(CFP)

Ren Yueli, nicknamed "Xidan Girl," attracted public attention as a street singer when she made an appearance during China Central Television's Spring Festival Evening Gala on February 2.

Ren, 23, was born in a rural family in north China's Hebei Province. She came to Beijing at the age of 16 and first worked as a waitress in a restaurant. She later learned to play the guitar and used her new skills to earn money in an underground passage in Xidan, a business and shopping center in downtown Beijing. She gained overnight popularity and fame, after her performance was shot and uploaded to the Internet by netizens. Her fans found her voice "incredibly pure and touching."

During the past four years, Ren became the main financial support of her family and sent half of her income home. She also saved from her daily earning to buy CDs to improve her skills.