Debuting with a set of masterpiece performances in India for the first time ever, Jackson Wang has lived up to his name as the Magic Man. Famed for his role as a fellow member of the South Korean act GOT7, Wang has gone to great lengths to prove his artistic genius. You name it and he’s probably already achieved the feat. Be it playing an indispensable role in setting a strong foundation for the Kpop group, leading as a solo artist, being a professional athlete, helming a fashion brand, the list goes on. He’s done it all without breaking a sweat, and made the impossible seem possible.
Dealing out powerful deliveries on stage at the Lollapalooza festival in Mumbai, the Hong Kong singer, producer, dancer, rapper, producer, director, designer, and most importantly, artist (in the true sense of its meaning) has made the whole nation swoon for him. He’s also finally made his dream – of landing in India and setting foot amidst Bollywood glories – come true, while also fulfilling his Indian fans’s long-standing promise.
Both fans and non-fans alike, witnessed him in his element, which has resulted in the latter being converted to the former category as well. This is your chance to dive head-first into Wang’s musical universe, because it’s one of the best gifts you can give to yourself. Here are some music videos through which Jackson has redefined the tonality of his work’s visual aesthetic, which was previously more dance-focussed and heavy on hip-hop notions, but has now transformed into looking like breathtaking short movies.
Jackson Wang Music Videos That Make You Feel Like You’re Watching a Movie
100 Ways
To portray an ancient timeless Romeo-Juliet love story concept that goes beyond the grave, Team Wang partnered with the dance crew The Kinjaz for the 2020 single. With a unique haunting sound that backs up the music video’s visuals, Bollywood fans may especially find a liking to the video due to its romantic tinge.
Pretty Please
Collaborating with Swedish producer Galantis, Wang not only co-directed this hit, but also came up with the idea for the 90s Hong Kong film aesthetic. Divulging interesting facts at the end of the video, Jackson speaks of how he paired up with the same across as the 100 Ways music video for this one too, while highlighting the contrast parallels between the videos.
LMLY
In 2021, taking it back to the classic disco-pop sound, LMLY, aka Leave Me Loving You was composed by Wang with Michael Matosic, Richard Boardman, LOSTBOY and Pablo Bowman. It’s again been co-directed by the singer himself, and establishes a sense of continuity in his universe of videos by keeping up with a similar narrative as Pretty Please.
Come Alive
Almost looking like the child of Alice in Wonderland‘s Mad Hatter, who’s been inspired by Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Wang leads the jazzy tune with his undead circus posse on a dystopian outer space setting.
Cruel
It’s safe to say that Jackson completely reinvents himself with Cruel. Set in a similar terrifying and nightmarish landscape set on fire, Wang takes shape as a fire-breathing supernatural creature, while displaying his most erotic choreography yet, drenched in the shades of the grunge aesthetic.
Blue
Slipping into a rather groovy mood, the soft rock track is fuelled by a music video high on ‘blues’ that sees Jackson free-falling through what looks like the visualiser of one’s deepest, darkest emotions of solitude.
Drive You Home
Powered by an R&B sound, Drive You Home brings Wang together with Internet Money. This is possibly the most movie-like music video in this list that fleshes out a romantic story ending on a tragic note. Jackson and Mamesjao directed it, one again proving the influence of cinematic inclination in Wang’s videos.
Blow
With Blow, Wang opened the doors to his album Magic Man, and takes a side step by foraying into the grunge rock category. For this video, the visuals are initially reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s cultish supernatural gathering of dancers in Thriller, but it soon transforms into a campy modern renaissance concept.
If you’re still wondering about the true context of the phrase Magic Man in Jackson’s world, then here’s a note – it has do with his second studio album of the same name which came out in September 2022. Tune into the album on Spotify and make the most of the musical experience.
Did you see Jackson perform at Lollapalooza, or are you too vicariously enjoying through video snippets captured at the event? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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