Five Tracks By Jackson Wang You Must Know

Jackson Wang first rose to global fame as a member of one of K-pop’s biggest groups, GOT7. Amongst the many hats he wears as a rapper, singer, songwriter and producer, Wang is also the founder of his very own music label TEAM WANG, currently headquartered in China.

Upon GOT7’s departure from JYP Entertainment in 2021, Wang flew back to China and has since been working towards expanding his footprint as a global music and fashion icon. Some of his endeavors under this vision also include forming and participating in the Chinese collective PANTHEPACK (also signed under TEAM WANG) and entering an exclusive contract with Sublime Entertainment in South Korea to expand his presence and business activities.

Today, as Wang celebrates his 28th birthday, we’re looking back at five tracks from his solo discography that embodies his artistic ethos and stories of love, gratitude and perseverance.

“Papillion”

Released on August 26, 2017, “Papillion” marked Wang’s official solo debut. With impressive commercial success across major Chinese music charts such as QQ Music, V Weekly Music Chart, and YinYueTai MV Chart, Wang’s single topped several iTunes charts globally too. Rooted in powerful hip-hop beats, “Papillion” commemorated the beginning of Wang’s studio. Lyrically, the rapper expresses feelings of freedom, power and success that followed after establishing his own studio; “Team Wang do it I’mma stay up on my grind/ I’m living feeling like a classic Papillon.” 

“Dawn of us”

Written by Wang, “Dawn of us” focuses on the singer-songwriter’s romantic persona. Composed of a dreamy synth arrangement, the tropical R&B single sees Wang celebrating the love that binds two individuals; “If you the sun, then I hope to be the planets surrounding you/ Taking selfies with the satellites while I’m with you/ Romeo and Juliet but we don’t have to split apart.” Throughout the track, the singer references fictional couples, who over time, have become synonymous with eternal love and romance like Romeo and Juliet and Mara Jade and Skywalker. Passionate, honest and unfiltered, Wang employs his flair as a passionate wordsmith, painting a picturesque canvas dripping in hues of eternal love.

“Leave Me Loving You (LMLY)”

“LMLY” marked the GOT7 member’s fourth solo release in March 2021 after an impressive list of collaborative projects. The track sees Wang foray into the iconic era of Eighties disco-pop sound marked with his laid-back, soothing vocals. Written and composed by Wang alongside Michael Matosic, Richard Boardman, LOSTBOY and Pablo Bowman, “LMLY” narrates the tale of a secret admirer daydreaming about a woman he just met. Wanting to be more than just strangers, Wang expresses his desires through heartfelt lyrics, “You don’t call me baby/ You call me my name/ But I keep on hoping/ Nothing has changed/ Yeah yeah”, hoping the one-sided nature of his attraction would bloom into a relationship. Notably, Wang left a slice of his artistry in every aspect of the single, extending it to the music video’s script and cinematography. “I came up with the treatment that follows my previous release ‘Pretty Please,’ still staying in the time zone of Nineties Hong Kong-Chinese movie style,” Wang revealed in the video’s credits. “The way I decided to shoot the video, it’s more towards [a] movie structure this time, rather than the musical and choreo performances I always do.” 

“Jackson Wang”

Reminiscing the highs and lows of his illustrious career thus far, Wang released his most melancholic, pensive and intimate single to date. Released on January 11th, the self-titled single takes a look at the hidden chapters of his life, revealing the story of a dreamer who preserved and hustled to fulfill his vision; “Looking up I’m still going for the same dream/ I was holding to a fencing sword and it became a microphone now.” Written, composed and directed by Wang, we get to see Wang’s diligence and nuanced artistic decisions through his songwriting and creative directions. Though a majority of the track focuses on his past, we get a glimpse into Wang’s future and the goal he’s currently working towards, “TEAM WANG PANTHEPACK TWD/ East and the West connecting all the dots culturally.” While the fencer in him may have turned into a pop star, Wang is just as determined, focused and inspired as he was when he first started his journey in the entertainment world.  

“In My Bed”

Wang’s intimate musings of love and armor on the surprise mixtape Lost&Found was a stellar gateway to his vocal competency. Released on March 7th, the record comprised unreleased tracks Wang had recorded earlier. Co-written by Wang, the sixth track “In My Bed” is a rhythmic EDM-trap track laced with candid confessions; “Bout to send the pin to your phone now/ Baby let me know you on the way/ Had a long day but I’m home now/ You know I can’t wait to see your face.” Wang plays his strengths, employing raspy vocalizations in a higher range. The concoction of breathy vocalizations, rich bass synth and lyrics exploring physical intimacy rustles up an entrancing aural experience.