Jasmine Yen, child of Hong Kong film star Donnie Yen and his design better half Cissy Wang, was an introvert when she was young however discovered something to assist her break out of her shell.
The 22-year-old singer-songwriter remained in Singapore just recently and informed AsiaOne in an interview held at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park’s Shared Table coffee shop: “I used to be very shy when I was a kid, I couldn’t even make eye contact with a lot of people, even if I had known them for 10 years.
“I am truly based on female artistes who are queens – positive and about female empowerment. They assisted me feel great about myself.”
Through her mum and aunt, she was introduced to music by Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears and Beyonce, the latter of whom is her idol.
However, Lady Gaga has been the most inspirational, so much so that the Jasmine’s newly released single Sweat is a salute to the versatile pop diva.
She shared: “When I was 7 years of ages, I dressed up as Lady Gaga for Halloween. I used a blonde wig and an extremely insane silver gown to school.
“Honestly, I think none of my schoolmates knew who I dressed up as.”
Jasmine included, besides discovering resemblances in her and Mother Monster’s love for musical theatre, she values the latter’s “confident, I’m-just-gonna-be-myself energy”in addition to her speculative and edgy techniques to music.
‘My ideas are more formed now’
Jasmine debuted in showbiz with Sony Music Entertainment’s RCA Records China in 2023, performing her single Idk(I Don’t Know Why This Isn’t Working )at Singapore’s Majulah Music Night.
She launched a single Forever 19 in January 2024 and Roll With Me in June 2026.
Jasmine, who is now an independent artiste, shared: “I think I definitely grew up and matured a lot. I was younger when I debuted and it was my first time being in the industry and I think I was just very excited to write my songs and perform them.
“Now, the more that I compose, the more I understood there is in fact a function and a message that I desire to share with others, which is that music actually assisted me end up being positive in myself and I desire to do the very same, specifically for young women.”
Reflecting on her music journey, she added: “Whatever in life can be taken as a knowing experience. I have no remorses for sure. I found out a lot about remaining in a business, however I likewise found out a lot about being independent.
“I am grateful to be able to experience both. Now, it really pushed me to grow a lot as a person and not just as an artiste. Before, I was just very caught up in the music. Now, I have to learn all aspects, but I think it’s also good to learn these skills in general.
“My ideas are more formed now. I am honing and discovering abilities like management – I’m still dealing with it … and interaction.”
Focusing on making music for the past two years also helped her pave the direction she wants to take and build her confidence.
Hoping to inspire listeners to be confident and be themselves
In writing the lyrics for Sweat, which Jasmine described as her “darkest” yet, she said: “A great deal of individuals believe this tune is so unforeseen as compared to my old music, however truthfully, I constantly have this side to me. My good friends resembled, ‘Oh, it’s lastly you.’
“I think I have many sides to myself, and when I wrote this song, I was inspired by Lady Gaga for sure. The more I thought about this, the more I thought about my love for her as a kid and I really believe that everything you do is kind of influenced by your childhood…
“When I composed this tune, I desire my listeners to feel, simply to go bananas and be themselves.”
The music video (MV) for Sweat was filmed by Sweden-based director-producer and visual artist Erik He in Stockholm, whose work also spans commercials as well as fashion films, and he had collaborated with artistes including Calvin Harris and Zara Larsson.
Jasmine shared that she was glad to have the same vision for the MV as Erik while they worked together in the creative direction, and she learnt more about herself in the process.
“I like all my tunes, however aesthetically (for her previous tunes), something wasn’t actually speaking with me. I believe this is the very first time I really seem like this is what I wish to share and how I wish to reveal myself,” she added.
She also did many improvisations while filming the MV to immerse herself, including doing the splits.
Jasmine laughed while recounting: “I wound up doing it like 50 times, however I am fine, since I believe I am rather double-jointed, so I do not have a problem.
“But I remember while shooting the scene on the ground, and the camera was filming me from the top, my legs started to cramp, but I was like ‘locked in’ and kept going. I knew I was cramping, but I still had to manage my facial expressions.”
‘You are implied to attract who you are implied to bring in’
In spite of the competitive show business, Jasmine thinks there is space for everybody to stand apart: “You are meant to attract who you are meant to attract. The right people will find your art.”
Recalling at how she started to pursue music as part of her life course, Jasmine, who began composing music at 7, stated she had a predicament at 14 years of ages.
She stated: “I have always been a creative person… I also did art, I drew. If I did not pursue music, I probably would have done something in the visual arts.
“I keep in mind offering myself a great deal of pressure when I was 14 years of ages. I informed myself I needed to choose one. When I envisioned myself basing on phase, I simply sensed and immediately understood I was going to do this. When I was 15, I informed everybody that I was going to use to Berklee and none of them might state anything about it.”
At 18, she earned a scholarship to Berklee College of Music.
Jasmine also recounted how Donnie and Cissy were reluctant for her to join the entertainment industry at first.
“They understand the market which it can be rather intricate. After seeing how much I enjoyed it – I likewise believe they have eyes and ears and viewpoints too. If they believed there was no opportunity for me, they would have informed me. I think they saw something in me too, so they wound up supporting me,” she shared.
Staying grounded in the spotlight
In addition to releasing a mini album in 2027, Jasmine will also be making her acting debut on the big screen.
While she can’t reveal more, she hinted it would be a “enormous” production.
Despite her father’s successes on the silver screen, she has never considered acting.
“A great deal of individuals asked if I wished to follow in my papa’s steps, however that has actually never ever been a subject on my mind. It’s just due to the fact that I truly like music a lot. I do not mind it, I do not mind difficult myself to attempt brand-new things,” she explained.
With her parents in the spotlight, Jasmine, who has a younger brother James, stays grounded by remembering the best advice they have given her.
She shared: “They informed me to simply be myself, and I believe that’s actually essential, to be genuine. I am quite sincere, open and direct, and I value individuals that are authentically themselves. I like it when individuals are uncomplicated.
“I have a great and close family, they gave me the emotional support I need to be confident and they gave me motivation.”
She included that open interaction assists them to support and assist each other.
Beyond work, Jasmine relaxes through a cup of oat milk coffee over approach podcasts.
On how she is browsing adulting, Jasmine stays favorable, sharing that she is still discovering every day.
“You can learn something from anybody. The more people you meet, the more you say ‘yes’ to things, the more you learn about yourself. I think especially this year, I have really stepped out of my comfort zone, and I have matured a lot,” she concluded.
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