Ian Chan interview: Being clear about an introverted personality can be an asset, not a handicap, for a young artist still finding his voice.
Since his start on ViuTV’s talent series King Maker, Ian Chan has cultivated a steady, reserved public image, one that some industry veterans warned could be a liability for a performer. He has learned to use that temperament as a tool rather than treat it as a flaw, channeling deliberation into craft and creative control.
Ian Chan interview: The value of side tracks
Ian Chan interview: he argues that an album is more than its singles, and that the so-called side track still gives a record depth and narrative. Research from MIDiA Research estimates about 25 percent of listeners will skip a track within five seconds on streaming platforms, a habit that has accelerated the industry toward single-driven releases.
“The beauty of an album is having side tracks,” he said. “I still enjoy making side tracks. I believe they make an album more interesting. Personally, I try at least one new sound a year, the kind of song that would be a side track, and collect the things I like so the album feels like a single, unified story.”
Ian Chan interview: His C.O.C. method for criticism
Ian has said he dislikes being passive, and recently he has taken on more roles from composing and songwriting to production so he can shape his career directly. When faced with criticism that he cannot control, he once lost sleep over it, then developed a system to respond.
He described a three-part filter he calls C.O.C., short for “Consultation,” “Opinion,” and “Comment.” “Consultation” are experience-based suggestions from seniors, which I take seriously, he said. “Opinion” are objective views from friends close to me. “Comment” is outside subjective reaction, which can contain attacking emotion and must be carefully filtered.
He laughed when asked whether the idea came from a philosophy book. “Not from a book,” he said, “I spent many nights thinking it through. I would analyze and study until I lost sleep.” The method helps him turn emotion into a more manageable, analytical process.
Ian Chan interview: Making performance meaningful
As a youth he did not fear competition on the sports field, he said, because a match is either a win or a loss and there is always another game. Performing is different, he added, because he cannot help magnifying every flaw after a show.
“The more tense I am, the worse the performance looks,” he said. “You can train like an athlete, repeat until your muscles carry you toward success, but in show business effort alone does not always guarantee success.”
He said the audience defines an artist through work, and so even if he dislikes being passive, compromise is often necessary. That feeling of powerlessness informed his new song “Still Here,” which he describes as plain and direct in both title and idea. “A good song needs a balance between artistry and accessibility,” he said. “If nobody wants to listen or spend money on it, no matter how strong the message behind it, it is pointless.”
Ian Chan interview: Personal tastes, private life
Ian said he is deliberate about what parts of himself he reveals. He collects art toys and paintings but rarely shares them on social media, because art is a private way for him to learn about himself through the immediate emotional response it produces.
He recalled seeing a work by Zao Wou-Ki and experiencing an unexpected stillness, followed by an increased heartbeat. “Art can be a way to empty your mind and then fill it with a new story,” he said.
Ian Chan interview: Lessons from giving up
Ian said persistence has cost him, and that his stubbornness sometimes hurts only himself. He remembers quitting piano as a child after losing the money his mother had set aside for lessons, a decision he still regrets.
“Once you give up, you never know how high you might have climbed,” he said. He added that he does not set many long-term goals, preferring to focus intensely on the present so that progress follows naturally.
Photography: Matt Hui
Art Direction: Mimi Kong and Matt Hui
Styling: Mimi Kong assisted by Blaire Lo
Videography: Kason Tam and Alvin Kong
Video Edit: Kason Tam and Alvin Kong
Interview: Avis Lee
Makeup: Rainbow Chung @Annie G. Chan Makeup Centre
Hair: Him Ng @The Attic
Wardrobe: Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Givenchy, Balenciaga, WilsonKaki
