Meet Jane(Xinjian) Huang of San Jose

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jane(Xinjian) Huang.

Hi Jane(Xinjian), we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My music journey started with the subtle perception between audio and visual, from animation, film, or even music videos of pop stars. It was natural for me to choose a music major related to scoring for visual media. The music practice I had during college has provided me with opportunities in commercial music production and exposed me to different aspects of the music field, such as the application of music technology in the performance area, which has led me to my current position.

After graduating, I began working as a music director, assisting small local performance businesses in the Bay Area and overseeing nearly all music-related aspects of their stage performances. I collaborated with the dancers from Ju Lu Performing Arts, helping the award-winning studio produce music for their dance pieces, which contributed to their success in several high-profile national competitions across various divisions, such as the 1st Place& 2nd Place from Rainbow National Dance Competition, the 1st Place from Revolution National Talent Competition, the 1st Place& 4th Place from KAR Dance Competition. Beyond dance, my work also extends to music concert production. For example, I assisted with the 2024 Chinese New Year Gala hosted by Practice Queens (Hidden Music Foundation), where I was responsible for concert organization, live sound design, and multitrack recording. Featuring both classical instruments and traditional Chinese instruments, the show, with sponsorships from brands like New Oriental and Lingo Ace, was held at Spangenberg Theater, which has a capacity of over 900 people.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My work requires me to collaborate with different theaters, for which I need to quickly familiarize myself with the theater’s equipment, communicate with the staff engineers, and then develop the entire performance schedule and plan. Strong communication skills and a solid understanding of live music and sound are crucial for this role.

Like many other jobs, things do not always go smoothly. Often, the equipment provided by the theater is outdated and doesn’t meet our performance needs, so I have to come up with creative sound routing designs to make the most of the available resources within the budget. In addition, unexpected situations during performances can also be very challenging. For example, there was a time when I worked with a local concert hall. During the performance, the computer in the control room, which was supposed to record the performance live, kept displaying pop-up warnings about storage running low. It turned out that we had to quickly find a mobile hard drive to save the data while clearing up more space for the recording. Due to the fact that third parties rarely have access to the venue’s equipment prior to the performance, effective contingency response and backup plans are essential for ensuring a smooth and successful performance.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In addition to working on live performance, I am also a music producer. I have won awards in the MUSICACOUSTICA-Beijing Composition Competition. I also composed the music for the short film “Nida’s Gift,” which was awarded at the 8th CSFF (China International New Media Short Film Festival). I just released my debut single “Not Worried” recently, under my stage name Armed Byrd. The song explores the emotional exhaustion and inner conflict of modern life, especially the pressure to stay productive and creative, while also dealing with the commodification of the self in corporate culture. The concept of the project, encompassing both the music and visuals, was inspired by the “dog fire” meme. You can definitely tell the influence when you see the promo photos, which were also designed and produced by me.

I believe that art is a form of expression, and music is no exception. Regardless of whether it’s a commercial show business or a personal creation, I always begin by asking myself: What is the message behind this project, and how can I use all available means to enhance its expression? I’m more concerned with the message an artwork conveys than the complexity of the techniques employed to create it, which is probably what sets me apart from the others.

What were you like growing up?
I wasn’t very different from other kids growing up. If there was any difference, it was that I spent a lot of time watching animation and actively participated in fan art creation. I started making covers of music from my favorite anime, which brought me to the world of music production. Heavily influenced by ACG culture, the aesthetic I obtained from observing the interaction between audio and visual has greatly helped me with my personal music work, enhancing the expression by conceptualizing and designing my own visuals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.armedbyrd.com
• Instagram: @armed_byrd
• soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-385710513/sets/select-music/s-3HX0TTokc9C?si=b82bde9cb17e45788c9565a5a940b082&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
• Other: www.huangxinjian.me