Lay Zhang

In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhang.

Lay Zhang
Zhang in October 2018
Born
Zhang Jiashuai

(1991-10-07) October 7, 1991 (age 33)
Changsha, Hunan, China
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer-songwriter
  • dancer
  • actor
  • record producer
  • businessman
Years active1998–2006
2012–present
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
Labels
  • SM
  • Zhang Yixing Studio
  • Chromosome Entertainment Group
  • Range Media Partners
Member of
Websitewww.smtown.com/artists/97
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese张艺兴
Traditional Chinese張藝興
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhāng Yìxīng
Birth name
Simplified Chinese张加帅
Traditional Chinese張加帥
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhāng Jiāshuài
Korean stage name
Hangul
레이
Revised RomanizationRe-i
McCune–ReischauerRei

Zhang Yixing (Chinese: 张艺兴; pinyin: Zhāng Yìxīng; born (1991-10-07)October 7, 1991),[1] known professionally as Lay Zhang or simply Lay, is a Chinese rapper, singer-songwriter, dancer, actor, record producer and businessman. Zhang first gained recognition in 2005 for participating in the Chinese television talent show Star Academy.[2] He later debuted as a member of the South Korean-Chinese boy band Exo and its Chinese sub-unit Exo-M under SM Entertainment in 2012.[3]

In 2015, Zhang founded a personal agency with SM for managing his solo activities in China and wrote an autobiography titled Standing Firm at 24. In 2016, Zhang released his first extended play (EP), Lose Control. The EP peaked at number one on the Gaon Album Chart and number four on Billboard's US World Albums chart. Zhang is the first Chinese solo artist to hit the Top 25 on the Billboard 200 and the first Chinese solo artist to hit Top 5 on the Worldwide iTunes Album Chart. Since his debut as a solo artist, Zhang has produced and released over 100 songs including 4 studio albums and 5 EPs, and has won numerous music awards.

In 2020, Zhang founded the Chromosome Entertainment Group and serves as CEO and producer.[4] Zhang has been included on the Forbes China Celebrity 100 (placing in the top 20 in multiple years)[5][6] and on the CelebrityZ Top 100 Most Valuable Celebrities list (placing 23rd in 2016) published by market research company Kantar and Chinese business magazine CBN Weekly.[7] Outside of music, Zhang became the first celebrity to serve as publicity ambassador for the Communist Youth League of China of Changsha in 2016.

He has also ventured into acting and starred in films and television shows such as Ex-Files 2 (2015), The Mystic Nine (2016), Kung Fu Yoga (2017), The Island (2018), The Golden Eyes (2019), Empress of the Ming (2019), Crime Crackdown (2021), and No More Bets (2023).

Early life

Zhang Yixing was born Zhang Jiashuai (Chinese: 张加帅; pinyin: Zhāng Jiāshuài) in Changsha, Hunan, China on October 7, 1991.[1][8] His legal name was later changed to Zhang Yixing. His first known acting role was at age six, starring as Huan Huan in the 1998 Chinese television drama We The People. In 2000, at age nine, Zhang participated in a Chinese television show as a fan club member of the Taiwanese singer and actor Jimmy Lin, Zhang's first contact with the entertainment industry. Zhang began became a local child star after winning third place in a competition organized by the Hunan-based television show Star Academy in 2005.[2] He also appeared in an episode of Yue Ce Yue Xin Kai and Liu Na's variety show Na Ke Bu Yi Yang between 2005 and 2006.[2] In April 2006, he auditioned for a leading part in Zhang Jizhong's The Duke of Mount Deer but did not win the role despite being a finalist.

In 2008, Zhang auditioned for SM Entertainment at the South Korean company's global casting audition in Wuhan.[9] At the time, he was 16 years old and studying at the High School Attached to Hunan Normal University. After successfully passing the auditions, Zhang moved to South Korea to complete his idol training. In 2011, prior to his debut with Exo, he briefly worked with Shinee on their Shinee World Tour as Jonghyun's dance replacement.[10][unreliable source?]

Career

2012–2014: Debut with Exo

See also: Exo
Zhang in 2014

Zhang debuted as a K-pop idol under the stage name "Lay", which he stated SM Entertainment gave him because there is a character named Huaze Lei who "is talented and likes music quite a bit" in the Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden. He was first unveiled as one of the four Chinese members of Exo in a teaser video titled "Phoenix" in January 2012.[11] Following the release of the singles "What Is Love" and "History" in 2012, he and the other eleven members held their pre-debut showcase in Seoul Olympic Stadium on March 31, 2012,[12] as well as a second showcase and press conference at the Great Hall of the Beijing University of International Business and Economics.[13] The group debuted on April 8, 2012, with the single "Mama", and Exo-M's first performance in China was publicly televised at the 12th Yinyue Fengyun Bang Awards.[14]

In December 2012, Zhang was featured in SM Entertainment's project dance group SM the Performance alongside fellow Exo member Kai and labelmates Yunho, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Minho and Taemin. On December 29, the group performed their single "Spectrum", which was released the following day, at the 2011 SBS Gayo Daejeon.[15] As Exo attained domestic stardom, their studio album XOXO became the first to sell more than one million copies in South Korea in 12 years.[16] Additionally, their 2014 EP Overdose entered US Billboard 200 chart.[17][18]

Early in 2014, Zhang composed and performed the song "I'm Lay" for his solo performance during Exo's first headlining concert tour, The Lost Planet.[19] Later that year, he performed another self-composed song, "I'm Coming", on a special year-end television program on Hunan TV. Zhang also composed the song "Promise" on the repackaged edition of Exo's second studio album, Love Me Right, and wrote the lyrics for the Chinese version of the song.[20]

2014–2015: Solo activities and film debut

In August 2014, Zhang joined his first variety show, Star Chef, as a cast member.[21] In April 2015, SM Entertainment announced that a personal studio had been established for Zhang's activities in China.[22] In May 2015, he became a regular cast member of the Chinese reality television show Go Fighting!.[23] Zhang subsequently starred in the second,[24] third,[25] and fourth seasons of the show.[26]

On September 18, the limited edition of Zhang's autobiography Standing Firm at 24 was published, while the standard edition became available on October 7. The book documented important events throughout his life and broke several online sales records, selling 68,537 copies in the first 24 minutes of pre-sales. Zhang placed fourth on the 10th Chinese Celebrity Writers List, the youngest celebrity author to enter the chart.[27][unreliable source?] He was first place in the 2015 installment of the Annual Celebrity Book Sales and ranked first Asia's Best Books twice on its monthly chart and six times on its weekly charts. Zhang's autobiography made Rakuten's lists, with 400,000 copies sold in six months.[28]

Zhang at the 24th Seoul Music Awards on January 22, 2015.

In November 2015, Zhang made his film debut with a supporting role in the Chinese romantic comedy movie Ex-Files 2: The Backup Strikes Back,[29] which was a box office hit.[30] He later won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 2016 China Britain Film Festival for his performance.[31] He wrote and recorded an original soundtrack for the movie "Alone (One Person)", which reached number one on the Baidu Music Chart[32] and later won Best Movie Original Soundtrack awards at the 16th Top Chinese Music Awards[33] and 4th V-Chart Awards.[34] Zhang starred in the Chinese comedy film Oh My God[35] and collaborated with his co-stars Coco Jiang Wen and Li Xiaolu on an original soundtrack for the movie titled "Happy Youth", which debuted at number eight on the Billboard V Chart.[36]

2016: Rising popularity and solo debut

In January 2016, Zhang and the other cast members of Go Fighting! appeared in the Chinese movie Royal Treasure.[37] In April 2016, he received the Most Popular Newcomer award at the 16th Top Chinese Music Awards.[33] In May 2016, Zhang made his small screen debut in the Chinese television series To Be A Better Man.[38][unreliable source?] Written by Lay and co-composed and arranged with Divine Channel,[39] "Monodrama" charted at number one on YinYueTai's V Chart.[citation needed] In July 2016, Zhang starred in the Chinese action mystery drama The Mystic Nine, a prequel to The Lost Tomb. The series achieved domestic success, placing first in television ratings and setting a record for the most online views garnered in a day. It has since accumulated over 12 billion total views. Zhang went on to star in a spin-off of the television series titled The Mystic Nine Side Story: Flowers Bloom in February, which focused solely on Zhang's character.[40]

In October 2016, Zhang made his debut as a solo artist with the release of "What U Need?" as a surprise gift for his fans on his birthday.[41] The song reached number four spot on the China V Chart and Billboard World Digital Songs chart.[42][43] He performed it for the first time on October 10 at the 2016 Asia Song Festival in Busan, South Korea.[44]

On October 28, Zhang released his debut extended play (EP) Lose Control, which contained six Mandarin tracks and the music video for the title song. Lay was involved in much of the production of the EP, participating in songwriting and arrangement as well as translating the original lyrics himself into English, Korean and Japanese.[45] Pre-orders for Lose Control surpassed 200,000 copies, and it debut at number one on the Gaon Album Chart.[46] It also reached number four on Billboard's US World Albums chart.[47] Zhang performed "Lose Control" for the first time on the music program The Show on November 15.[48]

2017: Mainstream success

On January 27, 2017, Zhang made his maiden appearance on CCTV Spring Gala Festival and sang a duet alongside Chinese actor Jing Boran.[49] The same month, he starred with Jackie Chan in the Indian-Chinese action film Kung Fu Yoga directed by Stanley Tong, playing an archaeologist assistant. A post-release music video of "Goosebump" sung by Fazilpuria featured him and Jackie Chan.

Zhang at press conference for The Founding of an Army on July 24, 2017.

On February 17, Zhang made his last public appearance with Exo on the Hong Kong concerts of their world tour Exo Planet 3 – The Exo'rdium. Afterwards, he halted activities with the group due to overlapping schedules with his solo career in mainland China.[50][unreliable source?] In April, Zhang starred in the Chinese patriotic film The Founding of an Army and was praised for his portrayal of Lu Deming.[51] Later in April, Zhang starred in the Chinese remake of the hit Japanese romance television series Operation Love. He composed and performed the song "Pray" for the drama.[52] In July, Zhang voiced Jackson Storm in the Chinese-dubbed version of Disney's animated film Cars 3.[53]

On September 25, Zhang released the music video for "I Need U", a pre-release track from his album Lay 02 Sheep.[54] The music video ranked number one on Billboard's China Weibo Live Chart. The album was released on October 7 along with the music video for the song "Sheep". On its first day of digital sales, the album broke five records on QQ Music for the Gold, Double Gold, Triple Gold, Platinum and Diamond (¥5 million in 9 hours 11 minutes) certifications.[citation needed] The album premiere 2017 Zhang Yixing Showcase was held at the Beijing National Aquatics Center on October 12, where he performed "I Need U", "Sheep" and other singles.[55] In October, Zhang was announced to be starring as the male lead alongside label-mate Krystal Jung in the South Korean-Chinese romance film Unexpected Love.[56]

On December 22, Zhang released his second EP Winter Special Gift. The music video of the lead single for the album, "Goodbye Christmas", was released on the same day.[57] Within one day of digital sales, the album surpassed Gold, Double Gold, Triple Gold and Platinum sales marks on QQ Music.[58][better source needed] The album later surpassed the Diamond sales mark on the platform as well.[59] The same month, Zhang was appointed as the presenter and production director of iQiyi's hit talent recruiting program Idol Producer.[60]

2018: Debut in the United States[61]

Zhang at Busan International Film Festival on October 4, 2018

On April 1, 2018, Zhang returned as one of the main cast in the fourth season of hit Chinese variety show Go Fighting!. He attended the 2018 CCTV New Year's Gala, where he performed a dance in collaboration with Huang Bo and William Chan.[62] He also participated in the national anthem and its music video for Youth Day in China in May.[63] In July, Zhang made a guest appearance for the web series The Tomb of Sea, where he portrayed a descendant of his character from the hit 2016 TV series The Mystic Nine.[64] In August, Zhang starred in Huang Bo's commercially and critically successful directorial debut film The Island, where he received acclaim for his performance.[65]

Zhang made his first appearance in the US at the music festival Lollapalooza, where he collaborated with DJ Alan Walker.[66] The duo later collaborated on a remixed version of Zhang's previous single "Sheep", titled "Sheep Relift" and released on August 30.[67]

Zhang's second album Namanana was released on October 19, with the pre-release single "Give Me a Chance" released on October 5. The album contained 22 songs, including a collaboration with American singer Bazzi, 11 of which are in the Chinese language with English versions of each.[68][69][70] Namanana debuted at number 21 on Billboard 200, making Lay the highest ranked Mandopop artist on the chart.[71] The album also placed first on the World Albums and Independent Albums charts.[citation needed] On December 24, Lay released a Christmas-themed digital single titled "When It's Christmas".[72] The same month, he joined Chinese EDM talent show Rave Now as a mentor alongside Alan Walker.[73]

2019–2021: Solo concert tour and Chromosome Entertainment Group Establishment

On January 20, Zhang attended a Samsung event at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai as the ambassador of Samsung Galaxy A8s and performed on-stage alongside ASAP Ferg and Steve Aoki, respectively.[74] That month, Zhang returned as the production director and presenter of the Chinese survival show Idol Producer 2. On February 3, Zhang performed a Chinese New Year song with Dilraba Dilmurat, Phoenix Legend, Wallace Chung, and Zhou Dongyu at the 2019 CCTV New Year's Gala.[75]

Zhang attended the 61st Annual Grammy Awards as its promotional ambassador on February 10, the only Chinese celebrity invited to the red carpet event and live ceremony.[76] On February 26, a Michael Jackson tribute song titled "Let's Shut Up & Dance" was released by Zhang in collaboration with American singer Jason Derulo and South Korean band and SM Entertainment labelmate NCT 127.[77] That same month, a third wax figure of Zhang was revealed in Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, following wax figures in Madame Tussauds Shanghai and Beijing.[78] Zhang starred as the protagonist in the Chinese fantasy-adventure series The Golden Eyes.[79][80] On March 15, Zhang released a digital single titled "Lovebird" as a collaborative song with American EDM and hip-hop group Far East Movement.[81][unreliable source?] On May 6, Zhang made his first appearance at the annual fashion exhibition Met Gala in New York City as an ambassador for Valentino, wearing a custom-made suit called "Time Traveller" designed by the house's creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli.

Zhang appeared as Emperor Yingzong of Ming in the historical drama Empress of the Ming in 2019.[82][83] On June 14, Zhang released a digital EP titled Honey and its title track of the same name.[84] The EP sold over 1.87 million digital copies three minutes after release on QQ Music, breaking his personal record for Namanana.[85] It also earned QQ Music's Golden Hall status for surpassing nine sales levels and earning the Gold Diamond certification.[86] Zhang embarked on his first international concert tour, Grand Line, in July 2019. Tickets for the concert at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai sold out in eight seconds, while tickets for the Nanjing show sold out in twenty-five seconds.[87] He also performed in Bangkok, Thailand. In December 2019, Zhang released the single "Grandmother (外婆)", which served as a tribute to his grandmother who had passed away earlier in the year.[88]

On March 19, 2020, Lay Zhang released the song "Love You More" with artists Steve Aoki and Will.i.am and featuring Jessica Carrie Lee as part of Aoki's Neon Future IV album. On June 1, 2020, Zhang released the first part of his fourth album, Lit; the second part was released on July 21, 2020. In June 2020, Zhang won the competition of iQiyi's I'm a Singer-Songwriter 2. He also appeared as a producer mentor on Youku's We are Young. In August 2020, Zhang started appearing as a mentor and captain in the third season of the Chinese dance survival show Street Dance of China. He also filmed for the drama Challenges at Midlife.

On October 7, 2020, Zhang officially announced the establishment of his entertainment company, Chromosome Entertainment Group.[89] Through its official accounts on Twitter, Weibo, and Instagram, the company revealed a trainee selection program modeled after the one Zhang participated in under SM Entertainment. Several celebrities expressed their congratulatory remarks to Zhang's new venture, including the founder and former CEO of SM Entertainment, Lee Soo-man. Zhang released his fourth studio album, Producer, on February 5, 2021, with lead single "Joker" released four days prior.[90] The album featured studio versions of the songs he composed for his appearance in the second season of I'm a Singer-Songwriter.[90] On June 7, 2021, after a three-year absence from Exo, Zhang appeared in their EP Don't Fight the Feeling.[91] On October 7, 2021, Zhang released the single "Samadhi Real Fire", the pre-release single for his new EP East, which was released on October 15.[92]

2022: Departure from SM Entertainment and second world tour

On February 22, 2022, Zhang released the collaborative album Dawn to Dusk with 24kGoldn. On February 23, the drama Challenges at Midlife was aired on Oriental Satellite TV, Zhejiang Satellite TV and Youku. Zhang starred as a young man with a double-faced character in the drama. It was his first TV series to play the villain. On April 8, 2022, Zhang released the song "酒(JIU)" in celebration of Exo 10th Year Debut Anniversary.[93][94] In the same day, he conclusion his ten-year contract with SM Entertainment and personally stated that would remained his activities with EXO in the future.[95][96] On April 22, he returned to the 6th season of the variety show Back to the Field as a regular cast member. On May 15, it was announced that he would star in the online film Chinese Youth: Me and My Youth to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Communist Youth League, he plays the painter Xu Mai in the first unit Flag. On May 31, he collaborated with former NBA player Nick Young and released the theme song Time To Shine to pay tribute to the 75th anniversary of the NBA. The MV of the song was later played on the Jumbotron in Chase Center during the NBA Finals on June 6.

To celebrate his 10th Year Debut Anniversary, Zhang held an online concert Grandline Sailing · FIREWORK which was filmed on a ship over Xiang River in his hometown Changsha as the start point of his second concert tour, on July 23. He donated his portion of the profits from the online concert to charity in the name of his fans later. On September 21, 2022, Zhang released the music video for the song "Veil", the title track of his EP West (西) that he released five days later on September 26, 2022.[97] Starting Mid-October, Zhang held his second concert tour Grandline II · Infinite lands in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangkok, Thailand and San Francisco, USA respectively. On November 3, he attended the amfAR gala Los Angeles at the Pacific Design Center.[98] This is his second time attending amfAR Gala.

On November 9, he was invited to attend the highly anticipated Clippers vs Lakers game where he was featured on the Jumbotron. On November 15, he had an interview at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles and performed "Veil".[99] On November 23, he was invited to a seminar at Harvard Business School, during which he shared thoughts about Asian culture and M-POP music. On November 26, Zhang headlined the 1st MetaMoon Music Festival which was set to showcase AAPI and Asian artists and culture, at Barclays Center in New York. He sang and danced for over 30 minutes nonstop.[100] On December 31, he performed "ChangSha" and "Veil" at the Dream Oriental 2023 Oriental Satellite TV New Year's Eve Ceremony.

2023–present: Acting activities, expansion in Hollywood, return to Korea

On January 15, 2023, Zhang attended the "2023 Hunan Satellite TV Mango TV Spring Festival Gala" of which he is the spokesperson and performed "Veil" and "Song of Xinlu Mountain". On January 18, he attended the "2022 Weibo Music Ceremony" and was awarded "Artist of the Year". He also performed the song "Cypher I" with labelmates from D. N. A factory, which Zhang founded and officially announced in February 2023 on his social media accounts. On January 24, he participated in the "New Journey - 2023 China Online Audio-Visual Annual Ceremony".[citation needed] On March 10, the suspense crime film See You at Dawn starring Zhang, Shu Qi and Tony Leung Ka-fai was officially filmed in Pingtan, Fujian Province. In the film, Zhang played Lin Zang, an out-of-town man who had a lot to do with a series of murders.[citation needed]

On March 28, he was invited to the watch exhibition "Watches and Wonders" 2023 in Geneva as the ambassador for Hublot. He also visited the Hublot headquarters factory and experienced the work of a professional watchmaker the following day. As a distinguished guest of the exhibition, Zhang's trip to Geneva also appeared on the official website of "Watches and Wonders".[citation needed] On April 21, Zhang attended The 13th Beijing International Film Festival, along with Jackie Chan and other cast from the movie they starred in, The Legend.[101] On April 28, the film Changsha Nightlife is scheduled to be released. Zhang played stand-up comedian He An in the film.[citation needed]

After working as producer since Chromosome was founded in 2020, Zhang officially debut his first artist Le'v in August 2023.[102][103] In September 2023, Zhang signed with American entertainment company Range Media Partners.[104][105] Zhang also stated that he would expand his activities in Hollywood.[106] In April 2024, Zhang would made his comeback in Korea's music scene with a new album in mid-April and plans to promote on music shows, with former SM producer Jung Chang-wan provided his activities are under the producer's company n.cH Entertainment.[107]

Artistry

Songwriting

Zhang has composed and produced numerous songs, including "Exo 2014" by Exo[108] and the tracks on each of his solo albums and EPs Lose Control,[109] Lay 02 Sheep, Winter Special Gift, Namanana.,[110] Honey, Lit, East, and West. He also wrote and composed his 2015 SM Station single "Monodrama". Zhang composed "Alone", the original soundtrack for his 2015 romantic-comedy film Ex-Files 2, as well as "Prayer", for his 2017 Chinese web-drama Operation Love. He also helped compose the songs "Not to be Continued" by Chinese singer Karen Mok, which was released in May 2018 for her 25th anniversary album,[111] and MC Jin's single "Debut" in the same year. Zhang has also written songs for Yu Quan and Show Luo. In April 2018, Zhang won the Best Producer award at the Chinese Top Ten Music Awards, revealing in an interview that at one point he lost over 99 unreleased self-composed tracks.

Musical style

Many of Zhang's released songs contain elements of traditional Chinese music, such as the instruments hulusi, guzheng and gong. Zhang mentioned in an interviews that he considers his main genre to be M-pop, which stands for "Mix Mandarin popular music" and blends different languages. One example is his collaborative single with American EDM and hip-hop group Far East Movement titled "Lovebird", which contains both the English and Mandarin languages. "The Assembly Call", the opening track of his 2018 album Namanana, is an instrumental that showcases different traditional Chinese sounds and music.[112]

Zhang has frequently been associated with his Chinese zodiac sign, the sheep, which he has used throughout his solo career and most notably on his 2017 solo album Lay 02 Sheep and its lead single "Sheep". He has been nicknamed "little sheep" in China by fans and media.

Personal life

In his autobiography, Standing Firm at 24, Zhang revealed that he struggled with anxiety when performing on stage but was able to face his fears and overcome them through his dedication to training and working hard alongside the rest of the members of Exo.[113] He also revealed that while he had received some formal instruction in learning the guitar and piano, he was mostly self-taught.[114]

Zhang supports the One China policy and "is against any acts or words that split his country."[115] In August 2019, during the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, Zhang expressed support for the Hong Kong police[116] and declared himself "one of 1.4 billion guardians of the Chinese flag" on his official Weibo account.[117]

Other activities

Endorsements and partnerships

Zhang promoting a brand on April 1, 2017.

As of March 2023, Lay Zhang has been the spokesman/ambassador for over 50 brands. Current endorsements include: Hublot, Bang & Olufsen, Biotherm Homme, Epson, Wedgwood, Fila, Decorte, Calbee, etc. Past endorsements include: Chaumet, Valentino, Dell computer, Calvin Klein, Daniel Wellington, Ballantine's, Burger King, Oral-B, Pizza Hut, Converse, MAC Cosmetics, Ray-Ban, Milka Chocolate, H&M, Perrier, etc.[118]

He was Calvin Klein's first Chinese global spokesperson for their underwear and jean lines. Additionally, as an ambassador of high-end fashion house Valentino, Zhang attended multiple fashion shows and events in Asia and Europe, as well at the annual Met Gala.[119] He has also served as a promotional ambassador for Huawei Nova from 2015 to 2018.[120] In July 2016, Zhang was appointed by the Communist Youth League of China of Changsha as its publicity ambassador, the first celebrity to hold such title.[121] Since then, he has served as publicity ambassador for five consecutive years.[122][123] In October 2017, Zhang signed a contract with the vice president of Tencent Music Entertainment Group and became a member of "Music+ Plan" (Music+ 计划).[124] In June 6, 2024, Zhang was appointed as the culture and tourism ambassador of the Hunan province.[125][126]

Philanthropy

In February 2015, Zhang participated in the "Return Home with Love for A Thousand Miles", a large-scale public welfare activities and volunteer project. The project included on-site delivery of relief supplies to labor workers which helps them return home faster and to help labor workers in a timely manner to reinforce physical safety.[127] On May 2, Zhang established his own foundation entitled, "Zhang Yixing Arts Scholarship" on behalf of providing scholarship for his alma mater middle school, Hunan Masters College Middle School where he will donate 100 thousand yuan annually.[128][129][130] His intentions were encourage talented youth to pursue their dreams.[131] On September 7, Zhang responded to a campus soccer public welfare project, "Summit of Hope" ("希望之颠"). He uploaded a video on his Weibo account in an attempt to publicize the project.

On February 1, 2016, Zhang donated an undisclosed amount to a joint Weibo public welfare funding project (#一起9加1#) which aids impoverished families for the upcoming Lunar New Year.[132] In March 2016, during the second season of Go Fighting!, Zhang and the other cast members visited a community-run migrant worker dependent school located in Chuansha Xin Town of Shanghai as part of the "Go Fighting Welfare Development Project" ("极限公益成长计划"). The initiative donated more than 1.2 million yuan worth of materials for over 12 schools nationwide.[133] On May 1, Zhang participated in the Youku "Go Fighting Minute Challenge" public welfare project on Weibo where he sent greetings to as many friends and families as possible in one minute and urged the public to express positive energy and to donate to charity.[134] He donated another 1 million yuan and a piano to his alma mater.[135] Later that year, in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of his alma mater, Zhang once more donated another 1 million yuan to his scholarship foundation.[136] On July 2, Zhang was honorably appointed as the Publicity Ambassador of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC),[137] expressed that he will dedicate himself to his appointment and appealed to the public to do charity through singing the national anthem.[137] On September 9, Zhang attended the 2016 BAZAAR Stars' Charity Night which resulted in him donating 10 ambulances with worth amounting to 700 thousand yuan.[138] Due to his charitable contributions, Zhang was ranked number 15th by the China Philanthropist Magazine in the '2016 China's Top Philanthropist Celebrity List'.

On September 9, 2017, Zhang attended the 2017 BAZAAR Stars' Charity Night and donated 15 ambulances, valued at 1.05 million yuan.[139] In January 2018, he starred in a public welfare movie I'm Beside You, in which he sang and composed the theme song.[140] On March 30, 2018, he starred as a guest recitalist in CCTV's Trust in China talk show.[141] Zhang ranked number 18 by the China Philanthropist Magazine in the 2017 China's Top Philanthropist Celebrity List.[142] In January 2018, Zhang participated as a cameo in the campaign movie For Love With You; the theme song of the movie, "I'm By Your Side", was sung by Zhang.

Discography

Main article: Lay Zhang discography
See also: Exo discography

Albums

Filmography

Film

Year English Title Original Title Role Notes Ref.
2015 SMTOWN The Stage Himself Documentary of SM Town [143]
Ex-Files 2: The Backup Strikes Back 前任2：备胎反击战 Lee Xianghe Special appearance
Oh My God 从天儿降 Le Yi
2016 Royal Treasure 极限挑战 Himself
The Mystic Nine Side Story: Flowers Bloom in February 老九门番外之二月花开 Er Yuehong Web film
2017 Kung Fu Yoga 功夫瑜伽 Zhu Xiaoguang
The Founding of an Army 建军大业 Lu Deming Special appearance
Cars 3 Jackson Storm Chinese voice dub
2018 For Love With You 一切如你 Campaign movie; Cameo
The Island 一出好戏 Xiao Xing Main character
2023 Tale of the Night 长沙夜生活 He An 何岸 Special Appearance
Chinese Youth: Me and My Youth 中国青年：我和我的青春 Xu Mai 许麦 Special Appearance/web film
No More Bets 孤注一掷 Pan Sheng Main character [144]
2024 A Legend 传说 Wang Jing/Huajun Main character
TBA Unexpected Love 闭嘴！爱吧 Han Bin South Korean-Chinese film; Postponed release due to THAAD [145]
TBA See You at Dawn 黎明时分见 Main character

Television series

Year English Title Original Title Role Notes Ref.
1998 We The People 咱老百姓 Huan Huan Pre-debut
2012 To the Beautiful You Himself Cameo; episode 2 [146]
2015 Exo Next Door 우리 옆집에 엑소가 산다 Himself Special appearance
2016 To Be A Better Man 好先生 Xiao Cai (Cai Mingjun)
The Mystic Nine 老九门 Er Yuehong
2017 Operation Love 求婚大作战 Yan Xiaolai
2018 The Tomb of Sea 沙海 Jie Yuchen Special appearance
2019 The Golden Eyes 黄金瞳 Zhuang Rui
Empress of the Ming 大明风华 Zhu Qizhen
2021 Faith Makes Great 理想照耀中国 Xiong Dachen Special appearance
Challenges at Midlife 相逢时节 Ning Shu
Crime Crackdown 扫黑风暴 Lin Hao


Variety shows

Year English Title Original Title Role Notes Ref.
2014 Star Chef 星厨驾到 Contestant
2015–2020 Go Fighting! 极限挑战 Main cast Season 1–6
2018 Idol Producer 偶像练习生 Main mentor, presenter
Rave Now 即刻电音 Mentor [73]
2019 Youth With You 青春有你 Main mentor, presenter Idol Producer, Season 2 [147]
2020 I'm CZR II 我是唱作人2 Premiere Singer-songwriter
We Are Young 少年之名 Main mentor, presenter [148]
Street Dance Of China 这 就是街舞 Team captain Season 3 [149]
Let's Chat 一起火锅吧 Main cast Season 1
Dance Smash 舞蹈风暴 Smash leader, Dance witness Season 2 [150]
2021 Youth and Melody 金曲青春 Producer [151]
Back to Field 向往的生活 Main cast Season 5
Street Dance of China 这 就是街舞 Team captain Season 4 [152]
Let's Chat 一起火锅吧 Main cast Season 2
2022 Back to Field 向往的生活 Season 6
2024 Show It All 百分百出品 Mentor

Tours

See also: Exo § Tours
Grand Line: The First Concert
Date City Country Venue
July 6, 2019 Shanghai China Mercedes-Benz Arena
July 14, 2019 Chongqing Huaxi Culture and Sports Center
July 20, 2019 Nanjing Nanjing Olympic Sports Center
August 3, 2019 Beijing Cadillac Arena
August 25, 2019 Bangkok Thailand Impact Exhibition and Convention Center
December 14, 2019 Shenzhen China Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre
December 15, 2019
Grand Line 2: Infinite Lands
Date City Country Venue
October 15, 2022 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Arena of Stars
October 19, 2022 Singapore Resorts World Convention Center
October 22, 2022 Bangkok Thailand Royal Paragon Hall
November 20, 2022 San Francisco United States The Warfield
Augusts 5, 2023 Shenzhen China Shenzhen Universiade Center Gymnasium
Grand Line 3: Step
Date City Country Venue
August 12, 2023 Beijing China Cadillac Arena
August 13, 2023
October 6, 2023 Shanghai Mercedes-Benz Arena
October 7, 2023
October 28, 2023 Dalian Dalian Sports Center Gymnasium
November 4, 2023 Nanjing Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park Gymnasium
November 11, 2023 Guangzhou Baoneng Performing Arts Center
November 18, 2023 Chengdu Phoenix Mountain Sports Center Gymnasium

Awards and achievements

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Lay Zhang
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Exo

Forbes China Celebrity 100

Year Rank Ref.
2017 20th [153]
2019 11th [154]
2020 5th [6]
2021 6th [155]

Bibliography

Year Title Notes ISBN
October 1, 2015 Standing Firm at 24 Autobiography ISBN 978-7550260917

References

  1. ^ a b Mark Russell (April 29, 2014). K-Pop Now!: The Korean Music Revolution. Tuttle Publishing. p. 59. ISBN 978-1-4629-1411-1.
  2. ^ a b c "Exo-M, Dreamers who chase dreams". Entertainment: Shanghai TV Magazine. November 2013.
  3. ^ "Exo-M Official Website". SM Town. Archived from the original on February 24, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  4. ^ "Lay Zhang talks about going behind the boards for Producer, mentoring idol trainees at Choromosome Entertainment Group, and growing as an artist". Bandwagon. March 9, 2021. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  5. ^ "2017 Forbes China Celebrity List (Full List)". Forbes. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
  6. ^ a b "福布斯中国发布2020名人榜，00后少年易烊千玺荣登榜首". Forbes China (in Chinese). August 27, 2020. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  7. ^ "2016 CelebrityZ Top 100 Most Valuable Celebrities". Kantar China. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
  8. ^ "Lay Naver Profile". Naver Profiles (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  9. ^ "Here's CEG official post about Yixing's audition". November 21, 2020. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  10. ^ "Here's when Exo's Lay Stood in for SHINee's Jonghyun in the Past, Way Before His Debut". October 10, 2017. Archived from the original on January 23, 2019. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  11. ^ "SM新团 Exo 公开七位成员 Lay 单人舞蹈成为话题". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). January 17, 2012. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  12. ^ "Exo Debuts in Front of 3000 Fans – Mwave". Mwave. Archived from the original on April 1, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  13. ^ "Exo Blows Away China with Successful Debut Showcase – Mwave". Mwave. April 2, 2012. Archived from the original on April 1, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  14. ^ "Exo-K 과 Exo-M, 8일 한-중 동시 방송데뷔". Sports Chosun (in Chinese). April 3, 2012. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  15. ^ Park, A-reum (December 29, 2011). 꽁꽁 감춰뒀던 SM 소속 신예그룹 EXO 'SBS 가요대전' 통해 공개 [SM Entertainment's new group EXO, which had been kept under wraps, will be revealed through 'SBS Gayo Daejun']. Newsen. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  16. ^ "Exo's Album 'XOXO' Sells Over a Million Copies – Mwave". Mwave. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  17. ^ "Exo-K's 'Overdose' EP Enters Billboard 200". Billboard. May 15, 2014. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  18. ^ "Exo Keeps Their Astounding Momentum Going With 'Overdose'". Billboard. May 8, 2014. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  19. ^ "Exo 首場個唱將加場" (in Chinese). kpopn. May 8, 2014. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  20. ^ "张艺兴90度鞠躬1分半钟 放歌惹哭粉丝". Sina (in Chinese). October 23, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  21. ^ "Exo 张艺兴加盟星厨驾到 用美食传递爱". Sina (in Chinese). August 19, 2014. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  22. ^ "SM Entertainment to Open a China-Based Studio to Support Exo's Lay's China Activities". China Topix. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  23. ^ "张艺兴加盟《极限挑战》 献真人秀首秀". Sina (in Chinese). May 13, 2015. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  24. ^ "《极限挑战》第二季4月17日回归 张艺兴黄渤《极限挑战2》看点一览". People's Daily (in Chinese). March 6, 2016. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  25. ^ "《极限挑战》第三季7月9日开播 男人帮回归遇"劝退"危机". Youth.cn (in Chinese). July 9, 2017. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  26. ^ "《极限挑战》第四季今晚回归 重温1978高考". Xinmin News (in Chinese). April 9, 2018. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  27. ^ "Exo Lay 凭自传获颁「年度跨界作者」奖". Korea Daily Star. October 21, 2016. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  28. ^ "张艺兴凭而立24获得亚洲好书榜年度跨界作者". North Times (in Chinese). Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  29. ^ "《前任攻略2》曝卡司阵容 Exo 成员张艺兴触电大银幕". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). August 31, 2015. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  30. ^ "《前任2》三日票房劲收1亿 郑恺张艺兴"比肾"完整片段曝光". Mtime (in Chinese). November 9, 2015. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  31. ^ "张艺兴斩获中英电影节最佳男配角奖". Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  32. ^ "《前任2》曝主题曲MV 张艺兴作词谱曲深情演绎《一个人》". Mtime (in Chinese). November 11, 2015. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  33. ^ a b "音乐风云榜盛典落幕 张艺兴获两项个人大奖". People's Daily (in Chinese). Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  34. ^ "第四届音悦V榜年度盛典 Exo 三冠王张艺兴边伯贤个人奖". NorthTimes Entertainment News. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  35. ^ "Exo 张艺兴加盟郭敬明监制新片 《从天儿降》搭档陈学冬李小璐 章子怡任制片". Mtime (in Chinese). March 9, 2015. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  36. ^ "China V Chart | Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  37. ^ "《极限挑战》电影首映 六男星逼疯主持人 导演欲打造综艺电影新模式". Mtime News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on January 10, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  38. ^ "Exo Member Lay to Make Acting Debut in Chinese Drama". International Business Times. August 19, 2015. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  39. ^ "엑소 레이, SM STATION 16번째 주인공..첫 솔로곡". Osen (in Korean). May 25, 2016. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  40. ^ "张艺兴演技获赞 《老九门》番外篇继续演"二月红"". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). July 22, 2016. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  41. ^ "[Video] Exo′s Lay Surprises Fans with ′what U need?′ on Birthday". Mwave. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  42. ^ "张艺兴新曲《what U need》横扫海外榜单 创中国歌手最好成绩". People's Daily (in Chinese). October 9, 2016. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  43. ^ "엑소 레이, 'Lose Control' 로 국내 선주문량 20만장 이어 中 차트까지 접수". Break News (in Korean). November 2, 2016. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  44. ^ Han Hyuk-seung (October 9, 2016). "Exo 레이 '솔로로 멋지게'". My Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  45. ^ "张艺兴solo专辑获肯定 国际化原创音乐接轨世界". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). November 22, 2016. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  46. ^ "张艺兴百万专列地铁卡 新专发行两月创韩solo歌手一位". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). January 5, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  47. ^ "Lay – Chart history – Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 2, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  48. ^ "엑소 레이, 솔로로 韓음악방송 활동...'루즈컨트롤' 첫선". My Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  49. ^ "张艺兴：新年要以作品说话，不要以偶像的身份看我". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). January 27, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  50. ^ "SM Entertainment Confirms Exo Will Be Making Comeback Without Lay". Soompi. June 23, 2017. Archived from the original on March 29, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  51. ^ "张艺兴《建军大业》表现亮眼 演技被赞可塑性强". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). July 28, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  52. ^ "张艺兴为《求婚》原创主题曲 钢琴演奏画面首曝光". Sina (in Chinese). April 21, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  53. ^ "《赛车总动员3》公布中文配音 黄磊张艺兴上演"师徒反目"". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). July 26, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  54. ^ "Exo's Lay Surprises With New Song 'I Need U' Dedicated to His Grandparents". Billboard. September 25, 2015. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  55. ^ "张艺兴新专辑showcase落幕 献上精彩新歌舞台". Sina (in Chinese). October 13, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  56. ^ "Exo's Lay, f(x)'s Krystal star in Chinese film". The Korea Times. October 7, 2015. Archived from the original on October 9, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  57. ^ "张艺兴再书冬日音乐情书 《圣诞又至》MV上线". Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). December 22, 2017. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  58. ^ "张艺兴发布唱片《Winter Special Gift》，两分钟销售突破百万" (in Chinese). December 23, 2017. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  59. ^ "张艺兴再引全球狂欢 高产制作人成绩亮眼". Billboard China (in Chinese). December 25, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  60. ^ "张艺兴加盟《偶像练习生》 力推中国制造的全民男团". Guangming Daily (in Chinese). December 1, 2017. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018.
  61. ^ 宗, 志强; 范, 晓荣; 买买提, 艾合买提江 • (July 7, 2020). "藤本植物在园林绿化中的应用". 智能城市应用. 3 (3). doi:10.33142/sca.v3i3.2061. ISSN 2630-5305.
  62. ^ "黄渤、张艺兴、陈伟霆央视春晚尬舞 备受期待". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). February 13, 2018. Archived from the original on February 16, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  63. ^ "《强国一代有我在》：一支"刷屏MV"的诞生". People's Daily (in Chinese). May 7, 2018. Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  64. ^ "张艺兴客串《沙海》 小花"解雨臣"扮演者终解锁". Sina Corp (in Chinese). July 17, 2018. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  65. ^ "张艺兴《一出好戏》表现受赞 黄渤为"小鲜肉"指路". People's Daily (in Chinese). August 7, 2018. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  66. ^ "Exo's Lay Zhang to Make First U.S. Solo Appearance at Lollapalooza". Billboard. August 2, 2018. Archived from the original on August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  67. ^ "Alan Walker & Exo's Lay Set the Sky On Fire in 'Sheep Relift' Video: Exclusive". Billboard. August 30, 2018. Archived from the original on August 31, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  68. ^ "Lay Announces Stateside Album 'Namanana'". Billboard. September 20, 2018. Archived from the original on September 21, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  69. ^ "Exo Lay prerelease slated for Oct. 5". Kpop Herald. September 28, 2018. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  70. ^ "Lay Takes Fantastical Journey in 'NAMANANA' Music Video: Premiere". Billboard. October 19, 2018. Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  71. ^ "Lay Makes His Solo Debut on the Billboard 200 With New Album". Billboard. October 29, 2018. Archived from the original on October 30, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  72. ^ "Lay Discusses Gifting Fans With 'When It's Christmas' Single, 2019 Goals & More". Billboard. December 24, 2018. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  73. ^ a b "张艺兴大张伟尚雯婕加盟《即刻电音》 寻找最强制作人". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). November 3, 2018. Archived from the original on November 5, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  74. ^ "Exo's Lay Zhang Performs With Steve Aoki and A$AP Ferg In Shanghai: 'Let's Do This Again'". Billboard. January 23, 2019. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  75. ^ Liu, Leona (February 3, 2019). "Which celebrities will star in China's CCTV New Year's Gala 2019?". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  76. ^ "Lay Zhang Talks Wanting To Perform At Grammys: Watch". Billboard. February 10, 2019. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  77. ^ "Jason Derulo, NCT 127 & Exo's Lay Drop Michael Jackson Tribute Single 'Let's Shut Up & Dance': Watch". Billboard. February 22, 2019. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  78. ^ "張藝興進駐香港杜莎夫人蠟像館". Yahoo (in Chinese). January 8, 2019. Archived from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  79. ^ "《黄金瞳》将拍电视剧 张艺兴出演男一号". enorth entertainment china (in Chinese). Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  80. ^ "张艺兴新剧《黄金瞳》杀青 即将开启鉴宝冒险之旅". Sina (in Chinese). June 6, 2018. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  81. ^ "Exo's Lay Zhang And Far East Movement To Team Up For A Special Release This March". hellokpop. March 7, 2019. Archived from the original on March 29, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  82. ^ "《大明皇妃》再曝演员阵容 张艺兴乔振宇俞灏明来临". China Daily (in Chinese). December 29, 2017. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  83. ^ "Exo's Lay to star in Chinese drama with Tang Wei". Kpop Herald. December 29, 2017. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  84. ^ "Exo's Lay Drops His New Single And It's Slick As 'Honey': Watch". E! Online. June 16, 2019. Archived from the original on June 18, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  85. ^ "Exo's Lay Sets Records Even Before His EP Is Officially Released". E! News. June 12, 2019. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  86. ^ "Exo's Lay Sets Records Even Before His EP Is Officially Released". E! Online. June 12, 2019. Archived from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  87. ^ "原标题：张艺兴呼吁抵制"黄牛票"" [Zhang Yixing Calls for Boycott of "Yellow Cow" Pre-Sale Tickets]. Xinhua Net (in Chinese). June 6, 2019. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  88. ^ Bell, Crystal (December 16, 2019). "Lay Zhang on How Music Helped Him 'Find Peace' After Heartbreak". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  89. ^ Manson, Leonard (September 16, 2020). "Lay Zhang founded his own company". Somag News. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  90. ^ a b "엑소 레이, 中 스페셜 앨범 'Producer' 오늘(5일) 공개" [Exo Lay's Chinese special album Producer releases today, February 5]. Newsen (in Korean). Daum. February 5, 2021. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  91. ^ "EXO's Next Comeback Will Include Member Lay Zhang". Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  92. ^ "엑소 레이, 신곡 '삼매진화' 오늘(7일) 정오 공개" [Exo's Lay's new song 'Sammae Evolution' will be released today (7th) at noon]. TV Daily (in Korean). Daum. October 7, 2021. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  93. ^ "LAY reminisces the last decade with his single '酒 (JIU)', after". Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  94. ^ "EXO's LAY Departs SM Entertainment; Releases New Single Commemorating the Past Decade". Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  95. ^ "엑소 레이, SM 떠난다 "헤어질 때가 됐다…10년 동안 감사" [전문]" [EXO Lay Leaves SM “It’s Time to Break Up… Thank You for 10 Years”] (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  96. ^ "엑소 레이, SM 떠난다 "멤버들과는 항상 함께할 것" [공식]" [EXO Lay to leave SM, "I will always be with the members"] (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  97. ^ "張藝興追隨神秘女子腳步 重現千年前相思傳說". tw.news.yahoo.com (in Chinese). September 21, 2022. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  98. ^ "2022 amFAR Gala in Los Angeles". New York Daily News. November 4, 2022. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  99. ^ "Global Spin Live: Lay Combines East And West With A Magnetic Performance Of "Veil" At The Grammy Museum". Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  100. ^ "Lay Zhang to Headline Inaugural MetaMoon Festival". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  101. ^ Xin Hua (April 22, 2023). "InPics: Red carpet ceremony of the 13th Beijing Int'l Film Festival'". Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  102. ^ "엑소 출신 레이, 제작자 변신…'보플' 왕즈하오→레비, 솔로 데뷔 [쥬크박스]" [EXO's Lay Transforms into a Producer... 'Bopple' Wang Zhao → Levy Debuts Solo] (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  103. ^ "엑소 출신 레이, 제작자로서 첫 행보…레비 데뷔" [Former EXO member Lay's first step as a producer… Levy's debut] (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  104. ^ "'엑소 출신' 레이, 美엔터사와 계약 체결 "새로운 여행, 매우 기대"". Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  105. ^ "뉴스 : 네이버 TV연예". m.entertain.naver.com.
  106. ^ "'엑소 출신' 레이 "할리우드 진출 원해...中-美 연결하는 배우될 것"". Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  107. ^ Jang, Da-hee (April 5, 2024). 엑소 출신 레이, 4월 솔로 컴백...한국 음악 방송 무대 예고 [Former EXO member Lay makes solo comeback in April...Korean music broadcast stage preview] (in Korean). MBC Entertainment. Retrieved April 6, 2024 – via Naver.
  108. ^ "Exo Songs That Were Specially Written for Exo-Ls". K-Street Manila. April 5, 2017. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved June 4, 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  109. ^ "Lose Control Over Lay's New Solo Album". The Michigan Journal. November 1, 2016. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved June 4, 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  110. ^ "Premiere for the new album from Exo's Lay launched in Beijing". AsiaOne. October 16, 2017. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  111. ^ "张艺兴为莫文蔚写歌被夸又乖又帅，ins好甜！". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  112. ^ "Lay Zhang, What 'NAMANANA' Sounds and Looks Like". HYPEBAE. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  113. ^ 5 Facts About Exo's Lay Zhang, Your New Favorite K-Pop Star Archived November 13, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. Elite Daily. February 15, 2019.
  114. ^ Zhang, Yixing (October 1, 2015). 而立24 [Standing Firm at 24] (in Chinese) (1st ed.). Beijing United Publishing co., LTD. ISBN 978-7550260917.
  115. ^ "Lay Zhang Yixing, Chinese K-pop star, warns Calvin Klein to respect 'one China' policy". South China Morning Post. August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on November 23, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  116. ^ "Chinese K-pop star Lay Zhang Yixing's mother says family has been harassed over his support for Hong Kong police". South China Morning Post. August 28, 2019. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  117. ^ "Chinese pop stars publicly back Beijing on Hong Kong". Associated Press. August 19, 2019. Archived from the original on September 14, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  118. ^ "Converse ambassador Zhang Yixing apparently takes astrology very seriously". scoutmag.ph. November 8, 2017. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  119. ^ Okwodu, Janelle (June 20, 2018). "Exo's Lay Zhang at Valentino's Spring/Summer 2019 Menswear Show". www.vogue.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  120. ^ "HUAWEI nova 2代言人大揭秘 张艺兴高颜值爱自拍吸粉无数". PCPOP News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on June 3, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
  121. ^ "Exo member becomes Hunan youth league ambassador". People's Daily. July 15, 2016. Archived from the original on July 20, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  122. ^ "张艺兴连续第五年担任湖南共青团宣传工作大使". Sohu (in Chinese). December 25, 2020. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  123. ^ "张艺兴连续第五年担任湖南共青团宣传工作大使". Sina (in Chinese). December 25, 2020. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  124. ^ "张艺兴入驻，腾讯音乐娱乐集团Music＋计划再扩大". 小饭桌 (in Chinese). October 13, 2017. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  125. ^ "Zhang Yixing awarded 'Hunan Culture and Tourism Ambassador'". Hunan Provincial Department of Culture & Tourism. June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  126. ^ "LAY ZHANG 새 신분으로 '하드코어 미션'… 호남문화관광에 '음악초청장' 발송". Korea Scoop. June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  127. ^ "张艺兴化身志愿者做公益 变"史上最帅义工"". CN Ent. News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  128. ^ "张艺兴奖学金每年出资十万元帮助校友追梦". Northtimes Entertainment News (in Chinese). Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
  129. ^ "Kpop News: Exo's Lay generously donates to his Alma Mater". newseveryday.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2016. Retrieved May 15, 2016.
  130. ^ "张艺兴为母校捐款 网友纷纷点赞支持". China Daily. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  131. ^ "张艺兴奖学金每年出资十万元帮助校友追梦". North Times (in Chinese). May 3, 2015. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  132. ^ "#一起9加1#刷屏互联网 助推"善动力"精准扶贫". Sina (in Chinese). Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  133. ^ "张艺兴加入"极限公益成长计划" 进校园做公益". People's Daily (in Chinese). March 17, 2016. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  134. ^ "张艺兴挑战"极限益分钟" 超35万网友回应". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  135. ^ "张艺兴为母校捐款 出手大方实属罕见". guancha.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  136. ^ "Exo's Lay Creates Scholarship Fund for Students at Hunan Masters College Middle School". Koogle. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  137. ^ a b "Appointment as Hunan youth league ambassador". People's Daily Online. Archived from the original on July 16, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  138. ^ "张艺兴捐赠救护车派往贫困县 传递爱心正能量". China Daily. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  139. ^ "张艺兴捐救护车 盘点中国10大慈善明星". Phoenix New Media (in Chinese). Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  140. ^ "张艺兴献唱公益电影《我在你身边》主题曲《一切如你》". Global Times (in Chinese). January 6, 2018. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  141. ^ "《信中国》张艺兴念诀别信 王丽坤真情流露". China News Service (in Chinese). March 30, 2018. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  142. ^ "2017中国慈善名人榜 TFBOYS登顶成最年轻上榜明星". Sina Corp (in Chinese). January 31, 2018. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  143. ^ Lee, Edmund (November 24, 2015). "Film review: SMTown: The Stage". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on November 25, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  144. ^ "'No More Bets' breaks the box office". Chinadaily. August 8, 2023. Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  145. ^ "China wins its war against THAAD without firing a shot". November 18, 2017. Archived from the original on October 30, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  146. ^ Kim, Mi-gyeom (July 10, 2012). 설리 남장 어떨까? '아그대' SM 아이돌 총출동 직찍공개 - 손에 잡히는 뉴스 눈에 보이는 뉴스 - 뉴스엔. Newsen. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  147. ^ ""偶练"后，张艺兴再任《青春有你》制作人". January 8, 2019. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019. season 2
  148. ^ "《少年之名2020》導師有「SM出身男星+韓團女神」 陣容曝光！". May 7, 2020. Archived from the original on June 28, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  149. ^ "《这！就是街舞3》定档7月18日，四位队长合体_battle". www.sohu.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  150. ^ "张艺兴将狂派舞带到《舞蹈风暴2》 10月10日晚正式首播". October 12, 2020. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  151. ^ "东方卫视《金曲青春》明日首播 六大家族上演"华山论剑"". Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  152. ^ "王一博张艺兴领衔《这！就是街舞4》-新华网". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  153. ^ "2017 Forbes China Celebrity List (Full List)". Forbes. September 22, 2017. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  154. ^ "福布斯中国发布100名人榜 吴京黄渤胡歌位列前三" (in Chinese). Sina Corp. August 20, 2019. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  155. ^ "福布斯中国发布2021名人榜". Sina (in Chinese). August 20, 2021. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lay Zhang.