Global supernova Jackson Wang gets personal with Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia as he opens up about his creative mission and new outlook on life, in an editorial that captures his persona like you’ve never seen before.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHUAN LOOI. INTERVIEW BY ABDUL AZIZ DRAIM.
ALL CLOTHING AND SHOES FROM LOUIS VUITTON MEN’S AUTUMN/WINTER ’24 COLLECTION.
Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia August ’24, featuring Jackson Wang.
Jackson Wang is on a mission. After a decade in the business, marked by two albums as a solo artist, the establishment of his label TEAM WANG design, then last year’s announcement of his ambassadorship for luxury behemoth Louis Vuitton—to name just a few milestones—the multi-hyphenated artist is now, more than ever, determined to redefine his artistic boundaries. Currently preparing his new album, MAGIC MAN 2, Jackson Wang has his eyes set on venturing beyond just music and fashion. His aim? To fully embrace the essence of pure creativity, through projects that transcend industry norms and expectations. And he hopes to bring everyone along for the ride.
Jackson Wang invites Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia into his psyche. Bomber blouson; and shirt, LOUIS VUITTON.
For this quest is by no means a solo adventure. If anything, Jackson Wang hopes to inspire, influence and empower others into heeding the call for artistic excellence. To champion a community built on the liberation of creativity and the creation of beauty. And we don’t have to wait too long to discover what this might entail.
Just last June, the world was introduced to TEAM JOOPITER, a limited edition design collab between TEAM WANG design and the Pharell-owned auction house JOOPITER. The collab follows the “Jackson Wang Metamorphosis: Athlete – Musician – Designer” auction, featuring exclusive memorabilia that trace the artist’s growth and personal evolution across his first 30 years.
Then in July, TEAM WANG design curated and organised a special performance to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cartier Trinity. Held in Shanghai, the performance showcased a hypnotic blend of theatre, dance and fashion—with custom costumes by TEAM WANG design—brought to life by Jackson and his friendships with fellow artists, namely choreographer Madison Olandt, musician Veegee Xu, LA-based dance troupe Kinjaz and singersongwriter JJ Lin. The day after, he made his way to Beijing to attend the Forbes Under 30 Summit China, where he was a guest speaker. Two days later, Jackson Wang returned to Shanghai to join Haroer’s BAZAAR Malaysia for this cover shoot, ever eager to create and expand his creativity yet again. The man is unstoppable.
Collarless jacket; bootcut trousers; brooch; and sunglasses, LOUIS VUITTON.
“Every time I do a magazine shoot, I enjoy it the most,” he shares. “Because I think for every shoot that I do, it’s a creation. An experimental process, between the photographer and whoever is being shot. Of course, we’ll have references for what we need to shoot, the poses, the mood, but everyone’s different. The photographer’s taste is different, the magazine’s taste is different, and the talent’s taste is different. So it’s not just, ‘This is the pose, this is the mood, let’s copy this.’ It’s a creation process.”
Inspired by his reignited creative impulses and a new outlook on life—Jackson turned 30 this year, a rite of passage that naturally invites self-reflection—we agreed that this shouldn’t be just another pretty cover spread. It should reflect his current state of mind, one that embraces the courage to not just expand our creative potential but to also present a side of the artist that is more honest and brave.
Much like everything he does, this was a collaborative pursuit that inspired the crew as much as it did the artist at the heart of the shoot. “A lot of times, I have to be in shoots that just require me to deliver, deliver, deliver…which I don’t really enjoy,” he says. “That’s why I prefer this kind of creating process. It’s more engaging. Because we know the direction but we don’t know what the outcome is going to be. And that’s the excitement. We’re just figuring things out together. And sometimes you can do things that you didn’t even know you’d be doing.”
Collarless jacket; bootcut trousers; brooch; sunglasses; and LV x Timberland Ranger boots, LOUIS VUITTON.
Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia turns 21 this year. We are coming of age. Do you remember what you were like when you were 21?
I think I debuted when I was 21, with the group Got7. I was figuring things out, from me being an athlete to going to South Korea, getting cast to go through the training system, becoming a trainee… and then when you mature, you kind of understand that, “Oh, this is how it is. This is entertainment. This is how they do things behind the scenes.” I was just learning like a sponge. And now, it’s another cycle of the same loop but of different things, so I’m going back to the cycle of figuring things out again.
After close to ten years, I kind of know what the industry is already. So my excitement now comes from creating something different. Because with any industry, the traditional way of doing things has been repeated for centuries. At the end of the day it is a business and people want stability. Even though it’s boring, it’s stable. But to me, creating something new is always about taking risks. And that’s why I like shoots like this. It’s creating something that’s interesting.
In other words, why do something that’s already been done.
Exactly. But for a lot of people, when you reach the top of the company or business, a lot of times it is safe to have stability. To be complacent. And a lot of people probably do that because that’s just their job. They don’t want to be blamed when they have too many responsibilities. That’s why they do the safest thing. You can never be wrong if you do the safest thing, but you would never create an impact.
Denim shirt, LOUIS VUITTON.
All that is more on the business side of things. But on a personal level, how have you evolved?
I think it’s just going through humanity, not just within the industry, but also just life in general. You meet a lot of people, you experience everything in every aspect. And I think because I’ve been through so much, what changed me a lot for the past ten years was…with everything that we do, I believe in always listening to your heart. When you’re achieving your dream, there’s no one who can do it for you like you do. Because everyone has their own dream, so own up to your dream and do it. Sometimes people are scared to take risks—which I understand—but when you really evaluate and reflect on it, it’s just a simple decision. Don’t think too much. If this is what your heart is telling you, that first instinct, that’s what the real you really wants to do. Sometimes we’d go, “Oh, but what about this, what about that?”, but there’s no “what about”. You can’t have everything. It’s just a decision. So for me, I’m more in that zone now, after 10 years.
Denim shirt; and chambray bootcut trousers, LOUIS VUITTON.
Would you say that that’s one big life lesson that you’re gonna take forward or is there something else?
I think it’s all these minor situations through all these years of experience. Bits and pieces that pile up. To me, when I zoom out, I kind of understand myself now. Just realising, “What’s the meaning of living if I’m not living as me?”
Sometimes people think, “Hey, what if I do this and people won’t love me?” If you’re doing something just for some other purpose, then it wasn’t meant for you in the first place. You choose your own lane on the map, so just stick with it. Don’t think about losing your audience, or finding greater popularity by conforming to trends or being asked to look a certain way. Because that’s serving, right? You’re not you. But if you’re really doing what you love, your audience at that moment will love you because you are you.
Pleated shorts, LOUIS VUITTON.
You just turned 30, which is a big milestone. But some people actually find it hard to come to grips with leaving their 20s behind. What did you feel when you were turning 30?
Before (turning) 30, I was a wild person. I partied hard. I worked hard. I experienced life. I was experiencing, I was absorbing…just flying. But after 30…you know, my 30th birthday was the last time that I actually got drunk. Because back then, I was always drunk— and drunk in public. I just didn’t really care. But after 30, my perception kinda changed. Because of the team that I have right now—my artist team and also my fashion brand team—I start to realise that I’m a leader, and a leader should be disciplined and responsible. And that takes sacrifice. At the same time, you gotta own up to it. That’s how your team or the people that you’re leading are convinced. So after 30, I concentrated and focused more on discipline and responsibility.
So what would you say are your priorities now?
My priority now is definitely creating music that is authentic and honest to myself because back in the day, when I look back at a lot of the music or whatever I put out, it felt like it was just a concept. I mean, it was great work but that concept or that outfit or whatever, that didn’t really have much to do with my life. For example, with MAGIC MAN, the music video for Blow, what did that have to do with my normal daily life? What did that have to do with me as a human being? So I started to realise that from now on, my music or whatever output that I create, it needs to be about me. It needs to be real.
So musically, I want to move forward this way. And with my fashion brand, I want to create things that seem logical. I want to create things for myself now, and not just because we’re young and want to be cool. But what is “cool”? My perception now is, “cool” is just being you. Being so confident and in control of what you’re doing, and being locked in on what you do.
Denim shirt; and chambray bootcut trousers, LOUIS VUITTON.
From your past interviews, one constant observation that the media have of you is that you’re a workaholic. Your schedule is always packed. Now that you’re 30, is that still the case?
Oh, actually I took a long break. I took a long break for the past six to seven months because I’ve been burned out after ten years in this industry. I just needed to be human a little bit. I needed to feel, and I feel that a lot of output and creation, and authenticity and honesty, comes from life itself. It’s not something that you manufacture, or else I would just be in the same loop of “Hey, there’s a cool concept, let’s do that.” Then you will always be a follower. You won’t be a leader.
I just wanted to relax and feel life. I also realised that I missed a lot of quality moments, decent memories with my loved ones, my family and my friends. So I did all that, while I was also prepping for my new album and doing projects. It was more of a behind-the- scenes as a human kinda lifestyle for the past six or seven months.
Of course, there were shoots from time to time, but it wasn’t back to back. I feel that after these six, seven months, I’ve absorbed a lot of life in me and a lot of soul. And I’ve recovered. I understand more about humanity, and the purpose of what all this is about now.
Denim shirt; chambray bootcut trousers; and LV x Timberland ankle boots, LOUIS VUITTON.
What is your personal relationship with fame? How does it affect you?
I’ve said this so many times. As simple as it is, money, fame, popularity… this shit is just bubbles. You can lose them tomorrow. It’s not something that you can control. It doesn’t really belong to you but at the same time, it does belong to you. Don’t let it affect you. I mean, appreciate it but don’t take it too seriously. Don’t think that it’s solid and real.
Sometimes with all the money and fame, people get overwhelmed by it all and they lose themselves. To me, I won’t let it affect me. I had nothing to begin with and though I have all this now, it doesn’t mean that I’ll still have it tomorrow. Don’t let it get to you. It’s really just bubbles.
Embellished cardigan; shirt; and workwear trousers, LOUIS VUITTON.
Have you ever felt lonely?
I’m always lonely. I think before 30, I was all lonely and was always seeking excitement whether it was parties or music…I was trying to seek for a cure that I could replace that loneliness with, and fill in that hole of being lonely. But after 30, I think this is just life and you just gotta accept it. It is what it is and everyone’s lonely in their own way. So I don’t think of it as a bad thing. It’s just that you have more moments to talk to yourself and have engagement in your relationship with your heart.
When was the last time you felt truly happy?
When I’m creating something that is honest to me. For example, my upcoming album. Or today’s shoot. I feel like it’s authentic, it’s honest, it’s a creation. It’s not some industry formula shit, you know? That’s why, when I’m creating or designing things, that’s a process that I enjoy the most.
Jackson Wang shows off sides of him we rarely see, for Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia. Bomber blouson, LOUIS VUITTON.
You’ve been very open about sharing your mental health in the past but within the Asian community, depression or anxiety is still viewed as a taboo subject. Why should we be more open to talk about it?
Because as much as you should listen to your heart, you also have to be open to accept that you’re not always right. You’re probably right about yourself but as an individual, you can only think so much. And when you talk about it—really actually physically talk about it— you will notice that you have other thoughts on it. You get what I mean? To me at least, when I talk about it and address it, while that is happening I have other thoughts on it already…and you have other thoughts on it also. So I can hear and absorb new information. Which I don’t necessarily need to follow, but it’s good to hear.
I think when you don’t talk about it, in a sense you don’t acknowledge it so you don’t process it.
You’re avoiding it. Sometimes with depression or loneliness, it’s so important for you to talk to your heart and really face the problem. Because there must be a problem that results in these kinds of emotions. There must be something. So when you really talk about it, think about it and address it, you’re breaking it down layer by layer, and I think that helps.
Bomber blouson; pleated shorts; and LV Rider boots, LOUIS VUITTON.
You seem to have found a kinship with Pharrell Williams. What about him do you resonate with?
Before I met him, I was already a fan of his music and all the stuff that he did—I was already a fan of his work. Also his life story of always doing something different and thinking differently, always tweaking stuff. His journey, it’s something that I look up to. I can relate to his artistry, and I respect him so much as a creator…of music, apparel and design, all underneath this big umbrella of creating. I’m a big fan of that and that whole picture is my role model.
Apart from music and performing, design has also become a big part of your career. Where did that interest come from?
I just love to create. Even with TEAM WANG design, my fashion company, we don’t only make clothes. We’re always constantly creating experiences, maybe sometimes servicing other brands with creative input. We make festivals, do all kinds of lifestyle products. It’s just a logic of creating something I want to see.
So where do you plan to take TEAM WANG design?
You know the funny thing is, even now, I never think about TEAM WANG design as a business. It’s just the pure thought of wanting to create what I believe in and love. The motivation has never been how much I can sell.
Creating should be an immersive experience, for entertainment. Whether it’s for Halloween or Christmas, whether it’s this or that, TEAM WANG design has always been about experience.
Collarless jacket; bootcut trousers; and LV x Timberland Ranger boots, LOUIS VUITTON.
Louis Vuitton is the premier global luxury brand, and you were made the Maison’s House Ambassador in 2023. How did that appointment make you feel?
Of course, I appreciate it and feel honoured to join the Maison. When I work with brands, when I collab with them, the first thing that’s on my mind is, “How do I co-create something together?” Of course, for some brands that I work with, that hasn’t happennd yet, but that has always been my motivation and my first thought. “How do we create something that’s exciting?” Something new, interesting, and anti-traditional, anti- boring. Such as with Cartier, I designed and creative-directed their event just a couple of days ago.
Then for other brands, I teamed up with Budweiser to create a Halloween immersive experience night market. And we’re taking this to different countries this year. Creating something that’s exciting and new that people would never expect, that has always been my goal with all this. Even with LV, it’s just that the time hasn’t come yet. It takes time— it’s the process of getting to know each other, having conversations… it’s a build -up. So I’m looking forward to that.
Jackson Wang lights up the scene for Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia. Collarless jacket, LOUIS VUITTON.
What projects do you have lined up for us?
My new album is in the process and it’s about everything that I honestly witnessed and experienced—life, the industry, betrayal, pain, loneliness, and accepting it and moving on…just every aspect of my life. I spent months on it, and it’s…when you know something is so meaningful to you, you don’t even care if it succeeds or not. So that is what my next album, MAGIC MAN 2 is about.
There’s also our launch for TEAM WANG design, our summer collection and winter collection, and a lot of collaborations that’s on the go. It’s a big change in TEAM WANG design. A very big change starting from now. Our apparel, our collection, our experiences. We also have something big with Universal Studios. It’s a whole culture change.
This interview has been condensed and edited for length and clarity.
