Source: Exqusite Magazine

This multi-talented singer-songwriter started singing at the age of 3 and has never looked back. Kenn Jiu Jian, better known as Jiu Jian, has always been passionate about music.

He learned how to play the violin at 7, the piano at 12, and picked up the flute at 13. He honed his singing, dancing, acting and hosting skills back in 1988, during his days in the army where he joined the Music and Drama Company (MDC). In that same period, he discovered his song-writing ability when he was pushed by a friend to join The Golden Kite – a Malaysian song-writing competition.

With a music career spanning 23 years, he has gone from the Xin Yao Festival song-writing competition, to singing, writing and producing six Channel 8 Chinese drama serials back in ‘95 and ‘96.

Jiu Jian also sang, wrote and produced the Dance Ensemble Singapore’s 2009 dance musical Butterfly Dreams. He acted with Edmund in the mandarin version of their first stage play, Private Part, and they became friends since.

“Edmund approached me because he wanted me to mentor the participants in music,” says Jiu Jian, 42.

At the same time, he firmly believed in Edmund’s dream to create a platform for filmmakers and the like, so he saw it only natural to give back to the industry by joining ECTV. “I was pleasantly surprised at the progress of the Mission Easy workshop and that it actually made its way to the 24th Singapore International Film Festival within such a short period,” says Jiu Jian.

Hence, what he hopes to achieve through the ECTV platform is not so much for his own career but more of nurturing the next batch.

“I hope to see more budding talents and hidden gems emerging in the local film industry – be it script-writing, producing, music or acting – everyone should get their chance to shine,” he says.

When asked about his love life, he quips, “I’m married to my music, and it’s my lifelong companion.”
Read more