From K-Pop to kickstarting: how Jackson Wang charts music path

Tapping today’s young generations requires a high degree of authenticity, Wang said, adding that the insight applies to many brands and demographics across the globe.

“We can’t satisfy everyone, right? People can tell when something is fake. As long as you say it sincerely, I believe people can understand and connect to it.”

Gen Z represents the fastest-growing population group in Asia-Pacific and is projected to account for 21 per cent of mainland China’s total population by 2025, according to a report by KPMG China.

While the age group – comprising those born from the late 1990s to the late 2010s – is an increasingly appealing market for brands, it is not an easy one to figure out. In China, the digitally savvy cohort prioritises product quality but also takes advantage of promotions, according to a 2023 consumer report by Deloitte. Gen Zers also like local brands and are always seeking unique experiences, the report said.

While many of Wang’s fans hail from China, he has garnered a large following overseas, with more than 32 million followers on Instagram and 5 million subscribers on YouTube. His global popularity led him to the stage at Coachella in 2022, as the first Chinese solo artist to feature at one of the largest music festivals in the US.

Wang claims he never really thought about a strategic plan for becoming an entrepreneurial artist who appeals to different audiences across the globe. Rather, he was “just focused on doing my own thing, in my own lane”.

During his teen years, Wang’s own thing was athleticism, which allowed him to lunge, feint and parry his way on to Hong Kong’s national fencing team. Wang’s father, hailing from Guangzhou, was a fencer and coach, while his mother, born in Shanghai, excelled as a gymnast.

For a time Wang was working towards competing in the 2012 London Olympics, but he chose instead to take a stab at K-pop stardom, joining a training programme in Seoul, South Korea, in mid-2011.

“I was an athlete,” he said. “I pursued music afterwards, and I am slowly tapping into fashion. They’re all different in skill sets, but come under the big umbrella of creating. I consider myself a new entrepreneur, and I feel like a sponge. I can absorb all types of inspiration from different fields.”

To give himself time to soak up experiences, Wang said he will be taking a much-needed break over the next six months “just to live [and] feel life”. Staying in Shanghai with his parents for the moment, he plans to return to work later in the year.

“I’ve been nonstop for the past 11 years,” he said. “A lot of times, I’m burned out. And I feel like as a creator, a lot of inspiration comes from living life.”

Yet Wang seems unable to fully rest, saying he will also put some of his “time off” into developing his next album, Magic Man 2.

After the album’s release he will set off on a second world tour, and Hong Kong, the city where he grew up, will “definitely” be a stop on the route.