Jackson Wang: Chinese superstar’s ‘festival devouring’ Coachella show gives fans ‘chills’

Wang’s unannounced appearance makes the festival ‘lose its collective mind’

Chinese rapper Jackson Wang makes surprise appearance at California’s Coachella music festival on day two (16 April) (YouTube/Coachella)

Jackson Wang became the first Chinese singer to perform on Coachella’s main stage after he made a surprise appearance at the festival on Saturday (16 April).

The Independent’s Leonie Cooper caught Jackson’s performance at LA-based 88rising’s showcase of musical talent from Asia on day two of Coachella’s opening weekend, which began on Friday (15 April).

“A mini version of [record label] 88rising’s own hugely successful Head in the Clouds festival, it’s the perfect potted variety show – with spots from Thai rapper Milli, South Korean singer songwriter Bibi and Jakarta-born Taylor Swift co-signed singer Niki as well as Indonesian rappers Rich Brian and Warren Hue,” she reports from Coachella.

“It is the unannounced appearance of Chinese superstar Jackson Wang however, that really makes the festival lose its collective mind.”

Online, Wang’s fans had “no chill” over the 28-year-old Hong Kong rapper’s unannounced performance at the Californian music festival – returning to Indio after a two-year hiatus due to Covid.

Reacting to Wang’s history-making Coachella performance, one Twitter user wrote: “S***, Jackson Wang. I’m so proud of you. You broke it, okay? That’s my artist, that’s my boy.”

Another fan tweeted “the stage was on fire” after the singer debuted a brand new single at Coachella.

“This is the moment of history. This is ‘Magic man’. This is Jackson Wang from China,” the singer said during his performance, the moment captured on video and re-shared thousands of times on Twitter.

Earlier this month, Wang announced his forthcoming album MAGICMAN, after his English mixtape LOST & FOUND and 2019 solo debut album MIRRORS.

“With his silver blue hair and red gloves on majestic display, the flashy Wang slinks his way through ten minutes of Michael Jackson inspired choreography with Las Vegas magician worthy flair, leaving a whole lot of fans more than happy for his arrival,” reports Leonie Cooper, adding, “But also wondering why he wasn’t on stage for an hour longer at least.”

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