[Click here to view the video in this article]
Artist, architect, dissident activist—and now musician?
According to The Guardian, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is set to release a heavy metal album with the help of his friend, rock musician Zuoxiao Zuzhou.
“I really loved it. I had to make so much effort; I have never known music before,” said Weiwei. ‘I’m really very passionate.”
The Guardian reports that his interest in music was piqued during his 81-day detention for his activism.
“To tell you the truth, I never listened to music. Then during my detention, the guards were so bored they kept saying to me, ‘Can you sing a song’”, described Weiwei.
“After I came out, I realized I had never really listened to music or sung, so I decided to make an album. I know so many artists and musicians and they were really supportive.”
Weiwei will also be asking English singer Elton John for advice on how to distribute his album.
He said, “I was impressed by his very warm heart and passion and the expression of the music, so that gave me a clear push for making my own album. I will send it to him and ask his opinion. I haven’t asked him for advice—I will surprise him.”
The new album will contain nine tracks, some of which will be “heavy metal”, while the others “are more punkish, and some are more pop”.
He is also currently working on a second album which contains love songs and will be “softer than the first”.
This isn’t the first time that the artist has dabbled with music—Weiwei previously released a music video of himself dancing to PSY’s worldwide music phenomenon ‘Gangnam Style’.
Click to watch the Weiwei dancing to ‘Gangnam Style’:
[via The Guardian]
Artist, architect, dissident activist—and now musician?
According to The Guardian, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is set to release a heavy metal album with the help of his friend, rock musician Zuoxiao Zuzhou.
“I really loved it. I had to make so much effort; I have never known music before,” said Weiwei. ‘I’m really very passionate.”
The Guardian reports that his interest in music was piqued during his 81-day detention for his activism.
“To tell you the truth, I never listened to music. Then during my detention, the guards were so bored they kept saying to me, ‘Can you sing a song’”, described Weiwei.
“After I came out, I realized I had never really listened to music or sung, so I decided to make an album. I know so many artists and musicians and they were really supportive.”
Weiwei will also be asking English singer Elton John for advice on how to distribute his album.
He said, “I was impressed by his very warm heart and passion and the expression of the music, so that gave me a clear push for making my own album. I will send it to him and ask his opinion. I haven’t asked him for advice—I will surprise him.”
The new album will contain nine tracks, some of which will be “heavy metal”, while the others “are more punkish, and some are more pop”.
He is also currently working on a second album which contains love songs and will be “softer than the first”.
This isn’t the first time that the artist has dabbled with music—Weiwei previously released a music video of himself dancing to PSY’s worldwide music phenomenon ‘Gangnam Style’.
Click to watch the Weiwei dancing to ‘Gangnam Style’:
[via The Guardian]