By Denise Fernandez
Zodiac signs and astrology are all the rage these days. Twitter, Tumblr, and the rest of the internet are obsessed. Even Chinese celebrity and global K-pop star Zhang Yixing subscribes to the stereotypes of his own personal star sign (he’s a Libra born on Oct. 7, 1991). In our exclusive interview with him, we asked the Converse One Star ambassador about the evolution of his fashion sense and style in relation to his recent endorsements.
“I myself describing my own style can be a bit narcissistic. Also, isn’t it a bit too much to ask a Libra for a review on self-evolvement?” Yixing says with a laugh.
And like a true blue Libra indeed, when asked about specific favorite artists, movies, and dream collaborations, he couldn’t help but answer all of them. “Each and every predecessor is worth learning from. I’d love to work with them whenever there’s an opportunity,” says Yixing of the artists he’d be interested in collaborating with.
Last October, Zhang Yixing released his first studio album called Lay 02 Sheep, with “I Need U” and “Sheep” as its singles. Prior to this, he also dropped his first solo EP Lose Control, independently from his group EXO. He’s been working day in and out on music and promotion so much that he shared that he barely has time to see new movies. (We were also curious about his dream vacation spots, to which he cheekily answered, “I will answer you when I’ve got vacations…”)
Luckily, we got to catch up with this busy bee on his work, his new album, and future plans for 2018. See the full interview here:
You’ve been writing your own music for quite a while now. How does your songwriting process usually go?
Hmm? Which ‘while’ are you referring to? (laughs) If you meant my recent music, I’d recommend you listen to my second album Lay 02 Sheep, then you will have some answers. I’m quite unrestrained when it comes to music creation. I contemplate and try out many things. I love to compose songs by myself so as to achieve the ideal effects and to grasp each and every detail. I also love to discuss and communicate with other fellow musicians.
What do you do to stay creative? What has been inspiring you to create lately?
Isn’t there a saying that goes “Art comes from life”? So does music. I just love music. The tunes or ideas will just pop up in my head, then it will probably become the inspiration of one of my songs. As for my recent inspiration, let’s not spoil it now. And please, everyone stay tuned!
What’s a new, quirky hobby or interest you’ve gotten into just recently that you’ve been obsessing over? Can you share it with us?
We had an event in our studio lately. It was a dance battle using the title track of my album. There were many excellent dancers and they do covers or freestyle. They were really great and putting a lot of effort in it. Chinese dance teachers are all very cool, very skilled, and awe-inspiring. If you have time you can go check out more on that. It’s really interesting.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from your career so far? What part of yourself have you been most proud of recently?
Oh my, are we talking about career now? It’s quite a big topic. I can’t say that I had some insights. It’s just my principles about being myself then I try harder and harder. I also can’t say that there is something I’m proud of myself. There are way more outstanding people out there after all. However, my music does make me confident. (laughs)
Which clothes do you enjoy pairing with your Converse shoes?
Converse pairs with almost anything. I wear it very often in everyday life and like the look all the time.
What do you like most about the Converse One Star shoe? To what kind of events do you enjoy wearing it?
Converse One Star stands out when it comes to functionality, comfort, and the sense of fashion. It also matches with my own style–very natural and casual. I wear it during many occasions in life.
What goals do you want to achieve in 2018?
I hope my third and fourth album will go smoothly and be able to present to everyone. And more surprises to come!
Want more Lay? Stream his single “SHEEP” right here:
Photos courtesy of Converse