Early Life
Xiaokun was born in Shi Jia Zhuang, China, the city name literally means Rock Home Town, which made Xiaokun’s Rock N’ Roll - way - of - life seems like an arrangement of fate.
13
Xiaokun used to be called by his nickname – 13 for years, for the reason of he likes this number very much. ‘13 is the most devil number in eastern countries, but we’re Chinese, we don’t go with the western flow. 12 is a recurrence, while 13 is out of the recurrence, it beyond all! Besides, 1 is the most strait shape number while 3 is the most twist number, these very conflict shape combined together is just perfect!’ And if you know Chinese writing, you may find out that 1 (in CN ?) and 3 (in CN ?) crossed together is his family name Wang (in CN ?).
Bands
13 started to wrote songs since he’s 14 years old, when he picked up guitar for the first time, he just cannot drop it. He was always absent from classes and hiding somewhere practicing guitar. In 2001, 13 fund a band with his friend named ‘Mistaken’ (??), which is new school style. But this band didn’t last long and after a short time, with a few of his friends who are all Smashing Pumpkins fans fund another band called ‘Liu Mi Zi’ (???refers to Union Jack), they had a hard time during that period, they even been drove out by their house renter who were raged at their ‘noise’ and smashed their instruments. Later, probably when he’s 17, he fund a third band name King Ma Dao--???--, with Gutarist Erqian, Bassist Nange, and Drummer Gengshao. These band members are averagely at least 4 years older than him. 13 was the singer, wrote all lyrics and gave the song outlines. They built a small studio for some underground bands to record songs. this is almost all their incomes. They rarely perform on stage, but doesn’t mean their songs are not good enough. Even now when we look back at the lyrics he wrote at 14 years old – ‘4th April’ , you can hardly believe the lyric which expressed the desperate feeling of never be able to go back was just like a poetry and it’s from a 14 years old boy who wrote it in one night.
Influences
Backing to years ago, one day 13 went to a CD shop, and found a Joy Division’s album, he didn’t even know who are they at that time. After listened to it, he totally fell into the British rock flood. Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, R.E.M, Manic street preacher, etc. all becomes his all time favorite band. And the most important and respected of all is Mansun. In his dairy he fully expressed his love for Mansun, especially Paul Draper. 13’s favorite color is Purple, which is because Mansun’s famous Album ‘Attack of the Grey Lantern’. “Mansun’s first album is an overturn of Rock music, it has passional tunes like Oasis; Acid and Electronic pulse like Radiohead; they even at the forefront of Thom York! Suede’s spoons attentive to tradition, Blur’s genius on handle the notes, these all truly embodied in Mansun perfectly!’ 13 never hide his respect to Mansun ‘Little Kix changed my view of music and even life. It’s a pity that didn’t listen to Mansun earlier!’ Though he’s still a boy, but 13 was suffered by insomnia for a whole year! ‘Like magic, my insomnia was cured quickly after listened to Little Kix, It is because Mansun that I thought through a lot of things, and also dropped a lot of invisible burdens.’
‘Mansun was split, but it doesn’t matter as long as their music can be descended, I would like to descend it!’
Myshow
It may seem ridicules for a rock band singer to attend a commercial show like ‘American Idol’, and the reason why 13 attend such a show proved it is exactly a ridicules decision.' I watched TV and got to know there’s a Myshow competition, the judges is so funny, and I really want to know what would they say if they watch my performance, that’s why I’m here.’ 13 wrote a song named ‘Performance’ ad hoc and took this song and a guitar go for the show and passed 2 rounds easily, at the 3rd round he got on the stage with a loudspeaker performed a song called ‘ Mars Hotline’ which is wrote by himself, his wild performance with passion and energy burned the whole stage and the audience except the judges. The judges all considered the Chinese music market don’t need Rock N’ Roll music but pop songs performed by handsome singers with a charming smile on their faces. With no discussion, 13 was washed out. ‘I know this will happen with no doubt, I was there to bungle the stage on purpose as I never expect to go quite far in this show.’
But, a large ballot voted by audience brought 13 back to stage! Before he gave the next performance, ‘Yaochuan Chan’ - one of the judges had a long talk with 13 tried to persuade him to give up Rock N’ Roll and change to sing pop songs. 13 refused firmly and argued with Chan for a long time, but at last compromised. ‘Chan told me if I want to show my music on a larger stage for more audience I have to make a concession’ So, when 13 back to stage with a classical pop song, soulful and powerful, infected every single audience. Nobody had ever realized that 13 also can sing! Well, it seems to everyone’s knowledge that Rock N’ Roll is just yelling and screaming. With his effecting voice, 13 waltz though each round, not only gained a large group of fans but also a long term friendship with another player – Siyuan Yu, who was supposed to be the winner with his handsome appearance and Punk style. Though they’re rival, but they seems care each other more. Finally, they survived each round and became to the final match together.
Unfortunately, 13 was sick for a whole week, until the last minutes before he went on the stage he was still taken an injection. From the very first pop song he performed on the final match, he was out of tune for several times, struggled for the high pitch. For this show, 13 gave up not only his Rock Music, but also his band as well, when finally came to the 2nd round of the final match, he had a chance to perform together with his band, to show his rock music. With his band King Ma Dao performed together with him, the show seemed suddenly became King Ma Dao’s concert! They mix several songs they wrote before into one, and gave the whole audience a big hit! As Harry Xu (Director of Universal Record Asia-Pacific) who is the major judge comments after the incredible performance:†This is not a show, it’s your concert, the best live I’ve ever seen, you’re a star on the rise!'
‘'A beautiful beginning must have a beautiful ending……and the Winner is ------Wang Xiaokun!â€
As Harry Xu announced the champion of 2006 Myshow, the show ends in happy tears of 13’s fans, parents, and even his best friend, Siyuan Yu, to everyone’s surprise, 13’s first words after Harry announced the champion were:†This is the victory of SK!â€
(SK refers to Siyuan & xiaoKun)
Album ‘Beyond the clouds’
Several months later after 13 took the crown; he released his first album ‘Beyond the clouds’ under his record company Universal on April 2007. The album has already sold out 150,000 till now and the number still increasing. It’s still a pop album with most of the songs wrote by 13 himself. He is limited to make an album with whatever songs he like, so he just consider being an idol is just a job to earn money, though there’re only pop songs out their, he can still wrote the songs he like, but just won’t release for sale, at least not for now.
The strangest fact is, his fans like his unreleased songs more, those are songs he wrote when he was with King Ma Dao and didn’t included in the album for the reason of the record company consider these songs are too alternative and won’t be welcomed. When asking 13’s opinion about this situation, he replied:†Maybe the record company thinks the fans are all fool!’
Though making rock n’ roll music is banned by the record company, 13 never give up writing songs in the way he like, ‘Chinese Electric Master†is on his left arm as a tattoo, with his talent on music, let’s wish him a splendid voyage on his music journey!
