They discovered that the folk singers' ease on stage contrasted with the demands of daily life. Kouwenhoven believes that music, as a natural expression of emotions, can help individuals find happiness and solace amid life's pressures.

From 1997 to 2009, they explored all the major Hua'er festivals in Gansu. Just as the couple's research on Hua'er was nearing results, Kouwenhoven's wife passed away from cancer in 2012, leaving him devastated.

The Hua'er project was subsequently put on hold, becoming an emotional burden he was reluctant to confront.