7 Things You Need To Know About L'Officiel Philippines Summer 2022 Cover Star Jackson Wang
Jackson Wang is an icon of this generation. Complex and profoundly talented, there is definitely more to him than what meets the eye.
A multi-hyphenate creative, rapper Jackson Wang has many sides to him from being a performer to even a creative director. While music is his main pursuit, the 88Rising star blows us away with his personal style and fashion collaborations.
The “LMLY” singer continues to surprise his audience with all his interesting and inspiring abilities. Here are 7 things you should know about Jackson Wang.
He is a junior Olympic fencer.
With his father, Wang Ruji, being a gold medalist in fencing – he was trained at the age of 10 to follow into his footsteps. Jackson Wang grew up in the world of sports. In fact, Jackson belonged to the Junior Olympic level when he was 16 years-old and was even offered a sports scholarship at Stanford University. Eventually, he turned the offer down to pursue his true passion: music.
He has his own fashion brand.
July 2020 was a particularly new era in the life of Jackson Wang, as this was when he launched his very own streetwear apparel line. Named “Team Wang Design,” the rapper focused primarily on showcasing minimalist and sport-inspired pieces.
He is an advocate for mental health awareness
After experiencing the pressures from being an athlete growing up, Jackson Wang struggled greatly with his mental health. In an interview with Variety, the 88Rising talent said, “I always solve my own problems when I’m stressed out by myself, because what’s the point? It’s my problem. It’s not anyone else’s problem.” He continued by giving advice to those struggling mentally, saying that having fun with the process of art-making is key, as well as having a solid circle to be surrounded by.
Pursuing music was a challenge
In an interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Jackson Wang opened up about the challenges faced by choosing his musical path in life. He said that his parents were not initially supportive about his passion in the performing arts; it even took him 7 months to persuade his athletic parents.
He embraces his Hong Kong roots.
Though mostly within the K-pop realm, Jackson Wang is outspoken when it comes to his Hong Kong roots. The number 852 is included in his social media handles and indicates Hong Kong's area code. Even directly influencing his art, Jackson adds hints of classic Hong Kong cinema in his music videos like “Pretty Please” and “LMLY.”
His first job was being a fencing coach.
Interview Magazine asked Jackson Wang what his first job was. Given that his parents were both athletes, it was no surprise when he said, “ I was a university fencing coach. It was an unpaid opportunity, though, because I was underage.”
To read L’Officiel Philippines’ full interview with Jackson Wang, purchase the June Issue here.
