The moment I discovered Jackson Wang turned down going to the Olympics to try out a new dream, even though both of his parents were worldly athletes, I knew I had to talk to him about it. I've been digging deep in how gymnastics and my coaches have molded me for my entire life [and how it's still affecting all of my relationships], and wondered if he had thought about it too. Turns out, he hadn't connected the two as much as I've begun to either.
Having coaches as parents means you're constantly critiqued and you can always do better. You can always do more. That's how Jackson has been treating his music career. There are always more roles/jobs he can take on like directing, and always more goals to accomplish. I asked him about how his parents put the pressure on him as a kid, and how he's putting the pressure on himself now, as he fit in our conversation after a long drive and before going to bed.
It's always a great feeling when the artist isn't trying to rush away from the interview, and that happened this time. It may have taken a few minutes for him to feel comfortable and open up, but it was beautiful when he did! I hope you enjoy our chat as much as we did!