, it gives my life purpose. To everyone who listens — my fans, my friends, my family — you are the reason I keep going, keep writing, and keep sharing. Thank you. I love you.

THE ASK

I believe we all share a profound responsibility to care for our planet. As one fellow earthling to another, I would love to ask you to watch: The Game Changers, Cowspiracy, Seaspiracy, What the Health, and Earthlings. I hope you will take what resonates and turn it into action. Even one positive change in each of us can create a ripple effect that makes our world healthier, kinder, and more sustainable for all. I wish everyone reading this a life filled with safety, health, love, peace, and happiness.”

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Collaborator: This story is created in collaboration between Helen Siwak and the featured subject. As the founder and publisher of Portfolio.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, Helen works closely with entrepreneurs to share their paths of innovation, resilience, and growth. Each story in this series is co-developed through interviews and first-person insights, blending authentic voices with Helen’s editorial expertise to highlight the remarkable individuals shaping British Columbia’s business landscape.