I have a new song out called "Nights Like These" You can listen to it here on your favorite music service. ingroov.es/nights-like-these Please be sure to add it to your playlists. Thank you for your support. It means everything!
I really like how u write things it's too personal.. Yet something so great.. I loved you when u sing it's like ur telling me ur story in a way .. It's an amazing thing that u are transparent in a way which not all artist have.like they can just write a song for someone or fame..but what i see in u is that u write it not for anyone else but for ur self.and i salute u for that.like 1.i can only write my name (during childhood and teenage years) 2.anti social. Gentlemen, by now never been in love. Broke( adulthood days )..but ny fav. So far is the i can only write my name.. By now and never been in love.. Like its realky crazy that people are pressuring u to have a romantic relationship to anyone. But u just dont care having a boyfriend right now.. Cause ur busy.. And u want someone to just come into ur life like a surprise rather than trying so hard to have someone..
hello! first of all, I've spent this morning reading the comments and all of you sharing your stories has profoundly impacted me. I was hesitant to put this out only because of how incredibly personal it was and I wasn't really thinking that so many other people experienced the same racial dysphoria as I did growing up. the fact that you have embraced this song with such understanding and have been able to apply it to your own lives and struggles truly means the world to me. I'm beyond excited to continue sharing more stories with you. In the meantime, please continue to share your story with me and what this song means to you. let this song be a conversation starter with your loved ones, your friends, and most importantly yourself. I love you and thank you for listening :)
Thank you for this song. It's amazing. I really believe it's going to reach and make an impact on so many people, and that's what art is meant for. This song really resonates with me and I haven't even personally experienced these struggles. But I know my family members have and I know that thousands of people have and are still experiencing this. I feel this will really help them so..yeah...thank you.
This video just popped up on my explore page and I just realized you were this guy I watched on TV when I was in 5th grade in China...this song is so powerful and relatable, kind of reminds me of how much I changed since moving here.
I'd like to think of Superman as Asian or immigrants from a very different culture than the host country. He's Asian to me because of his black hair, dark eyes(depending on continuity) has to assimilate into the host countries culture but comes from a rich one that he can reclaim as he wishes, and does. Feeling split between two identities, clark kent(the safe one that bends to the currents of society) and Superman/ Kal-El his true self.
@@WillJay that line hit me pretty hard too. I mean I'm starting to get into cosplay and have no idea how to use makeup to even get close to the sort of styles. I love waiting to see what music you'll release next xD
@@danlaughingsoul3153 He never said that it was Will he just was admiring it and saying not a lot of people can do that. Not trying to be rude, just saying, srry.
@@seraphymignaci0_315 omo hi stay! Just remember there are so many people that want to look just like you. Some even do plastic surgery for those Asian eyes!
I am american and i feel the same, bodily i am a girl but i feel genderfluid leanin towards male and nb I never felt like i was fittin in with girls, i lovvved superman and heroes. All the heroes i looked up to were male. There WERE female ones. But i didnt feel like i fit in with them. But with how buff the guys are and the diff hair (im hispanic/black, i didnt mind the color but the hair feature always got me as a kid) I did find anime, the japanese and chinese cartoon characters touched my heart dammit. It feels weird. But i felt more represented and resonated more with those animes then most american shows (born in Nov '96
Yeah, literally the only female Chinese roll-model was Disney's Mulan. Kinda pathetic. But I miss my heritage. I'm first generation Chinese (not from China) and really only had my dad around with any sort of non-Amerian influence as my grandpa passed away before I was born and my grandma when I was 4. There was my aunt but I didn't see her that much as a kid. So I learned little Chinese (because it couldn't be spoken in the house because of my sister's speech impediment), only scratched the surface of celebrations with the Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, and absolutely can't read to save my life. But I love the food and I'm not ashamed to bring bao for breakfast. Stand proud of your heritage. It's a bland world if everything's white.
Damn heard you a couple years back on Voice China and loved your audition. This is the first song I've heard from you since then and I'm glad I stumbled upon this. Loved it.
Same my grandpa died in 2017 on Christmas night and it really sucks cause I never knew him and he died in China so I wasn’t even in his life for most of the time :(
"Kids would laugh at my mom's accent and *the food that she made*" As an Asian myself, I used to be embarrassed to bring my own culture's food to school because I was afraid people would make fun of it and me. I was always a quiet kid who did not speak unless needed to and my presence wasn't strong enough to make anyone notice me. But later on when I stepped into high school, I learned to just be myself and not care what others think. I brought in dumplings, noodles, rice, Asian bakery bread as my lunch to school in a setting predominantly black and white. When I joined my school's tennis team, the girls would make fun of my dumplings by saying "Hey, what are you eating?" and giggle away. But this didn't faze me and I would proudly shout out "Dumplings!". I hold my Asian pride high and there is nothing wrong with spreading it around. It may be tough to break out of a shell and it will be hard to stay on your ground, but it is never disappointing to express who you truly are inside and out 💕
black rose Lol, i used a thermos for the dumplings to keep them warm and sometimes when i didnt, my school had a microwave in the cafeteria so i used that to warm them up 😄
My friends (my Asian friends in Germany) are always bringing food from their home and everyone literally EVERYONE loves the food the other kids always eat with them... (me too) lol xD
My school is really diverse. Literally Asians, Hispanics, White, Black people, everywhere. It’s awesome but that doesn’t mean everyone is gonna be nice to eachother. I’m black but tbh if I see a kiddo eating Asian food that I recognize I’m like “I want to eat it but they’re gonna say no.” 😂 Hold your Asian pride high and don’t be ashamed of it!
As if I already don't adore you and your music Will, this song actually brought tears to my eyes. Even though I haven't lost my Vietnamese heritage completely, I know that I've lost a good portion of it and it's been bugging me a lot lately, since I'm a bit more aware of it. Thank you _so so so_ much for this song, it's absolutely beautiful and I'm sure it means a lot to every other Asian-American and probably many other ethnic Americans as well. Thank you.
"And always answered back in English when my family spoke to me." its taken me a long time to stop being ashamed to speak to my mom in her language in public, but now I do and im glad you called out the racial dysphoria so many kids face
"Thought I'd be cool if I could laugh too EVEN AT MY OWN EXPENSE" this line hit me so hard . I'm black and I live in KSA and I have the same problems. I think all people who live in foreign countries will experience the same problems
I live here, and I'm arab, IT'S TOXIC. they compare people, AS IF YOUR BODY IS YOUR WORTH. If you're darker you're not as pretty. ( WHICH IS NOT TRUE AND I STAND AGAINST IT.) I know i'ts hard, people here spread rumors and ruin peoples self esteem. I'm so sorry you have to go through that, I feel like you do. Even though it's my native land I feel like an outcast too, because here, if you're not skinny enough, or not white enough, you're less than (AGAIN NOT TRUE.) People are close- minded and I hate it. Im so sorry, you desreve love and respect. ❤❤
I have been waiting for a new song ever since i heard "never been in love" 3-4 months ago and i'm stoked. Edit: thanks for the likes and thank you so much for saying that Will Jay!!!! of course i'm gonna stick around you(Will Jay) is truly an amazing artist
I can relate to this song on a scary level. The people in my friend group are all foreign like me but they all speak their native language. I can't say a single thing in Vietnamese and I feel really detached from my culture compared to them. It makes me sad.
Cheering you on! You've got what it takes to rediscover your ethnic heritage and language. 💕 It might not be easy at first, but after a while, you'll become great at it! Don't be scared or ashamed; take a dive for it! :D
I'm moroccan but I grew up in Europe and honestly this was really relatable in a lot of ways. I feel ashamed to tell people that i speak 3 western languages but it seems worthless if I can't even answer my grandparents in Arabic.
@@nisrinetazi9800 I'm black and muslim, I understand. I feel ashamed when I can't speak to my fellow muslim peoples. And being black I feel uncomfortable claiming I'm "African" I have no african family we're born in US. But I like to think I'm african anyway, cause otherwise I don't really have a culture that's not american drenched
I was born and raised in America and have always known my moms family because they’re closer but my dad is from Turkey. Being half I don’t look extremely middle eastern and since I’m not Muslim, speak Turkish, or know the culture, I’ve always felt that I couldn’t claim to be anything more than just white. The thing that hurts the most is that my grandfather passed away without me ever getting to know him but my Babaanne (grandmother) is still alive but I can’t speak to her. I want to know things like recipes or growing up in turkey and family recipes and I’m afraid when she dies all that will die with her and I’ll never know her.
@@rebeccaa3869 First of all, It's already a huge step to admit this. Second of all, i don't know if you've done this yet but talk to your dad I'm sure he will really appreciate you wanting to get in touch with your heritage. Lastly, you control what you know an what you're children will know about your dad's side of the family. If you want to get in touch and create the bonds that brings you together do everything you can to do that. It may be hard but you will never regret it.
Fun fact: the Chinese lyrics he writes in this video are a little different from the English ones being sung. Not too different, but I thought I’d share some translations. 00:30 Original: Spent my life wishing’ my eyes were shaped a little differently. Chinese: 我一生都在梦想我的眼睛能长得和他们一样. Translation: I spent my life wishing that my eyes were the same as others'. 00:37 Original: And always answered back in English when my family spoke to me. Chinese: 都在竭力和我的家人只说英语 Translation: And always did my best to speak only English with my family. 01:22 Original: Want to sit down with my grandpa I know nothing about Chinese: 我好想坐下来和爷爷聊天但我却不知如何开始 Translation: I want to sit down and talk with my grandpa but I don't know how to start. (Incidentally, the use of “爷爷” or yeye indicates that this is his paternal grandfather he’s talking about. I think this might be a mistake, though.I'm pretty sure his mother, not his father, is Chinese!) 01:34 Original: So forgive me, all the years I was embarrassed / it must’ve hurt to see I couldn’t care less Chinese: 原谅我吧 / 这么多年我内心的纠结 / 我无所谓的样子一定伤了你的心 Translation: So forgive me, all the years I was at a loss (or emotionally confused) / It must’ve broken your heart to see I couldn’t care less From 02:04 onwards, the Chinese words and the original lyrics are mostly the same. The key differences would be that the Chinese words (at 02:04) say “I can only write my *Chinese* name“ (我只会写我的*中文*名字). Also, while he generically sings “I lost it all when I was young”, the Chinese words specify that it was the Chinese language that he was “losing” or giving up. For those curious, the singer’s name is 刘伟男, or Liu Wei Nan (if pronounced in Mandarin, that is). Liu is his surname, Wei means “great”, and Nan simply means “man”. (I've posted this comment before but it got deleted).
I get what you mean man. I'm Latina and I use to speak fluent Spanish but as I got older it slowly went away and I kept forgetting because I mainly spoke English in school and with my friends. I can't speak it too good now, and I wish I could so I can speak to my parents and relatives. Lately I've studied on my own to relearn it and it's going great. Bless you for creating this ❤️
Jazzy Rosier same I’ve grown speaking English forever. My mom never taught me Spanish but I’m trying to learn it. It’s part of my culture and I should be able to accept that part of me but at the same time I’m conflicted bc I want to be two different things and for some reason I just can’t decide to be both, it’s like I’m telling myself to choose, and that’s when the “All American” part comes in
same thing!! my mom grew up in argentina and brought that culture with her to america, but my dad's german so i had a kinda mixed european/south american life and because it was in america i didn't really try to keep my mom's side of the family with me, and i'm trying to relearn spanish and learn more about latina culture :')
same here 😭 i wish i kept talking to my family in spanish. now when they ask me to speak in it, i choke up and can't find any words... good luck on your journey to reclaim spanish! i hope i'll be able to do that too one day
Amazing song It reminds me of my own struggles with being biracial in a way I pushed away half my culture bc I was teased for looking too much like the other I regret it now since honestly I just proved them right like that
I felt this. My mom is biracial (Nicaraguan and white) and my dad is Indian (and even then my dad is mixed too). I look more Indian than I do Hispanic. I know nothing Indian culture and everything about my Nicaraguan background, so I identify as Hispanic. I spent my childhood being told I was not "hispanic enough, Indian enough or black enough." It got to the point where I stopped trying to please those people and I make friends with those I have things in common with. I'm much happier being around these people than those who put me down because I didn't look like them. In the end, I know nothing about my Indian background, but I'm glad I was able to hold onto my Hispanic background in my process of self-identity. People don't realize how badly it hurts a child to be seen as an other.
I feel this is messy. You should be able to embrace both your cultures without problem. Personally I'd only see an issue if you claimed you suffered oppression from a part where you don't even look. For instance black/white person looks white but claims they been oppressed for being black. If its true fine but if you look white? Only bring this up to show my personal stance. I'm black/latina but look black, raised around many types of people including Puerto Ricans but I don't claim latina for many reasons based off that. I enjoy both cultures but my look plays a huge part in how I'm treated in society. I'm hated for being black not latina. And so when a college or scholarships for a latina girl pops up I don't jump up quick. There's a reason they're getting offered it, and look is important.
I was born in panama but raised in America, it sucks I wasn’t able to embrace my culture, I wish I could have a conversation with my family back in panama but my Spanish is limited compared to theirs 😭
god I'm so glad theres a song for people like this. Cause omg its true. I'm not Asian but I am hispanic and god i keep running from my own culture to be that perfect American so to say. I can't speak it and I can only nod and shake my head when they speak. My family always tells me how sad it is that i dont embrace that major part of me and im already so old now and still know nothing. Like wow this song I can relate to. I'm pretty ashamed in my self as well for not know enough.
I am Chinese Brazilian. This song just made me so emotional. Growing up I wished to be just like my classmates: tall nose, blond hair and beautiful eyes. For such a long time it was my wish. I regret so much not learning how to write in Chinese when I was younger, I wanted to be cool just like other kids. Now it's been hard for me to learn everything again. Now the food my mom cooks for me makes me proud, I feel like trash remembering how I used to throw it away or starve during lunchtime to not get bullied.
Oh shoot, I just didn't watch till the end... But this is so relatable. Now, I'm working on learning more of my native language & speaking it more confidently.
Man the look on my Papou’s(grandfathers) face when he speaks to me in Greek, like every time he still hopes against hope that I’ll understand... it really breaks my heart a little every time
this is fucking incredible. i’m so impressed with your honesty and ability to capture it in such a beautiful way. this is such an important message. you are the hero to look up to will! you can be that person for so many. keep up the phenomenal work.
Wow, I relate to this so much as a Vietnamese-American. To this day I continue to feel so ashamed of not knowing what it means to be Vietnamese. Thank-you for your raw honesty, beautiful voice, and pure heart. You are a gift, Will! 加油！:)
This song literally made me cry. This is such a real struggle and it always breaks my heart to hear the stories of beautiful asian children who are teased into hating their heritage. This song is a gift to the world. Thank you Will for touching my heart and so many others.
I'm in actual tears. When the camera panned out and showed that Will's mom was the one writing the lyrics in Chinese because he really only knows how to write his name, that really hit me hard. I'm a Chinese-Filipina born and raised in the Pacific Island of Guam, a U.S. territory, so I grew up knowing English as my first language. Thankfully, my parents and other relatives taught me Tagalog and I am fluent in Filipino. I grew up in a melting pot of cultures; Filipino, Chamorro (the native culture of Guam), American, and Chinese. Although my grandma knows how to speak Chinese, I am not fluent in the language because she rarely uses it with me. I still practice some Chinese culture, but I am not that learned in that part of my heritage. This song really expressed the complex feelings I, and a lot of my other friends, felt growing up. We were Asian, but not quite Asian because we lived in a Pacific Island. We were Pacific Islanders, but not quite Pacific Islanders because we lived in a U.S. Territory. We were American, but not quite fully American because we were Asian and living in a Pacific Island. To know that Will and so many other people around the world feel similarly is really comforting. We all have a place in this world and in our cultures, so yes we may only be able to write our names, or not speak the language, but as Will said in the description of this mv, it's never too late to learn more of your culture. Happy late Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month!! Thank you for this song, Will.
ive been feeling this for quite some time now, came to the realisation that im so disconnected from my culture because i spent my childhood rejecting it a couple of years ago. ive never quite been able to verbalise it, and i really appreciate that theres someone who i can relate to. you're doing good things mister :) im sorry to hear u had no hero of your own to look up to growing up, but from now on, thank you for being mine
Omg i started crying... i hate that some kids feel like theh need to hide their true identity and hide their culture because they wouldnt fit in otherwise. It really hurts. And btw.... i died when his mother kissed his forehead....
The last time I related to a song this hard was Never Been In Love, maybe you've heard of it? All jokes aside, as an Australian born Chinese (Chinese-Australian? What do we even call ourselves?) who also identifies as asexual and aromantic, I have loved music but practically never really related to a song the way I have to TWO of yours (even if Never Been In Love was never meant to be for us). These are parts of myself I guess I never expected to hear songs about, and to hear them now with so much heart has really struck a chord with me. I am so glad you decided to share this with us. P.S. I started trying to teach myself to read Chinese about a year ago. It's been slow going, but I feel good about it.
I burst into tears when that ending scene appeared. I cannot relate on a personal level, but I could feel how much it meant to you. Amazing song. Hope you'll be able to learn more of your mother tongue ^^
this hit home...so so hard. i dont think ive ever related to a song this much before. the line about his grand dad, the smiling and nodding and god the replying in english...its all true. Its true I dont know anything about my older relatives, theres this barrier stopping me from having the relationships I see in other people. I live in Sri Lanka but I've been studying in english medium my whole life, I can speak sinhala but outside day to day communication there is little I know. I cant read sinhala, I have to pronounce each letter one by one. Im lucky I realized I need to learn now.
I literally wanted to cry watching this. I love what you've done and it just reminds me of how much of my culture has been lost to history. My family and I will never get to have those pieces of our past because of things like discrimination and it hurts but it only makes me want to know even more. Thanks for this awesome song!
Oh gosh I'm from Asia but I grew up English speaking because my parents wanted me to have a better future. Now I'm studying overseas in the UK and I'm doing creative writing, so every chance I get, I write about home to use the language and the voice I learnt as a vehicle for the part of me I had to neglect. This is my way of claiming my identity back // proud to say I can read all the Chinese parts in the video though! 她的毛笔字写得很好
my parents never put me in chinese school, never talked to me in Chinese, and my one grandparent spoke English as well. Even once I started middle school and began feeling left out that my friends could speak Chinese, I couldn't learn it. Even if I went to a class with all of the little kids, they would move on and skip over the basics. It's too late, and im going to be stuck in the same place forever
I haven't lived the experience. I am not american. I grew within my race, but your line "i can only write my name" brought tears to my eyes. I,m sorry for what you and 28000 people have felt.
Seriously, you deserve so much more attention for your music and simply your voice. It mesmerises me everytime i listen to one of your songs. I can't believe that ur not already filling up stadiums. NEVER STOP MAKING MUSIC WILL, U GOT THIS
Thank you for this song I am Mexican American and cant even say a sentence in Spanish without pausing and thinking what word/phrase to use. This song motivates me to keep trying even if it dosent sound perfect
I relate to this so much. I nearly cried when I first heard it. The changing the shape of my eyes line hit me really hard. I've thought that so much when I was younger and hearing it said really hit me. No one should have to go through this and I thank you so much for having the strength to talk about this. It really is a conversation that needs to be had.
I’m from Malaysia. I STILL don’t get why some people think it’s low class to speak your own language. Like how suddenly mandarin or Tamil is lower standard than English, it’s a blessing to be able to speak different languages.
I am from Germany too and you really shouldn´t feel like you have to. I am sorry that you felt that way growing up and I am always confused when I realize that there are actuelly many kids in Germany that make rassist jokes too. I am working in an elemantary school for an internship right now and yesterday some kids made fun of a footballplayer saying he was ugly because his eyes looked chinese. It made me really sad to hear them say this stuff....
@@lucaonthesecondfloor365 Thank you for your reply! Heard those kind of comments all the time while growing up. I always wondered where they would pick up stuff like that, and I hope you will teach them that that is rude and inappropriate and all ethnicities are beautiful. Kids don't know how harmful their words are unless people who know better teach them.
I also grew up away from my culture, Asian. I always felt so divided from my culture so I always used to have a lot of Asian friends to feel a bit closer to my culture. This song really hit home is recently I've been relearning Chinese. I grew up all over the world, currently am in the Netherlands though. I used to get really racist comments when I was in primary and my sister once came home crying because boys in her class were teasing her about her nose. I learnt to brush away those comments after a while but they still hurt like a bitch.
"Want to sit down with my grandpa ,I know nothing about, Smile and nod instead of talking" This really hit home. Last year I went to visit my grandma, and I couldn't even say one word to her except hi.
Although I'm not Asian I can relate to this so much as alot of people have told me that because I'm mixed race that I only "fit into the stereotype of a white person" or "you're not black enough" and it's always struck a nerve in me somehow. Ive never seen how my race played apart in my personality and that it could influence the affect people had on me until I was old enough to notice. It made me insecure and I felt embarrassed to tell people what I'm mixed with sometimes for fear they'll say that "I don't act like one". I'm only just now trying to pick up the culture fully and learn about myself better because I realized that I don't need to base my life on the ignorance that surrounds me. Thank you for such a beautiful song Will! 😊
The whole concept of acting your race is stupid. I'm full Asian and I get told I don't "act Asian" because I'm not a stereotype of an Asian person, especially if I'm drinking. You are who you are and if people can't accept that, don't be around them, it's just stress you don't need. Being you is the best way to break those molds too, so honestly you're winning.
I'm a halfie of White and Asian and I've had people argue as to whether I look more Asian or more white and many people say that "I act more Asian than white" but as well as that "I am not Asian enough" I honestly didn't even know that I was Asian until year 3 and I still feel uncultured.. glad to know someone out there feels me
I’m just coming across this now, but I relate to this song more than any other that I’ve heard so far. I’m half Filipino but I was raised by my mom, who is white, so I never learned about a huge part of my history. I don’t look white, so when people asked my race I just said I was half Asian but it felt wrong because I knew absolutely nothing about that part of me. I still wish I was able to learn about my entire heritage when I was growing up instead of having to try and piece things together now.
This generally hit home with me. I'm not Asian, both my parents are Mexican and the accent thing, food thing, the rejection of both language, nationality and heritage is all too true from when I was growing up. We decided to move to Mexico sometime ago and we ended up staying for about 4 years and it opened my eyes to appreciate the culture I'm a part of. I'm not ashamed anymore. I'm proud of my culture, my parents and being Mexican. It made me realize that all cultures are beautiful. This song reminded me of that time and made me cry like a baby 😊 a lot of ppl can relate to it and it's sad but it's meaning is beautiful.
“And now, I don’t speak the language. Wouldn’t even know how to say I’m ashamed” those lyrics hit like a truck. And I haven’t heard a song so relatable and so long.
I have cried listening to this song. I’m not a person of color or an immigrant. But can you imagine how many people this song will help? All the wonderful people who were shamed for their cultures. I hate that this happens. But you have done something here by putting this into words. Thank you for giving a voice to this issue. You may not have had a Superman that looked like you as a kid, but right now, you are that Superman for people out there, the one that has lived lives like them, who looks like them. Good job.
I’m not Asian American but this song really connects with me. I’m Guatemalan American but I always felt very judged growing up in my household by my siblings because we always found it easier to judge each other for speaking Spanish and things when we were surrounded and grew up on American culture. My mom and dad didn’t really push us to learn about it and due to this I’m completely without knowledge from it. I also feel ashamed about this. The fact that I no longer know Spanish has really prevented growing relationships with my Spanish speaking family (which is over 60 members now) including my elderly grandma and it’s stressful. I loved her a lot in my childhood when she would visit and now I couldn’t even speak to her when I visited Guatemala this past summer. She said some really kind things to me and I could only look at her and smile. I’m trying to relearn Spanish so I can connect with my family and things like that but I feel like I’ve missed out on part of my identity as a result of not growing up alongside it. I feel a lot of grief about this and it’s horrible but I still feel too embarrassed to speak Spanish around my sisters, I am trying to get better about it though
I’m actually doing a rant on Asian American struggles for my speech class! This has a lot of points I’m including! Thank you for voicing this for us 💕💕
I have a really close friend who never sees someone who looks like him in media, film, books, etc. And it really does have an impact on him. He often feels pressure to try to be the smartest because everyone assumes he should be because of his race. This stuff is real. It affects real people. We need to make this world/country one where people are proud of their family and heritage, not ashamed of where they came from
Hey, Will! I resonate with this song so much although I am not raised or born in America. My Thai mother married an American man who I consider as my father and I love him so much. He had adopted me and raised him as his own, spoiling me, caring for me, even sending me to an expensive International school that many kids dream of and even took his precious time to make me become a US citizen. This mostly happens in my home country. Now that I graduated and will be sent to the US, I feel conflicted about my nationality. I wanted to embrace both, but due to my looks and my loved ones around me made me feel pressured to remain wholly 'Thai'. The way I live, eat, breath and sleep are Thai. Though... Since I was raised by my dad and went to an International school, the way I think and speak had been foreignized and people around me treat me strangely, it was as if I am not Thai nor foreign due to the mixed accent I have. I am now moving to California in two months time and I am worried. Can I call myself American and Thai or must I be Thai? Moreover, how will I be treated by people there? Will I be accepted or am I just an outsider?
Only a day ago, i was in tears over the fact that my dad wouldn't let me go to Indonesia to see my family that i haven't seen for over 4 years. This really helps thank u (terima kasih)
I'm Spanish but I can relate to this so much. I lost my language so young and I'm so ashamed, and am just trying to now learn about the language and culture...
My dad is a (Hispanic) Puerto Rican, and my mom is caucasian. I can't relate to this song on all levels, but the line about the Grandpa hit home. I've always wanted to hear what my Grandmother had to say. She has dementia now, and I'm learning Spanish. Baby steps.
I’d been wanting to learn Japanese for a while but never plucked up the courage to start. I spent a year living in Europe as a middle schooler where I felt helpless because I didn’t speak the language in school. I couldn’t talk to my classmates, and I couldn’t even understand my teachers, so I just sat in class with a book and zoned out. Language learning always felt a little traumatic for me. But hearing songs like this remind me how rewarding it is to put in that work and open the door to people who I might never have gotten to connect with. Hearing about your regrets not learning Chinese (I wish I knew what Chinese language specifically, sorry to generalize) pushes me to take that leap. Im not Asian, and I don’t experience racial dysphasia like your lyrics and a lot of people in the comments are talking about. I want you to know how far your song has reached, and that even without those experiences it has touched me and made me a better person. Thank you for inspiring me to make the leap and start learning a writing system, I’m truly happier for it. P.S. I played this for my family and it started a lot of good conversations with us.
I’m proud of you for writing this song. As a daughter of immigrant parents, I can speak fluent Chinese and English (I live in Macau) and I struggle to speak Tagalog and Visaya, Filipino languages. I feel ashamed for not being able to speak without mixing both languages, using bad grammar and having an accent when I try to speak. It’s been a hard journey but I’m trying to relearn it by listening and speaking more. I hope other first/second generations chose to learn even just a little bit about your family’s culture. It means SO MUCH.
I know that this song is more about the modern Asian American experience, but other than the line about eye shape, i recognize the words and feelings from a conversation I had with my grandmother-She’s a first generation American from Polish immigrant parents. I wanted to know more about the family history, and she admitted she didn’t really know anything before her birth, because she had regected the history, language and culture to keep from being shamed as a “Filthy, ignorant Polock” as a child. She talked about how ashamed she was about the fact she knew nothing, that though she had met her grandmother, she never been able to talk to her in more than smiling and nodding, because her grandmother could barely speak english. This song has made me choke up, and made me feel closer to her. Thank you for writing and singing this. It’s majorly important.
I have a new song out called "Nights Like These" You can listen to it here on your favorite music service. ingroov.es/nights-like-these Please be sure to add it to your playlists. Thank you for your support. It means everything!
Checked out the track. It's a great man. Keep it up. Subscribed.
I really like how u write things it's too personal.. Yet something so great.. I loved you when u sing it's like ur telling me ur story in a way .. It's an amazing thing that u are transparent in a way which not all artist have.like they can just write a song for someone or fame..but what i see in u is that u write it not for anyone else but for ur self.and i salute u for that.like 1.i can only write my name (during childhood and teenage years)
2.anti social. Gentlemen, by now never been in love. Broke( adulthood days )..but ny fav. So far is the i can only write my name.. By now and never been in love.. Like its realky crazy that people are pressuring u to have a romantic relationship to anyone. But u just dont care having a boyfriend right now.. Cause ur busy.. And u want someone to just come into ur life like a surprise rather than trying so hard to have someone..
❤️❤️ suas músicas são incrivelmente lindas, e sua voz é especialmente maravilhosa
hello! first of all, I've spent this morning reading the comments and all of you sharing your stories has profoundly impacted me. I was hesitant to put this out only because of how incredibly personal it was and I wasn't really thinking that so many other people experienced the same racial dysphoria as I did growing up. the fact that you have embraced this song with such understanding and have been able to apply it to your own lives and struggles truly means the world to me. I'm beyond excited to continue sharing more stories with you. In the meantime, please continue to share your story with me and what this song means to you. let this song be a conversation starter with your loved ones, your friends, and most importantly yourself. I love you and thank you for listening :)
i can definitely relate and agree. Everyone should be proud of their culture and where they come from. :))) You're amazing!
Absolutely beautiful
Thank you for this song. It's amazing. I really believe it's going to reach and make an impact on so many people, and that's what art is meant for. This song really resonates with me and I haven't even personally experienced these struggles. But I know my family members have and I know that thousands of people have and are still experiencing this. I feel this will really help them so..yeah...thank you.
This video just popped up on my explore page and I just realized you were this guy I watched on TV when I was in 5th grade in China...this song is so powerful and relatable, kind of reminds me of how much I changed since moving here.
You’re a beautiful soul never forget that and I admire you for being so brave ❤️
"it's hard to see yourself in Superman when he looks nothing like you" hit me so hard. wow!
I'd like to think of Superman as Asian or immigrants from a very different culture than the host country. He's Asian to me because of his black hair, dark eyes(depending on continuity) has to assimilate into the host countries culture but comes from a rich one that he can reclaim as he wishes, and does. Feeling split between two identities, clark kent(the safe one that bends to the currents of society) and Superman/ Kal-El his true self.
Honestly since Asians are like a small minority I feel like we aren’t represented enough in movies and stories I used to read when I was little.
probably my favorite line too. that one and "spent my life wishing my eyes were shaped a little differently"
@@WillJay that line hit me pretty hard too. I mean I'm starting to get into cosplay and have no idea how to use makeup to even get close to the sort of styles. I love waiting to see what music you'll release next xD
Same , that’s why my avatar looks the way it’s does.
ok we gotta admire that beautiful Chinese calligraphy like not a lot of ppl can do that
Joseph Qiao apparently those are written by his mother , not Will 😜
@@danlaughingsoul3153 yeah if you look at the hands, you can see the difference
@@danlaughingsoul3153 welp😂
@@danlaughingsoul3153 He never said that it was Will he just was admiring it and saying not a lot of people can do that.
Not trying to be rude, just saying, srry.
considering how many people speak Chinese, yes objectively a lot of people can
"Spent my life wishing my eyes were shaped a little differently.
And always answered back in English when my family spoke to me."
#TooReal
sometimes I wish my eyes were different too. being asian can be hard. it's especially embarrassing when you fit every stereotype.
Myhpares don’t be embarrassed of who you are please 🥺
@@seraphymignaci0_315 omo hi stay! Just remember there are so many people that want to look just like you. Some even do plastic surgery for those Asian eyes!
Luna Wolff haha lol sometimes it is an advantage, those Asian eyes
i cant answer them in english cause they dont understand but the thing is: my chinese is HORRIBLY BAD
When the camera pulled back and I saw him with his family I immediately started crying
Leia F yes
😭
That scene just came on when I read this and I started crying too
Joke's on you, I was crying from when he said he laughed along at his expense
Same...
i actually cried. i really understood this, every word perfectly describes what i went through and still am going through.
As a black man... I can relate.
Ikr 😭 the feels
Am not, I mean I got make fun of for having fat tit as a boy.
@@BDLabs2 no u can't, let the Asians have their moment dude 😂😂😂😂
I relate
“It’s hard to look at superman when he looks nothing like you”
I love this lyrics
I am american and i feel the same, bodily i am a girl but i feel genderfluid leanin towards male and nb
I never felt like i was fittin in with girls, i lovvved superman and heroes. All the heroes i looked up to were male. There WERE female ones. But i didnt feel like i fit in with them. But with how buff the guys are and the diff hair
(im hispanic/black, i didnt mind the color but the hair feature always got me as a kid)
I did find anime, the japanese and chinese cartoon characters touched my heart dammit. It feels weird. But i felt more represented and resonated more with those animes then most american shows (born in Nov '96
Yeah, literally the only female Chinese roll-model was Disney's Mulan. Kinda pathetic. But I miss my heritage. I'm first generation Chinese (not from China) and really only had my dad around with any sort of non-Amerian influence as my grandpa passed away before I was born and my grandma when I was 4. There was my aunt but I didn't see her that much as a kid. So I learned little Chinese (because it couldn't be spoken in the house because of my sister's speech impediment), only scratched the surface of celebrations with the Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, and absolutely can't read to save my life. But I love the food and I'm not ashamed to bring bao for breakfast.
Stand proud of your heritage. It's a bland world if everything's white.
Damn heard you a couple years back on Voice China and loved your audition. This is the first song I've heard from you since then and I'm glad I stumbled upon this. Loved it.
omg it’s Canto Mando! lol
Omg canto mando
👀 Didn't see that or know that. I'll look into it thanks.
this really hit home. especially the line about grandpa. :(
same. I can understand what my grandma says, but I can't respond. I just hope that by the time I can, she'll still be here to talk to :/
@@mariad1529 that's the same for me
Same my grandpa died in 2017 on Christmas night and it really sucks cause I never knew him and he died in China so I wasn’t even in his life for most of the time :(
I wish I could communicate with my grandma without my parents translating
I know nothing about my grandpa. He can only speak Chinese, makes it hard to talk to him.
"Kids would laugh at my mom's accent and *the food that she made*"
As an Asian myself, I used to be embarrassed to bring my own culture's food to school because I was afraid people would make fun of it and me. I was always a quiet kid who did not speak unless needed to and my presence wasn't strong enough to make anyone notice me. But later on when I stepped into high school, I learned to just be myself and not care what others think. I brought in dumplings, noodles, rice, Asian bakery bread as my lunch to school in a setting predominantly black and white. When I joined my school's tennis team, the girls would make fun of my dumplings by saying "Hey, what are you eating?" and giggle away. But this didn't faze me and I would proudly shout out "Dumplings!". I hold my Asian pride high and there is nothing wrong with spreading it around. It may be tough to break out of a shell and it will be hard to stay on your ground, but it is never disappointing to express who you truly are inside and out 💕
black rose Lol, i used a thermos for the dumplings to keep them warm and sometimes when i didnt, my school had a microwave in the cafeteria so i used that to warm them up 😄
oh my god the dumpling thing.... SAME. ❤️❤️
Black rose yes girl be proud of those dumpling those girls were just jealous cuz they couldn't get some delicious dumpling 😋
My friends (my Asian friends in Germany) are always bringing food from their home and everyone literally EVERYONE loves the food the other kids always eat with them... (me too) lol xD
My school is really diverse. Literally Asians, Hispanics, White, Black people, everywhere. It’s awesome but that doesn’t mean everyone is gonna be nice to eachother. I’m black but tbh if I see a kiddo eating Asian food that I recognize I’m like “I want to eat it but they’re gonna say no.” 😂 Hold your Asian pride high and don’t be ashamed of it!
Finally a song for us immigrants and the things we faced🥺
Oh no not that emoji
As if I already don't adore you and your music Will, this song actually brought tears to my eyes. Even though I haven't lost my Vietnamese heritage completely, I know that I've lost a good portion of it and it's been bugging me a lot lately, since I'm a bit more aware of it. Thank you _so so so_ much for this song, it's absolutely beautiful and I'm sure it means a lot to every other Asian-American and probably many other ethnic Americans as well. Thank you.
You can always be back. I think staying in VN for a while to experience.
never too late to learn. thank you for listening
I’ve never even been American, but I still get it, and like, wow. It means a lot to me
vietgang for life, bro 💪😤 🇻🇳
aweh,
viet gang gang ;)
The hanzi calligraphy is just so good😭😭
"And always answered back in English when my family spoke to me."
its taken me a long time to stop being ashamed to speak to my mom in her language in public, but now I do and im glad you called out the racial dysphoria so many kids face
"Thought I'd be cool if I could laugh too EVEN AT MY OWN EXPENSE" this line hit me so hard .
I'm black and I live in KSA and I have the same problems. I think all people who live in foreign countries will experience the same problems
Good luck loving here lol
How come you live there?
I live here, and I'm arab, IT'S TOXIC. they compare people, AS IF YOUR BODY IS YOUR WORTH. If you're darker you're not as pretty. ( WHICH IS NOT TRUE AND I STAND AGAINST IT.) I know i'ts hard, people here spread rumors and ruin peoples self esteem. I'm so sorry you have to go through that, I feel like you do. Even though it's my native land I feel like an outcast too, because here, if you're not skinny enough, or not white enough, you're less than (AGAIN NOT TRUE.) People are close- minded and I hate it. Im so sorry, you desreve love and respect. ❤❤
Yep.
I have been waiting for a new song ever since i heard "never been in love" 3-4 months ago and i'm stoked.
Edit: thanks for the likes and thank you so much for saying that Will Jay!!!! of course i'm gonna stick around you(Will Jay) is truly an amazing artist
Aleyna Kosar SAME I related to that song and now I can relate to this too
thank you for sticking around!
Will Jay of course we love you and your content !!!
Sameee
I truly love you, your songs are always so original and relatable!❤️
and I love you for listening :)
I can relate to this song on a scary level. The people in my friend group are all foreign like me but they all speak their native language. I can't say a single thing in Vietnamese and I feel really detached from my culture compared to them. It makes me sad.
Cheering you on! You've got what it takes to rediscover your ethnic heritage and language. 💕 It might not be easy at first, but after a while, you'll become great at it! Don't be scared or ashamed; take a dive for it! :D
@@anawkwardsweetpotato4728 awe thank you so much it means a lot to hear that !! ❤😁
@@annahoang6199 Không có chi~ you're welcome!!! We both can reclaim our roots at the same time! I also have a lot of ethnic work myself to do. x3
@@anawkwardsweetpotato4728 that's great that ur doing the same, I'm cheering you on too! You got this :)
Legit same! I was adopted from Saigon and I’m 17 now but I don’t know anything about Vietnamese food or the language and it makes me sad.
I'm moroccan but I grew up in Europe and honestly this was really relatable in a lot of ways. I feel ashamed to tell people that i speak 3 western languages but it seems worthless if I can't even answer my grandparents in Arabic.
I wish I could speak Arabic with my mom and grandparents too! I'm trying to learn. And the face that you speak 3 languages is awesome. Good luck!
@@GypsyInFenra thank you! Good luck to you too! It's never too late to learn
@@nisrinetazi9800 I'm black and muslim, I understand. I feel ashamed when I can't speak to my fellow muslim peoples. And being black I feel uncomfortable claiming I'm "African" I have no african family we're born in US. But I like to think I'm african anyway, cause otherwise I don't really have a culture that's not american drenched
I was born and raised in America and have always known my moms family because they’re closer but my dad is from Turkey. Being half I don’t look extremely middle eastern and since I’m not Muslim, speak Turkish, or know the culture, I’ve always felt that I couldn’t claim to be anything more than just white. The thing that hurts the most is that my grandfather passed away without me ever getting to know him but my Babaanne (grandmother) is still alive but I can’t speak to her. I want to know things like recipes or growing up in turkey and family recipes and I’m afraid when she dies all that will die with her and I’ll never know her.
@@rebeccaa3869 First of all, It's already a huge step to admit this. Second of all, i don't know if you've done this yet but talk to your dad I'm sure he will really appreciate you wanting to get in touch with your heritage. Lastly, you control what you know an what you're children will know about your dad's side of the family. If you want to get in touch and create the bonds that brings you together do everything you can to do that. It may be hard but you will never regret it.
Fun fact: the Chinese lyrics he writes in this video are a little different from the English ones being sung. Not too different, but I thought I’d share some translations.
00:30
Original: Spent my life wishing’ my eyes were shaped a little differently.
Chinese: 我一生都在梦想我的眼睛能长得和他们一样.
Translation: I spent my life wishing that my eyes were the same as others'.
00:37
Original: And always answered back in English when my family spoke to me.
Chinese: 都在竭力和我的家人只说英语
Translation: And always did my best to speak only English with my family.
01:22
Original: Want to sit down with my grandpa I know nothing about
Chinese: 我好想坐下来和爷爷聊天但我却不知如何开始
Translation: I want to sit down and talk with my grandpa but I don't know how to start. (Incidentally, the use of “爷爷” or yeye indicates that this is his paternal grandfather he’s talking about. I think this might be a mistake, though.I'm pretty sure his mother, not his father, is Chinese!)
01:34
Original: So forgive me, all the years I was embarrassed / it must’ve hurt to see I couldn’t care less
Chinese: 原谅我吧 / 这么多年我内心的纠结 / 我无所谓的样子一定伤了你的心
Translation: So forgive me, all the years I was at a loss (or emotionally confused) / It must’ve broken your heart to see I couldn’t care less
From 02:04 onwards, the Chinese words and the original lyrics are mostly the same.
The key differences would be that the Chinese words (at 02:04) say “I can only write my *Chinese* name“ (我只会写我的*中文*名字).
Also, while he generically sings “I lost it all when I was young”, the Chinese words specify that it was the Chinese language that he was “losing” or giving up.
For those curious, the singer’s name is 刘伟男, or Liu Wei Nan (if pronounced in Mandarin, that is). Liu is his surname, Wei means “great”, and Nan simply means “man”.
(I've posted this comment before but it got deleted).
AMAZING
Thanks for the breakdown, and the lyrics written in standard form. So beautifully written
Thanks for the translation.
I get what you mean man. I'm Latina and I use to speak fluent Spanish but as I got older it slowly went away and I kept forgetting because I mainly spoke English in school and with my friends. I can't speak it too good now, and I wish I could so I can speak to my parents and relatives. Lately I've studied on my own to relearn it and it's going great. Bless you for creating this ❤️
Jazzy Rosier same I’ve grown speaking English forever. My mom never taught me Spanish but I’m trying to learn it. It’s part of my culture and I should be able to accept that part of me but at the same time I’m conflicted bc I want to be two different things and for some reason I just can’t decide to be both, it’s like I’m telling myself to choose, and that’s when the “All American” part comes in
Español es comico
same thing!! my mom grew up in argentina and brought that culture with her to america, but my dad's german so i had a kinda mixed european/south american life and because it was in america i didn't really try to keep my mom's side of the family with me, and i'm trying to relearn spanish and learn more about latina culture :')
same here 😭 i wish i kept talking to my family in spanish. now when they ask me to speak in it, i choke up and can't find any words... good luck on your journey to reclaim spanish! i hope i'll be able to do that too one day
Same thing happened to me. Inspired me to relearn
ahhh that last scene made me feel all sorts of emotions
Amazing song It reminds me of my own struggles with being biracial in a way
I pushed away half my culture bc I was teased for looking too much like the other
I regret it now since honestly I just proved them right like that
God, me too
You are biracial ? What is this ?
@@igotnogoodnametoreplacemyr6988 You're parents are two different races so since you're both you are two races
Sorry if I didnt explain it well
I felt this. My mom is biracial (Nicaraguan and white) and my dad is Indian (and even then my dad is mixed too). I look more Indian than I do Hispanic. I know nothing Indian culture and everything about my Nicaraguan background, so I identify as Hispanic. I spent my childhood being told I was not "hispanic enough, Indian enough or black enough." It got to the point where I stopped trying to please those people and I make friends with those I have things in common with. I'm much happier being around these people than those who put me down because I didn't look like them. In the end, I know nothing about my Indian background, but I'm glad I was able to hold onto my Hispanic background in my process of self-identity. People don't realize how badly it hurts a child to be seen as an other.
I feel this is messy. You should be able to embrace both your cultures without problem. Personally I'd only see an issue if you claimed you suffered oppression from a part where you don't even look. For instance black/white person looks white but claims they been oppressed for being black. If its true fine but if you look white? Only bring this up to show my personal stance. I'm black/latina but look black, raised around many types of people including Puerto Ricans but I don't claim latina for many reasons based off that. I enjoy both cultures but my look plays a huge part in how I'm treated in society. I'm hated for being black not latina. And so when a college or scholarships for a latina girl pops up I don't jump up quick. There's a reason they're getting offered it, and look is important.
“It’s hard to look at superman when he looks nothing like you”
This line is what really got me
And the most underrated song award goes to..
I have been looking forward to this all day and I am very happy with what you did. You put yourself out to the world and I am very proud of you.❤️
Bts in the Meteor garden OMG I love that show and I love BTS
@@jevan.m2290 it's amazing but it has nothing to do with this c:
Army!❤️
I'm sorry. I know I should be commenting on your post but your user name is too much for me to handle
The 1st verse makes my Asian blood boil because it all feels too familiar 😔
I'm brown but I still relate with that verse
Brown too and I'm learning my language asap bc I'm ashamed 😔
Wow ur moms handwriting is beautiful. But thank u for putting this song out ❤️ first time i rly related to a song 謝謝
I’m Puerto Rican but I relate to this so much. This legit made me choked up. Great work!
Feli same here, fellow Boricua and can’t speak Spanish well
Holy shit same bro. It sucks when your own people disown u cause u cant speak well. It's not enough to know what they say.
As a black puerto Rican i felt it too... Alot of us are loosing our language and culture.
My sister cant speak spanish but i can
She just answers in english..
I was born in panama but raised in America, it sucks I wasn’t able to embrace my culture, I wish I could have a conversation with my family back in panama but my Spanish is limited compared to theirs 😭
"I lost it all, when I was young" hit me the hardest because now I get my dialects jumbled up on top of only being able to write my name😔😔
god I'm so glad theres a song for people like this. Cause omg its true. I'm not Asian but I am hispanic and god i keep running from my own culture to be that perfect American so to say. I can't speak it and I can only nod and shake my head when they speak. My family always tells me how sad it is that i dont embrace that major part of me and im already so old now and still know nothing. Like wow this song I can relate to. I'm pretty ashamed in my self as well for not know enough.
Ritz Garcia Same I thought I was the only one who was going through this
this made me cry, it hurt me so much. thank you will jay for this masterpiece.
I am ashamed that I can completely relate to the message in this song.
Yeah :) BTS and Will Jay have the best songs
I am Chinese Brazilian. This song just made me so emotional.
Growing up I wished to be just like my classmates: tall nose, blond hair and beautiful eyes. For such a long time it was my wish.
I regret so much not learning how to write in Chinese when I was younger, I wanted to be cool just like other kids. Now it's been hard for me to learn everything again.
Now the food my mom cooks for me makes me proud, I feel like trash remembering how I used to throw it away or starve during lunchtime to not get bullied.
"I can only write my name" is the line that made me start crying. It rings so true.
I relate sooo much :( I lost Swahili and now I’m trying to earn it back! Thank you for this Mr. Jay
Same, I refused to learn Swahili as a kid to avoid getting made fun of, now I want to learn
that pan out to reveal it wasn't him writing the chinese lyrics,,,powerful
Didn't even notice that! Thanks for pointing that out.
Oh shoot, I just didn't watch till the end... But this is so relatable. Now, I'm working on learning more of my native language & speaking it more confidently.
what i thought it was i thought the pan was showing him learning
Didn't understand
FINALLY!!! A song us "in-between" cultured folks can relate to!!! Your song writing skills are amazing! All of your songs embody my life! #foreverafan
Man the look on my Papou’s(grandfathers) face when he speaks to me in Greek, like every time he still hopes against hope that I’ll understand... it really breaks my heart a little every time
this is fucking incredible. i’m so impressed with your honesty and ability to capture it in such a beautiful way. this is such an important message. you are the hero to look up to will! you can be that person for so many. keep up the phenomenal work.
one of the most beautifully written songs ever. will is incredible.
Wow, I relate to this so much as a Vietnamese-American. To this day I continue to feel so ashamed of not knowing what it means to be Vietnamese. Thank-you for your raw honesty, beautiful voice, and pure heart. You are a gift, Will! 加油！:)
This song literally made me cry. This is such a real struggle and it always breaks my heart to hear the stories of beautiful asian children who are teased into hating their heritage. This song is a gift to the world. Thank you Will for touching my heart and so many others.
I'm in actual tears. When the camera panned out and showed that Will's mom was the one writing the lyrics in Chinese because he really only knows how to write his name, that really hit me hard. I'm a Chinese-Filipina born and raised in the Pacific Island of Guam, a U.S. territory, so I grew up knowing English as my first language. Thankfully, my parents and other relatives taught me Tagalog and I am fluent in Filipino. I grew up in a melting pot of cultures; Filipino, Chamorro (the native culture of Guam), American, and Chinese. Although my grandma knows how to speak Chinese, I am not fluent in the language because she rarely uses it with me. I still practice some Chinese culture, but I am not that learned in that part of my heritage. This song really expressed the complex feelings I, and a lot of my other friends, felt growing up. We were Asian, but not quite Asian because we lived in a Pacific Island. We were Pacific Islanders, but not quite Pacific Islanders because we lived in a U.S. Territory. We were American, but not quite fully American because we were Asian and living in a Pacific Island. To know that Will and so many other people around the world feel similarly is really comforting. We all have a place in this world and in our cultures, so yes we may only be able to write our names, or not speak the language, but as Will said in the description of this mv, it's never too late to learn more of your culture. Happy late Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month!! Thank you for this song, Will.
I didn’t make the connection it was his mom writing Chinese, now I’m crying all over again 😭😭😭😭😭
ive been feeling this for quite some time now, came to the realisation that im so disconnected from my culture because i spent my childhood rejecting it a couple of years ago. ive never quite been able to verbalise it, and i really appreciate that theres someone who i can relate to. you're doing good things mister :) im sorry to hear u had no hero of your own to look up to growing up, but from now on, thank you for being mine
Omg i started crying... i hate that some kids feel like theh need to hide their true identity and hide their culture because they wouldnt fit in otherwise. It really hurts.
And btw.... i died when his mother kissed his forehead....
- a m a n d a - i think those were his grandparents!! but it was still touching ;((
The lyrics hit me so hard. Truly beautiful and intimate.
Will your so talented! I love your voice! I'm so glad you came out with a cool new song that's so brilliant!
The last time I related to a song this hard was Never Been In Love, maybe you've heard of it?
All jokes aside, as an Australian born Chinese (Chinese-Australian? What do we even call ourselves?) who also identifies as asexual and aromantic, I have loved music but practically never really related to a song the way I have to TWO of yours (even if Never Been In Love was never meant to be for us). These are parts of myself I guess I never expected to hear songs about, and to hear them now with so much heart has really struck a chord with me.
I am so glad you decided to share this with us.
P.S. I started trying to teach myself to read Chinese about a year ago. It's been slow going, but I feel good about it.
I think it’s ABC (Australian Born Chinese)
I was just wondering where Will Jay went! beautiful song...
had to live life for a second. thank you for your patience!!
This is so beautiful, thank you for sharing your feelings Will, I know how much this song means to you❤️
Will's Chinese name means "great/mighty man" :D I'm glad to see you're back with new music
I burst into tears when that ending scene appeared.
I cannot relate on a personal level, but I could feel how much it meant to you. Amazing song.
Hope you'll be able to learn more of your mother tongue ^^
this hit home...so so hard. i dont think ive ever related to a song this much before.
the line about his grand dad, the smiling and nodding and god the replying in english...its all true. Its true I dont know anything about my older relatives, theres this barrier stopping me from having the relationships I see in other people.
I live in Sri Lanka but I've been studying in english medium my whole life, I can speak sinhala but outside day to day communication there is little I know. I cant read sinhala, I have to pronounce each letter one by one. Im lucky I realized I need to learn now.
I literally wanted to cry watching this. I love what you've done and it just reminds me of how much of my culture has been lost to history. My family and I will never get to have those pieces of our past because of things like discrimination and it hurts but it only makes me want to know even more. Thanks for this awesome song!
Oh gosh I'm from Asia but I grew up English speaking because my parents wanted me to have a better future. Now I'm studying overseas in the UK and I'm doing creative writing, so every chance I get, I write about home to use the language and the voice I learnt as a vehicle for the part of me I had to neglect. This is my way of claiming my identity back // proud to say I can read all the Chinese parts in the video though! 她的毛笔字写得很好
so proud to be early, such a good artist. keep up the good work!
my parents never put me in chinese school, never talked to me in Chinese, and my one grandparent spoke English as well. Even once I started middle school and began feeling left out that my friends could speak Chinese, I couldn't learn it. Even if I went to a class with all of the little kids, they would move on and skip over the basics. It's too late, and im going to be stuck in the same place forever
I haven't lived the experience. I am not american. I grew within my race, but your line "i can only write my name" brought tears to my eyes. I,m sorry for what you and 28000 people have felt.
Seriously, you deserve so much more attention for your music and simply your voice. It mesmerises me everytime i listen to one of your songs. I can't believe that ur not already filling up stadiums. NEVER STOP MAKING MUSIC WILL, U GOT THIS
Thank you for this song I am Mexican American and cant even say a sentence in Spanish without pausing and thinking what word/phrase to use. This song motivates me to keep trying even if it dosent sound perfect
I relate to this so much. I nearly cried when I first heard it. The changing the shape of my eyes line hit me really hard. I've thought that so much when I was younger and hearing it said really hit me.
No one should have to go through this and I thank you so much for having the strength to talk about this. It really is a conversation that needs to be had.
I’m from Malaysia. I STILL don’t get why some people think it’s low class to speak your own language. Like how suddenly mandarin or Tamil is lower standard than English, it’s a blessing to be able to speak different languages.
I have been trying to find this song again for years (music playlists are useless when they’re 4k videos long) so glad to hear it again
This is amazing... Although I grew up in Germany, this song is still so accurate. I still find myself pushing away my culture
Thank you for this song
I am from Germany too and you really shouldn´t feel like you have to. I am sorry that you felt that way growing up and I am always confused when I realize that there are actuelly many kids in Germany that make rassist jokes too. I am working in an elemantary school for an internship right now and yesterday some kids made fun of a footballplayer saying he was ugly because his eyes looked chinese. It made me really sad to hear them say this stuff....
@@lucaonthesecondfloor365 Thank you for your reply! Heard those kind of comments all the time while growing up. I always wondered where they would pick up stuff like that, and I hope you will teach them that that is rude and inappropriate and all ethnicities are beautiful. Kids don't know how harmful their words are unless people who know better teach them.
I also grew up away from my culture, Asian. I always felt so divided from my culture so I always used to have a lot of Asian friends to feel a bit closer to my culture. This song really hit home is recently I've been relearning Chinese. I grew up all over the world, currently am in the Netherlands though. I used to get really racist comments when I was in primary and my sister once came home crying because boys in her class were teasing her about her nose. I learnt to brush away those comments after a while but they still hurt like a bitch.
I love how all of his songs are relevant to problems today, and in an awesome medium!!!!
“It’s hard to see yourself in superman when he looks nothing like you”
Hit hard
Mixed Asian here... this one hit home. Definitely get to know your grandparents, connect to your roots, keep the culture alive!
"Want to sit down with my grandpa
,I know nothing about, Smile and nod instead of talking"
This really hit home. Last year I went to visit my grandma, and I couldn't even say one word to her except hi.
Although I'm not Asian I can relate to this so much as alot of people have told me that because I'm mixed race that I only "fit into the stereotype of a white person" or "you're not black enough" and it's always struck a nerve in me somehow. Ive never seen how my race played apart in my personality and that it could influence the affect people had on me until I was old enough to notice. It made me insecure and I felt embarrassed to tell people what I'm mixed with sometimes for fear they'll say that "I don't act like one". I'm only just now trying to pick up the culture fully and learn about myself better because I realized that I don't need to base my life on the ignorance that surrounds me.
Thank you for such a beautiful song Will! 😊
The whole concept of acting your race is stupid. I'm full Asian and I get told I don't "act Asian" because I'm not a stereotype of an Asian person, especially if I'm drinking. You are who you are and if people can't accept that, don't be around them, it's just stress you don't need. Being you is the best way to break those molds too, so honestly you're winning.
@@Drownedinblood omg exactly I couldn't agree more and it is honestly so stupid that people are placed into stereotyped boxes! Thank you!
I'm a halfie of White and Asian and I've had people argue as to whether I look more Asian or more white and many people say that "I act more Asian than white" but as well as that "I am not Asian enough" I honestly didn't even know that I was Asian until year 3 and I still feel uncultured.. glad to know someone out there feels me
I’m just coming across this now, but I relate to this song more than any other that I’ve heard so far. I’m half Filipino but I was raised by my mom, who is white, so I never learned about a huge part of my history. I don’t look white, so when people asked my race I just said I was half Asian but it felt wrong because I knew absolutely nothing about that part of me. I still wish I was able to learn about my entire heritage when I was growing up instead of having to try and piece things together now.
This generally hit home with me. I'm not Asian, both my parents are Mexican and the accent thing, food thing, the rejection of both language, nationality and heritage is all too true from when I was growing up. We decided to move to Mexico sometime ago and we ended up staying for about 4 years and it opened my eyes to appreciate the culture I'm a part of. I'm not ashamed anymore. I'm proud of my culture, my parents and being Mexican. It made me realize that all cultures are beautiful. This song reminded me of that time and made me cry like a baby 😊 a lot of ppl can relate to it and it's sad but it's meaning is beautiful.
“And now, I don’t speak the language. Wouldn’t even know how to say I’m ashamed” those lyrics hit like a truck. And I haven’t heard a song so relatable and so long.
I have cried listening to this song. I’m not a person of color or an immigrant. But can you imagine how many people this song will help? All the wonderful people who were shamed for their cultures. I hate that this happens. But you have done something here by putting this into words. Thank you for giving a voice to this issue.
You may not have had a Superman that looked like you as a kid, but right now, you are that Superman for people out there, the one that has lived lives like them, who looks like them. Good job.
UGH THIS IS INCREDIBLE. proud of you will 😭😭 you never cease to disappoint with good bops and awesome lyrics that hit close to home.
I'm actually crying 😍
The end had me sobbing so much
You made me cry. Thank you for your vulnerability and honesty. You're not alone. We can relate. Jia you! Fighting!
I’m not Asian American but this song really connects with me. I’m Guatemalan American but I always felt very judged growing up in my household by my siblings because we always found it easier to judge each other for speaking Spanish and things when we were surrounded and grew up on American culture. My mom and dad didn’t really push us to learn about it and due to this I’m completely without knowledge from it. I also feel ashamed about this.
The fact that I no longer know Spanish has really prevented growing relationships with my Spanish speaking family (which is over 60 members now) including my elderly grandma and it’s stressful. I loved her a lot in my childhood when she would visit and now I couldn’t even speak to her when I visited Guatemala this past summer. She said some really kind things to me and I could only look at her and smile. I’m trying to relearn Spanish so I can connect with my family and things like that but I feel like I’ve missed out on part of my identity as a result of not growing up alongside it. I feel a lot of grief about this and it’s horrible but I still feel too embarrassed to speak Spanish around my sisters, I am trying to get better about it though
So many of us took for granted as children... the gift of language
I’m actually doing a rant on Asian American struggles for my speech class! This has a lot of points I’m including! Thank you for voicing this for us 💕💕
That last part...idk why, but it brought me to tears 😭 (beautiful song about reflection and application 👏💖)
I have a really close friend who never sees someone who looks like him in media, film, books, etc. And it really does have an impact on him. He often feels pressure to try to be the smartest because everyone assumes he should be because of his race. This stuff is real. It affects real people. We need to make this world/country one where people are proud of their family and heritage, not ashamed of where they came from
Hey, Will! I resonate with this song so much although I am not raised or born in America. My Thai mother married an American man who I consider as my father and I love him so much. He had adopted me and raised him as his own, spoiling me, caring for me, even sending me to an expensive International school that many kids dream of and even took his precious time to make me become a US citizen. This mostly happens in my home country. Now that I graduated and will be sent to the US, I feel conflicted about my nationality. I wanted to embrace both, but due to my looks and my loved ones around me made me feel pressured to remain wholly 'Thai'. The way I live, eat, breath and sleep are Thai. Though... Since I was raised by my dad and went to an International school, the way I think and speak had been foreignized and people around me treat me strangely, it was as if I am not Thai nor foreign due to the mixed accent I have.
I am now moving to California in two months time and I am worried. Can I call myself American and Thai or must I be Thai? Moreover, how will I be treated by people there? Will I be accepted or am I just an outsider?
Only a day ago, i was in tears over the fact that my dad wouldn't let me go to Indonesia to see my family that i haven't seen for over 4 years. This really helps thank u (terima kasih)
I'm Spanish but I can relate to this so much. I lost my language so young and I'm so ashamed, and am just trying to now learn about the language and culture...
This really touched my heart
This is so gonna blow up
This hurts so unbelievably, my stomach gripped my heart I don’t know how to explain it. I love this it pains me beautifully
My dad is a (Hispanic) Puerto Rican, and my mom is caucasian. I can't relate to this song on all levels, but the line about the Grandpa hit home. I've always wanted to hear what my Grandmother had to say. She has dementia now, and I'm learning Spanish. Baby steps.
I’d been wanting to learn Japanese for a while but never plucked up the courage to start.
I spent a year living in Europe as a middle schooler where I felt helpless because I didn’t speak the language in school. I couldn’t talk to my classmates, and I couldn’t even understand my teachers, so I just sat in class with a book and zoned out. Language learning always felt a little traumatic for me. But hearing songs like this remind me how rewarding it is to put in that work and open the door to people who I might never have gotten to connect with. Hearing about your regrets not learning Chinese (I wish I knew what Chinese language specifically, sorry to generalize) pushes me to take that leap.
Im not Asian, and I don’t experience racial dysphasia like your lyrics and a lot of people in the comments are talking about. I want you to know how far your song has reached, and that even without those experiences it has touched me and made me a better person.
Thank you for inspiring me to make the leap and start learning a writing system, I’m truly happier for it.
P.S. I played this for my family and it started a lot of good conversations with us.
Don't understand Chinese, but loved that badass hand writing...
wow he’s alive
(notification squad)
alive and well :) you'll be seeing a lot more from me
Will Jay well that encouragement made my day!! Can’t wait to see more.
This song is so. so. deep. almost made me cry. 💜
Can we beside the lyrics appreciate his vocals? Goosebumps everywhere...
I’m proud of you for writing this song. As a daughter of immigrant parents, I can speak fluent Chinese and English (I live in Macau) and I struggle to speak Tagalog and Visaya, Filipino languages. I feel ashamed for not being able to speak without mixing both languages, using bad grammar and having an accent when I try to speak. It’s been a hard journey but I’m trying to relearn it by listening and speaking more.
I hope other first/second generations chose to learn even just a little bit about your family’s culture. It means SO MUCH.
every single time i decide to rewatch this i cry the same as the first time omg
I was obsessed with your song a few months ago and now.. again! just breathtakingly good.
Will Jay...this song hit me so hard. Thank you for this song.
This is beautiful Will Jay deserves so much more recognition ❤️
I know that this song is more about the modern Asian American experience, but other than the line about eye shape, i recognize the words and feelings from a conversation I had with my grandmother-She’s a first generation American from Polish immigrant parents. I wanted to know more about the family history, and she admitted she didn’t really know anything before her birth, because she had regected the history, language and culture to keep from being shamed as a “Filthy, ignorant Polock” as a child. She talked about how ashamed she was about the fact she knew nothing, that though she had met her grandmother, she never been able to talk to her in more than smiling and nodding, because her grandmother could barely speak english. This song has made me choke up, and made me feel closer to her. Thank you for writing and singing this. It’s majorly important.
I listen too jay for almost 2 years now and i`m still not over the fact that he is not better known... that is just unfair...