[RECAP]: Jackson Wang Showcases The Power of Vulnerability With MAGICMAN2
Review & photo by Crystal Li.
Photo credit: Crystal Li/@crystall8ksat
Under a wash of moody lighting, Jackson Wang (王嘉爾) descended onto the stage at Barclays Center, strapped in wire. The sold-out arena roared for his grand entry, ready to witness a show of an artist confronting the complexities of identity, relationships, and self-discovery.
The setlist leaned heavily on MAGICMAN 2, featuring hits such as High Alone and GBAD, which felt much more emotionally stripped-down than its 2022 predecessor MAGICMAN. While I did wish to see some of his earlier works live, the song choices felt deliberate, and the overall experience was coherent with the subtle production designs.
As someone who is eminently familiar with K-pop, Mandopop/Cantopop, and Western pop music scenes, I wanted my review to focus less on the detailed breakdown of the performance, but use it as a lens to reflect on how Jackson has evolved as an artist.
Photo credit: Crystal Li/@crystall8ksat
One thing I’ve always appreciated about Jackson Wang is his honesty and ability to communicate emotions through art. During the night, he cited that he was apologetic about how the show might not have been “commercial enough.” But it just felt right given his complicated yet fascinating career as an artist.
I was filled in on an important piece of context from my friend, who I brought as a plus one – Jackson had experienced a friendship and business break up recently, which completely turned his world upside down. While I do not wish to speculate on his personal life, the journey of introspection, self-doubt, and ultimately the regain of confidence was parallel to the pace of the show.
One of the biggest highlights of the night was the short film that showcased the journey of not just Jackson Wang as an artist, but him as a person, navigating through the intricacies of stardom. It featured flashbacks of his GOT7 days, his participation in Chinese variety shows such as Please Take Care of My Refrigerator, and Street Dance of China 3, as well as footage of him with his family and friends. The VCR ended with a photo of Jackson and his parents, and he proceeded to give an emotional performance of Made Me A Man.
Photo credit: Crystal Li/@crystall8ksat
He then gave my favorite speech of the night by addressing how the world is a really messed up place right now, and it is “okay to not be okay”. It is rare for idols to talk with this much earnestness and awareness, and I really appreciated it.
Photo credit: Crystal Li/@crystall8ksat
The night closed out with a bang as Jackson walked around the entire stadium, inviting fans to come on stage to party with him. Fan interaction had long been a tradition at many Jackson Wang shows, and he somehow managed to make it more fun every time. He made sure to invite people all the way from the floor to the third floor, giving the fans in the nosebleeds a good run for their money. A VERY excited male Jackie (Jackson Wang’s official fandom name) jumped through the barriers and gave him a big hug. My only gripe was that this portion of the show went on for a bit too long, as the rest of us were waiting to dance in our seats with him. But hey, this is what you get when you are watching an artist party with everyone at a sold-out arena show.
Photo credit: Crystal Li/@crystall8ksat
The MAGICMAN2 World Tour is set to be in Latin America later this month. Although Jackson himself said he “doesn’t know when he will tour again”, we hope to see him live again in New York very soon.
