Check Out Shanghai Phantom’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanghai Phantom.

Hi Shanghai, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
I started my music career in Shanghai, China, as an Underground Techno DJ and beatboxer at the age of 17. Contrary to what many might expect, Shanghai is one of the most diverse cities in Asia. Back in 2014, I had my first DJ gig at Dada, one of the hottest underground techno clubs, where people from different backgrounds and continents partied together. It was then I realized my music career was destined for a global impact. 

Fast forward to 2020, I graduated from the University of Rochester with a bachelor’s degree in music. During my college years, I performed over 50 shows domestically and internationally, achieved one diamond-verified single, and had four gold-verified singles by the age of 23. I also learned classical piano, which enhanced my instrument skills. However, when COVID-19 hit hard, I realized that these honors were fleeting because life is extremely fragile and short. This realization pushed me to dive deeper into my sound and aim for timeless music. 

In 2022, I decided to leave the East Coast behind and move to LA. I took a job as a mixing engineer in a recording studio in West Hollywood while developing my own sound in my downtime. In 2023, I made my debut at NeueHouse Bradbury in Los Angeles. From there, I jump-started my music career, released long-awaited singles, and opened for & collaborated with big artists like Ted Park, CHASETHEMONEY, and Justin Park. Today, I continue to work as an audio engineer and producer while grinding as an artist. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has never been a smooth road; on the contrary, it has been filled with struggles. Financially, it has always been a challenge because music itself doesn’t generate much money compared to other jobs. A musical artist can never purely rely on streaming revenues like royalties from Spotify and YouTube. Career-wise, I need 100% creative freedom in my music and lyrics, so I decided to stay independent despite multiple offers from different labels. Being an independent artist means I need to work with managers, assistants, marketing specialists, booking agents, photographers, videographers, stylists, and more. While I handle production and audio engineering myself, for important records featuring bigger artists, I need to collaborate with better producers and mixing engineers to reach the full potential of my songs. At this point, it’s about much more than just making music; even with help, you still need to put in tons of effort and time beyond just songwriting. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an independent music artist, and my sound is a blend of Trap Soul and Dark R&B. My biggest achievement so far is having a diamond-verified single named “Du Yueh-Sheng,” which has reached over 40 million streams worldwide. 

What truly sets me apart from others is being both bilingual and bicultural. This duality enhances my artistry, fashion style, and lifestyle in general. It allows me to connect with a diverse audience and bring a unique perspective to my music. 

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
My childhood before middle school was pretty fun. Eastern Asia is known for its “inhuman studying culture,” but I was fortunate to attend an open-minded bilingual elementary school. I gained my positivity from this period because my friends and teachers were supportive of individualism and being different. This foundation is why, despite the struggles of being an independent artist, I remain positive and truly believe in dreams. 

Middle school, however, was a different story and was unfortunately filled with darkness. I was one of the most rebellious kids in my circle. While everyone else was listening to mainstream Chinese pop, I was bumping to Future and Rihanna. Future is still one of my favorite male artists to this day. I also started getting into fashion; I didn’t like the school uniform, so I always pulled up to school with interesting accessories. This is where I developed my dark energy and my unique artist image. My music nowadays leans towards the dark, “Phantom” aesthetics. 

I spent half a year in Atlanta, Georgia, during my childhood because my dad had a job there. Although I was very young and it didn’t directly influence my music, living in the town where trap music originated certainly helped shape the trap soul sound I have now. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanghai.phantom/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shanghai.phantom
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2FLFYSZ4uqtFo5fIqypUDZ?si=gi8JcNkQSJCw85TJyKbaZw

Image Credits
Steven Kaliel
Aaron Exodus
Kim Jin
Xingchen Qiu 9