People’s Artist of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Dimash Qudaibergen is known not only for his outstanding vocal achievements, but also for his international creative projects that help foster cultural exchange between countries.
One of his international collaborators is American poet and lyricist Candice Kelly. We invite readers to take a closer look at the artist’s co-author and learn more about her work on their joint musical projects.
The American Chapter
To trace one of the most interesting stages in the career of the world-class vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and composer, we need to go back to 2023. That year, Dimash Qudaibergen spent six months in Los Angeles, dedicating this period to professional growth and the search for new creative opportunities.
During his time in the United States, the artist focused on studying current musical trends and the directions shaping the contemporary Western music market. His partner and assistant in this work was Dmitro Gordon — a Ukraine-born pianist, composer, arranger, orchestrator and music producer. For many years, Dmitro has worked in the United States with world-class producers and performers, including Barbra Streisand, Walter Afanasieff and other prominent figures in the music industry.
Over the course of six intensive months, while maintaining an active concert schedule, Dimash not only worked on new pieces with renowned composers Nathan Wang and Walter Afanasieff, but also recorded at least four compositions of his own.
One of them, “Fire,” was featured in the GRAMMY Global Spin program. After being performed on the show “Voice Beyond Horizon,” the song gained millions of views around the world.
Three other compositions — “When I’ve Got You,” “Smoke” and “Living For The Game” — were created through the collaboration of an international team of musicians and songwriters from Kazakhstan and the United States. Dimash entrusted the lyrics for these songs to the talented American poet and lyricist Candice Kelly.
“Dmitro Gordon, the music producer and co-writer of several of Dimash’s songs, with whom I have worked for many years, recommended me to Dimash as a lyricist for his songs,” Candice says. “Dmitro, whom I consider a dear friend, has always believed in me.”
Candice Kelly: Poetry as a Calling
This trust was built on years of working together on creative projects. In addition, Candice Kelly and Dmitro Gordon are both graduates of one of the world’s most renowned music institutions — Berklee College of Music in Boston.
“I studied songwriting at Berklee, where I transferred in 2008. I chose this major because I felt that God was guiding me in that direction.”
Speaking about her professional journey, the poet recalls that her interest in creativity began in childhood. This detail echoes Dimash’s own early passion for musical theater and musicals.
“I always loved writing in any genre, even at a young age. I remember printing programs for musicals I had written myself, and then performing those productions with other children from our street for the neighbors on the lawn in front of the house. Writing and singing are my innate calling.”
Candice Kelly grew up in a small town in Florida, not far from the Kennedy Space Center, from where space shuttles were launched. According to the poet, her parents played an important role in her choice of life and creative path. Interestingly, this also reflects a certain similarity with Dimash Qudaibergen’s family story, where the support of loved ones was also one of the key factors in the artist’s professional development.
“My parents were always incredibly supportive of my dreams. My mother is a professional artist and a very creative person. My father was a small business owner, so the desire to realize one’s talents and take risks in pursuit of the ‘American dream’ is in my blood.”
A Shared Space of Freedom
Dimash Qudaibergen has often spoken about the importance of following one’s dreams and constantly seeking new creative opportunities. Having achieved international recognition, the artist continues to experiment with sound, shaping his own multi-crossover style that combines elements of contemporary and classical music, ethnic motifs and the sounds of national instruments from different cultures.
Candice is also distinguished by her openness to creative experimentation:
“I have a special relationship with writing songs for other artists. It is always an exciting challenge because it forces me, as a writer, to expand my own boundaries and open myself up to different styles, genres and target audiences. Every artist has their own brand, and I have to match that brand.”
Perhaps it was these parallels in their life and creative experience that helped Dimash and Candice find common ground. The result was the creation of three compositions united by the theme of inner freedom.
The Hero of Three Stories
“When writing lyrics for another artist, it is important to create texts that match his image. Looking at Dimash, I see a man with incredible mystery. He has the ability to make people fall in love with him while still remaining mysterious. I imagine him as a person who wants to fulfill all his dreams without feeling bound by anything or anyone. Of course, this is my own fantasy. But I enjoy inventing images or stories for songs.”
At the same time, the lyrical heroes in each of the three compositions differ noticeably from one another. While “When I’ve Got You,” according to Candice, presents “a masculine man who shows his vulnerability to his beloved,” “Smoke” was created with a different mood in mind.
“The song ‘Smoke’ was written with the idea that he, Dimash, wanted to create the image of a bad boy or a gangster.”
“Living For The Game”: A Game Without Rules
Candice spoke in more detail about the third composition, “Living For The Game,” which Dimash recently presented on “Voice Beyond Horizon,” as well as about the lyrical hero created for the song.
“‘Living For The Game’ was written shortly after ‘Smoke.’ This work was created remotely, so the process was different from working on ‘When I’ve Got You,’ when I met Dimash and Dmitro in person at the studio in Los Angeles. Without Dimash being there in person, it was not as exciting, but I enjoy working with Dmitro, who always allows me to work on the lyrics independently first before showing them to him.”
According to the author, the lyrics had to be written within a tight timeframe:
“It had to be done quickly. When Dimash decides to make something happen, he wants to finish it as soon as possible. He loves showing fans new material and surprising them.”
Judging by the many comments on social media after the official release, the song attracted listeners’ attention with both its energetic melody and bold lyrics. Candice Kelly also spoke about the techniques she used to create the image of the song’s main character:
“In this song, I used a lot of ‘family’ rhymes — that is, not exact rhymes, but consonant rhymes with a similar sound structure — and vocabulary characteristic of the American ‘cool guy’ image.”
The poet explained how the image of a free-spirited, untamed character — one Dimash would later embody on stage — came into being:
“Thinking about Dimash’s mystery really inspired me to create this character. In public, he behaves quite reservedly, and his personal life is shrouded in mystery. I think this image was born from a combination of mystery and an incredibly successful career that defines his fast-paced lifestyle.”
Clearly, in “Living For The Game,” as in the two previous songs of this cycle, the theme of personal freedom takes center stage.
Reflecting on the origins of the song’s central idea, Candice admitted:
“My own experience communicating with men who are in no hurry to start their own family led me to think about what the point of view might be of a person for whom the freedom to do what he wants is most important.”
The author also shared the story behind the song’s title:
“Dmitro Gordon and I were not sure exactly what Dimash had planned for this song and how well the lyrics matched his vision. Initially, I titled the song ‘Wild Heart,’ but the recurring chorus ‘living for the game’ seemed more logical to me. I still prefer the shortened title — ‘The Game.’”
Speaking about the meaning of the composition, Candice noted:
“The meaning of the phrase ‘living for the game’ in the context of this song describes a character who enjoys the thrill of living life on his own terms, without apologies, without any explanations. This person loves his freedom and thrives because of it. He chases what he wants without limitations. That is the game — chasing everything life has to offer, even if it may disappoint others.”
The Road to Madison Square Garden
Knowing how carefully Dimash approaches every aspect of his work, one cannot help but wonder how Candice manages to find common ground with him in the creative process. The poet explains:
“I always check whether Dimash is happy with the content I create. He knows very well who he is as an artist and who his target audience is. If everything meets expectations, he usually trusts my writing abilities. If some metaphor or phrase does not translate well from a cultural point of view, he usually turns to Dmitro if necessary.”
And what does an author feel when a song created almost in one breath is put aside for a long time after completion? One can only guess. Candice admits:
“I did not know whether Dimash was going to continue working with what I had written, or whether he would want to go in another direction, since the release was postponed.
Needless to say, I was thrilled that he decided to keep this song! Dimash decided to preserve what we had created together and show it to the world. It was an honor for me to see the debut of this song in New York, at Madison Square Garden.”
Symbolically, the composition born in America was first performed in the United States — at the legendary Madison Square Garden arena in New York.
Recalling that evening, Candice says:
“I was joyfully looking forward to seeing Dimash at MSG. It was such a proud moment that I experienced together with my husband, my brother and my sister-in-law. It is hard to explain — it was so epic, unreal. Seeing Dimash, Dmitro and Walter Afanasieff on stage, performing together, filled my heart with joy. I have tremendous respect for these people. I am so grateful for that evening, which I was lucky enough to witness.”
The Art of Surprise
One cannot ignore the striking visuals that accompanied the song’s premiere performance. The dynamic video, featuring dancers, musicians and Dimash himself, was edited precisely for the performance and naturally amplified the energy of the composition.
Candice was also impressed:
“I really loved the visual design of LFTG, ‘Living For The Game,’ during the show at MSG. It looked like a mini music video with very fiery dancing, especially when Dimash and the dancers ran out onto the stage closer to the end. I think it was not planned, but Dimash loves surprising his fans, and he always succeeds!”
It seems that Dimash’s desire to surprise the audience also inspired his co-author. On the eve of the artist’s solo concert at MSG, Candice Kelly gave away tickets to his show. She explained the reason for this gesture herself:
“I adore all of Dimash’s fans; they are incredibly supportive of me. It was a way to thank them for all the love they have shown me and my songs.”
Music Without Borders
One after another, four bright, freedom-loving and uniquely untamed compositions came to light. What experience did the American poet gain from working with Dimash?
Candice answers:
“Perfecting lyrics that precisely match specific melodies turned out to be an incredibly difficult task. Dimash’s melodies can be very ornamented and rhythmic. But, as always, it was a pleasure!”
When “Living For The Game” was first performed as part of the Kazakh-Chinese project “Voice Beyond Horizon,” Dimash sang part of the lyrics — a verse and chorus — in Chinese. This became another cultural bridge connecting Kazakhstan, America and China.
We asked the lyricist how she perceived Dimash’s decision to perform part of the song in Mandarin as part of the project, which he co-produced.
The poet says:
“I thought the Chinese lyrics sounded great! I did not read the exact translation, but the rhymes sounded very good to the ear!”
Today, Dimash’s songs created in collaboration with Candice Kelly continue to find their audience and gradually gain popularity. It is clear that this stage in the creative journey of the Kazakh artist will remain not only a bold musical experiment, but also an example of how art can unite people, countries and cultures. In this story, East and West met not in confrontation, but in dialogue, while borders gave way to mutual understanding, respect and creative creation.
