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2019: Jackson Wang at a Turning Point in His Career
In 2019, Jackson Wang was 25 years old. A member of GOT7 since 2014, he was also building an increasingly ambitious solo career through TEAM WANG.
Between group activities in South Korea, international tours, and his own projects in China, his schedule was exceptionally demanding.
In an interview with Teen Vogue in October 2019, Jackson explained that he was essentially trying to fit two years of work into one. Whenever GOT7 had a break, his solo activities would take over, and vice versa.
But behind that relentless pace, a clearer artistic vision was beginning to emerge.
Following several solo singles, including Papillon, Okay, Dawn of Us, and Fendiman, Jackson wanted to take the next step: bringing together the different influences that shaped his music.
He no longer wanted to be confined to a single genre. Hip-hop, R&B, ballads, and pop were all part of his musical identity.
In an interview published by i-D on the album's release day, he explained that, at that point in his life, he had found a musical identity in the fusion of those styles.
This was the context in which MIRRORS was born.
Eight Songs, Eight Mirrors
Why the title MIRRORS?
In an interview with the Chinese newspaper Beijing News, Jackson explained that the album represented eight different emotional responses to life's experiences.
Pain, confidence, determination, love, and personal growth: each song became a reflection of a different emotional state.
The concept extended to the album artwork itself.
Jackson revealed that he had designed the cover himself. The eight mirrors represented different reactions to pain, while the central element represented Jackson personally.
He also wanted to leave room for listeners to find their own interpretations.
Although some lyrics might initially sound like love stories, the songs also explore broader themes: personal struggles, ambitions, doubts, and relationships with others.
MIRRORS was therefore more than a collection of eight tracks. It was Jackson's way of presenting different sides of himself without trying to fit them into a single definition.
Behind the Making of MIRRORS
Creating the album was far from straightforward.
Jackson worked across several countries and remained closely involved in the different stages of production, all while continuing his activities with GOT7.
In his interview with Beijing News, he discussed the difficulties he encountered during the mixing process. Remote communication with sound engineers, combined with his demanding standards for the final result, made the experience particularly exhausting.
The album also featured several collaborations, including GoldLink on BAD BACK and Rich Brian on TITANIC.
These collaborations came at a time when Jackson was gradually expanding his international artistic network.
Beyond the music, the project also established a distinctive visual identity, with music videos that extended the emotions explored in the songs.
Eight Tracks, Eight Sides of Jackson
1. BULLET TO THE HEART: Pain
Released on September 24, 2019, this track opens the album on a particularly vulnerable note.
While the lyrics may suggest a painful romantic relationship, Jackson explained to Apple Music that they could also represent the obstacles we encounter in life, the situations that hurt us but that we continue to face.
The deliberately minimalist music video reinforces that sense of emotional confinement.
2. ON THE ROCKS: Emotions Laid Bare
Blending R&B and hip-hop influences, ON THE ROCKS explores feelings that eventually rise to the surface.
One anecdote Jackson shared during the album's presentation involved the sound of liquid being poured, which had to be recorded several times in the studio to achieve the desired effect.
He also explained to Apple Music that this song was among those dedicated to the people who had supported him since the beginning of his journey.
3. DWAY!: Doing Things His Own Way
Released a few days before the album, on October 22, 2019, DWAY! represents a more assertive side of Jackson.
Its title plays on both the Chinese word 对 (duì, meaning "right" or "correct") and the English expression Do It My Way.
The message is about standing by your decisions, moving forward with confidence, and carving out your own path.
The music video, filmed in a continuous-shot style, features multiple changes of scenery to represent different professional situations.
4. UNLESS I'M WITH YOU: Gratitude
Behind its gentle, romantic atmosphere lies a deeply personal message.
Jackson explained that the song was his way of thanking fans who had believed in his musical abilities, even when he was primarily known to the wider public for his entertaining personality on variety shows.
It is one of the album's most heartfelt moments.
5. BAD BACK (feat. GoldLink): Rebuilding Yourself
This collaboration with American rapper GoldLink brings another dimension to the project.
During the album's presentation in Beijing, the track was associated with the idea of personal recovery and healing after difficult experiences.
Musically, it also illustrates Jackson's interest in hip-hop and his openness to international collaborations.
6. TITANIC (feat. Rich Brian): Crossing Borders
Alongside Indonesian rapper Rich Brian, Jackson delivers one of the most energetic tracks on MIRRORS.
Its music video was released on October 25, 2019, alongside the album.
The collaboration brought together two Asian artists building their careers on the international music scene.
One particularly interesting behind-the-scenes detail: according to Jackson, some of the splash effects seen in the video were created by filming sparkling water in a pan and then enlarging the footage.
7. FADED: Youth and Experience
Initially considered for an independent release, FADED eventually found its place on MIRRORS.
The song explores another emotional landscape, particularly connected to youth and personal experiences.
Its inclusion contributes to the album's diversity, reinforcing the idea that MIRRORS was never intended to maintain a single mood from beginning to end.
8. 爱 (I LOVE YOU 3000 – Chinese Version): Ending with Love
The album closes with a Chinese-language reinterpretation of I Love You 3000, the song popularized by Stephanie Poetri.
This final track brings a brighter conclusion to the project.
In his interview with Beijing News, Jackson explained that among all the emotions people experience throughout their lives, love remains essential to him.
After pain, doubt, confidence, and hardship, MIRRORS ends on a note of affection and hope.
A Debut Album That Found Its Audience
Upon its release, MIRRORS marked an important milestone in Jackson's solo career.
On November 4, 2019, Billboard reported that the album had debuted at No. 32 on the Billboard 200, the weekly chart ranking the most popular albums in the United States.
It was his first appearance on the chart as a solo artist.
This achievement represented significant recognition for an artist developing his career across several music markets.
It also reflected the growing international reach of his solo work.
Beyond the numbers, however, MIRRORS represented the culmination of an important first stage in Jackson's artistic development.
From MIRRORS to MAGIC MAN: An Evolving Identity
Looking back, MIRRORS holds a special place in Jackson Wang's discography.
In 2019, he was trying to bring together the different influences that defined him.
Three years later, in September 2022, MAGIC MAN opened a new chapter, introducing a more theatrical musical and visual direction, with stronger rock influences and a cinematic atmosphere.
Then, in 2025, MAGICMAN 2 continued that evolution with a more introspective exploration of his personal journey.
Yet a common thread runs through them: the desire to express himself without being limited by other people's perceptions of who he should be.
In an interview with Rolling Stone Philippines, Jackson would later discuss one of the major challenges of his artistic evolution: finding his own sound while learning how to bring together every creative element of an album.
Seen in this light, MIRRORS now appears as an essential first step in that search.
Seven Years Later, What Remains of MIRRORS?
Seven years after its release, MIRRORS offers an opportunity to rediscover Jackson Wang at a pivotal moment in his career.
An artist who was already ambitious, yet still exploring his musical identity. A young man determined to have his work recognized while gradually learning to embrace his vulnerabilities.
Several tracks already hint at themes that would return in his later projects: personal contradictions, the weight of expectations, the freedom to choose one's own path, and the importance of staying true to oneself.
MIRRORS may not yet have had the spectacular visual universe of the albums that followed.
But it already contained many of the questions Jackson would continue to explore through his music.
In 2019, Jackson Wang held up eight mirrors. Seven years later, they also allow us to see just how far he has come.
Sources
Beijing News / 新京报 | October 24, 2019