Kris Wu: My Time Has Just Begun
Kris Wu celebrated his 26th birthday with the release of his new song. This youth, contradicting and full of endless possibilities, had also begun to understand the real meaning of life and come to an age of accepting regret, therefore having to work even more firmly to treasure time. He said that, his time has just begun.
It was just slightly over half past seven when I had stepped into Shanghai Gymnasium and realised that I was already late. The lights were switched off, and I found myself surrounded by a sea of hundreds, thousands of phone lights. "Happy birthday to you" a medley of high and low voices rang throughout the venue like waves, each subsequent time resounding with increased excitement. This was Kris Wu's 26th birthday party, and although he had yet to appear on stage, the air was bursting with excitement, as if it was a balloon that would rupture at any moment a scream were to pierce the air. When he finally emerged rising from the center of the stage in a silver jacket, without a word, screams erupted with the force of lava spewing out of a volcano.
I managed to catch several little things about him when I saw him a couple of days ago in the photography studio: The bluetooth speakers which accompanied him throughout ("Use music to change the working environment"), the grey hair with hints of pale purple and sky blue, and his black leather flip phone case, that had several bank cards which looked like something a conservative middle-aged person would opt for. It's rumoured that fans have tried gifting him [phone cases] in a "more fashionable style", but he turned them down. Having used the previous [similar styled phone case] till it was worn out, [Kris said it was] "because it was practical", and thus went to get several of the exact same design, just in case.
From time to time he would gently furrow his eyebrows, and walking amidst the people he would maintain a steady gaze. His gaze was not one which could be easily met; it was polite and distanced. He likes to use declarative sentences, being direct and straight to the point, very rarely containing a sense of uncertainty. He is a person who is used to taking in charge when it comes to making decisions. "Others say that Scorpios are natural-born leaders, and I'm like that." However he burst out laughing before even finishing off, his brazenness giving in to shyness. He is aware that he appears to possess a combination of contradictory elements: a little new, a little old, a little far, a little near. "Many people feel that I am really cold, actually I have a rather warm heart. Everyone needs to have a second chance to be introduced."
After the shoot that day, I accompanied him to his next work venue. He had to continue with movie dubbing, and the expected end time was around 2am. He changed into his own hoodie and sweatpants in the car, falling back comfortably into the seats, and time to time hummed and moved to the music. When the staff did not know how to use the airdrop function, he simply reached out to take the other party's phone and worked it out himself. While watching his fingers dance along the two phone screens, I could not help but think, here is such a joyful 26 year old.
Music is like a switch on Kris Wu’s body, once switched on, it is as if he is powered up by a sudden surge of energy. When I mentioned the "singer" written on his Weibo verification, he let out an exaggerated expression only seen on manga characters and his fingers began to move animatedly. "We're finally able to talk about my music? Come on, let's."
He couldn't wait to introduce his new song <July>. "From debut till now, this is the music-related work which I am most satisfied with. This is the first time I have put in my all, and was immersed in all parts of making this piece of music." It is evident where he has invested his time in, and he strongly believes that. "It's not to say that I haven't put in enough effort in the past, but if a time limit is put on the creation process, it will definitely have a huge impact on the quality of your final work. So having many films is good, <Bad Girl> which was released last year is good too, now even more so, I would wish for those to be seen as trailers, because right now is where it truly begins."
He had spent three months completing the composition, recording, mixing and mastering in America. As producer, he had stayed on throughout, keeping close watch from beginning till the end. Talking about it, he sounded like a proud kid. "All of the people I worked with were incredibly outstanding musicians, and one of them was even a two-time Grammy award winner!" During that period of time, he would be in the studio every day from 2pm till 10pm. I asked if it was because that was the time when his voice was at its best, and he pondered for a moment before replying, "I'm not sure about my voice, but I can say that I am most comfortable with that timeframe. Many singers are used to recording through the night and into the morning, but I definitely can't. Even more so, I can't do so in the morning -- I am not a morning person, the music I have done in the mornings were all in frustration."
One song, three months - based on his jobs which were scheduled to the hour, is really a luxury. "As an artiste, whose time isn't valuable? I can film a movie within three months. Actually all this while there have been others who have been buying songs from abroad, but there are very few who go overseas to do production work. Not only would it cost even more time and money, but one would also be faced with many uncertainties. But as long as there are people who are willing to try, why not?" He feels that this has to do more with being courageous. "In the end, what matters is how much you want to do this."
He then began to explain the different genres and history of development of hip hop music to me in detail. "It is what I love the most, there is nothing else like it." This was what he concluded his feelings toward hip hop with. "It's like being unable to extricate yourself after having fallen in love with it. Perhaps there would be no way to do other genres of music, for example if you asked me to do rock, it would be very hard." Since young, he loved wearing baggy drop-crotch pants and oversized tees, and felt that a little more satire could be included in life. From the inside to his appearance, everything was all a homage to hip hop. "My friends around me all watched, listened, and talked about hip hop. I love every single beat and rhythm, it's as if it is imprinted in my body."
Why go to America to produce music? "The most direct reason is that, the quality of music depends hugely on the equipment. Lyrical songs can be done to perfection in China, but when it comes to hip hop or electronic music, there isn't enough equipment or knowledge about it in China." He hopes to do the best with all the resources he has. "Not only the equipment, but in terms of producing hip hop music, America has more experience." The most critical point is of course himself. "During the mixing and mastering, I would ask others if there was any difference between the two? They would not hear any difference, but because I could not choose which was a better version, I would continue on, without sleep, till five in the morning."
He repeatedly emphasised that <July> is a song which has a "completely new hip hop style, one that has never been seen before", [and that he wanted to] "present the purest form of hip hop to everyone". Having a listen, besides having fun, also endowed him with a little sense of responsibility. The new song was only digitally released online, and he felt that it was "very embarrassing" if he were to release a physical copy of just one single. "My goal will always be to spread a type of music, some art, some happiness. I won't think so much on making profit." As to how wide a scope of affirmation he wished to have , he expressed that he did not demand of it. "I just wish to convey a work of mine, a music piece which I feel highly satisfied and extremely happy after listening to."
That day, after driving for over an hour, we were still held up in that evening's Beijing traffic, inching forward at a snail pace. Looking ahead at the sea of red tail lights, he could not help but rub his eyes tiredly several times, and was starting to get a little restless. "In the car, I cannot fall asleep nor get any rest." He sighed softly, as the car switched lanes. He was worried that he would not be adequately focused. "I have to complete everything before I can relax, otherwise it would be like carrying a rock in my heart."
Having returned to China to develop his career for two years, Kris Wu already completed filming 8 movies, and worked with Luc Besson, Stephen Chow, Tsui Hark, Feng Xiaogang and other internationally renowned people. He has graced the cover of almost all the top magazines, and was even appointed brand and product ambassador to Burberry and Bvlgari and several international top labels. View on the music video of his newest song exceeded 1 million within 14 hours of its release. The opportunities and results which other people dream of, he had grasped into his hands, and yet facing all of that, he merely explained that for all that he did, "I like it, I am happy, I work hard, and I don't let myself down." He is a little of a workaholic. "The most important thing is that passion, as long as it is burning in my heart, there is no problem which cannot be overcome. The scariest thing for people is to get tired of something."
Such an answer sounds like the "standard inspirational words of wisdom of idols", but the solemn expression on his face made others feel that this is truly his attitude towards his long term, demanding career. While working, he can forget that he is cold, hungry, or tired. He sacrificed his freedom for his job, and even when there were misunderstandings, he felt that it was within reason. Everything is fair: You win some, you lose some, and during the growth process he learned an important lesson - as long as one persists in what they genuinely love doing, and put in their utmost effort into doing it, the journey would be much more interesting than the results.
He had just wrapped up filming <Journey to the West 2: Conquering the Demons> not too long ago, playing the part of Tang Sen. To the viewers and himself, this was something which was completely unthinkable at the beginning. "Stephen Chow and Tsui Hark brought out a side of me which I did not know, and I can only say that I was incredibly fortunate to have been able to meet them." His first meetings with both directors were not a walk in the park: Stephen Chow wanted him to try acting like a person with Parkinson's disease. "I had no idea that I was able to act out that kind of trembling." When he met Tsui Hark he had yet to shave off his hair, and both of them were unsure of how his final look would turn out. "There was unease in my heart."
It's not a huge deal to shave off hair for a role, even more so when he loved changing hairstyles since his younger days. But his shortest hairstyle was never more than a crew cut, and he had no idea how he would look like bald. Seeing the final result in the mirror for the first time, he merely felt that it was new and strange. "I still look rather handsome!" He just spent a little more time getting used to being bald. "When I woke up in the morning I would still be in a daze, I was used to touching my head, [but now] oh no, why is my hair gone? At night before sleeping, I would always wonder why it was so cold... therefore I constantly kept a beanie on." Those months led him to have a new understanding of the ability to keep warm with hair. "People with hair really have to thank the heavens."
After shaving off his hair, he felt more like a monk, and even practiced meditating at home. "I hoped to get into character as much as possible. For example before filming <Mr Six>, at that period of time I maintained a very cool persona, and I conversed with others in strong Beijing dialect." Filming had taken part during the coldest time of winter in Beijing, staying up overnight outdoors with temperatures below negative ten degrees, and in the daytime having to fly around suspended by wires. He recalled that that period of time was "rather strenuous", but even more so, clearly could feel a sense of excitement in his heart. "There are many people who were a little afraid of Stephen Chow while filming, but I didn't feel that at all, instead I felt that his way of thinking was simply... Stephen Chow's shots make use of abstract ideas, and there are many brief yet brilliant moments as well."
Kris Wu paused to find the right words to describe what set them apart from the rest. "They can help you make up for the loss of 2%." What is 2%? "It's the minor difference in art. At times you may feel that, this is not bad, but actually there's just a difference of 2%, which can only be seen if one has acquired an appreciation of the arts. People like Feng Xiaogang and Stephen Chow can accurately grasp that point to the fullest."
He knows that before being able to grasp this "2%", he would first have the ability and belief to accept imperfections. "You would constantly think, why couldn't I do better at that time? But that can't be helped. When I filmed my first movie, Director Xu Jinglei told me that movies are a form of imperfect art, and a sense of regret was necessary." Right now while filming, Kris Wu simply does not watch playbacks of his scenes. "This has nothing to do with having or not having self-confidence, it's just that I do not wish for this to impact my performance later on."
The same goes for music. He loves the feel of performing live at the venue, there are flaws, but the joy that comes from the combination of excitement and fear is something which is most valuable. He has already accepted that "before going onstage, I would definitely feel nervous", and said, "I will always be worried that I'll make a mistake, but the moment I step onstage, that is forgotten. Really, I've never thought of what I've said onstage. When I stand onstage, I enjoy [the moment]." This year, as a model he walked for the Burberry show in London, and before the fashion show began, he inwardly prayed, "Hope that when I walk out I won't go around in circles and be unable to find my way, and not fall in front of the audience." Later on the evaluation he received was that he was calm and composed.
Since entering the industry, he felt that he himself did not change much. He liked staying at home before, and now there were even lesser opportunities to go out, "But this is alright, actually I like staying at home and watching movies, it feels like I have the whole "cinema" to myself. When I feel bored I will play video games, and I can make many interesting friends in the 2D world." Moreover, he has never felt lonely, as his best friends (t/n: referring to fans) were always by his side from start till end. All around the world, whenever he walked out of airports, there would always be fans waiting. "Wherever I go feels like home, it's really warm." They love him, and also understand him. "I have my own way of doing things. At times there would be ten days, or half a month of not posting on Weibo, and my staff would all tell me that that shouldn't be the way, it's as if I disappeared into thin air... But my fans know that, whenever I want to say something I would say it. They wish for me to live my life well."
The only change "Is that I have become old!" He repeated it several times, of course as a joke -- since he was young, therefore he talked about age in such a carefree manner. In the face of numerous new things coming towards him at once, he is not greedy, and deeply believes that the ability to say "no" is necessary. "I am extremely clear about what my boundaries are, and I would never let myself do things which I do not like." He has also begun to experience the pressure of time. "No one knows how tomorrow will be like, so it is better to view things in the present, not so much of the future. Therefore I wish to maximise the limited time to a better extent, so as not to leave behind any regrets."
