kayan kenji interview: A new generation is taking the stage, and after three quiet years the music and film scenes have begun to bloom again, welcoming a fresh wave of creators.
Among the most visible of that new wave are artists who resist a single label, people who move between platforms and professions. That description fits the YouTuber, model, actor and singer kayan9896 (Ng Ka-yan, 吳家忻) and the former water polo player turned model and actor Kenji (Fan Kei-chi, 范麒智). Media outlets in Hong Kong have called both of them fashion darlings of the new generation, and seeing them together for this shoot felt novel. In front of the camera they strike a professional pose, but in private they are lively, funny young people who share a creator’s ambition.
kayan kenji interview: How they met and the chemistry on set
Watching kayan and Kenji together is entertaining, the pair trading playful barbs, bursting into laughter at each others jokes. kayan teased that if you add their names together you get “Kanji,” and the tone of this interview stayed light and mischievous throughout. On first impressions, kayan said she saw Kenji online and thought, “Wow, he is so good-looking,” then noticed how well he dressed and later learned he was younger than she expected, a “fresh face,” she laughed.
They told the interviewer, Jay Chow, that they had little overlap early on, only bumping into each other at events and shoots. One night after work they all went out for hot pot, and that is when they really connected. “We sat opposite each other,” kayan said, “I remember he was… very loud, very energetic, he knew how to bring life to the table.” She added that she had expected him to be quiet, but discovered a strong comic streak. Once, while kayan debated with a photographer which side of her face looked better, Kenji deadpanned, “Both sides are fine for me.” He meant it plainly, and the room erupted in laughter and an easy, sincere approval of his looks.
A blank canvas: careers in music and acting
Both are showing up as singer and actor respectively, and both say they are quietly putting in the work to build their skills. kayan has released four solo tracks to date, and she told the interviewer she is preparing two new songs that will sound very different from each other: one an upbeat dance track featuring Ansonbean and Akiko, the other a heartbreak ballad with an Avril Lavigne feel.
Kenji, whose profile rose after the series I SWIM, said he is quietly studying new skills and kept his plans under wraps, promising that when he finishes training there will be more to share. Both described their creative lives as like a blank sheet of paper, free of rigid expectations. “If you do it well, people are surprised that you were not formally trained,” kayan said with a laugh. Kenji compared himself to a dry sponge, ready to absorb whatever comes his way, and called recognition for honest work a welcome bonus.
Art is everywhere, and Kusama left an impression
“Art, to me, is life, it is everywhere,” kayan said, noting that everything from the clothes someone wears to a photo on a phone can be art. Kenji nodded in agreement, saying every object carries its own aesthetics and that art lives between earth and sky, in every breath. When asked which artist best embodies that relentless pursuit, both pointed to Yayoi Kusama.
The article notes Kusama as the 94-year-old “dot queen,” and it says M+ museum in Hong Kong recently showed three new works she created last year: “Pumpkin,” “Death of a Nerve,” and “Obsession of Origins Longing for Heaven’s Love,” according to M+. The pair also spoke about Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with Kusama, which translates her colorful, playful world into a clothing collection. Kenji singled out a blue bomber jacket he wore during the interview, its embroidered motifs drawn from Kusama’s “My Eternal Soul” paintings, a series she began in 2009. “My eternal soul,” he said, “that feels like the truest, most romantic way to talk about making art.”
Stay Foolish: sources of inspiration and idols
“The best way to keep creativity and momentum, I think, is to stay foolish, to look at the world from different angles and find new beauty,” kayan said. Both described themselves as still learning, drawing inspiration from films, music, art, and personal experience. When asked which performers mattered most to them, kayan named Lady Gaga, citing her music, looks and the care she brings to performance work, while Kenji picked BTS member J-Hope as someone who uses color to express a worldview.
Kenji said he is part of ARMY, and that BTS helped spark his interest in the industry. He hopes to become a creator with a distinctive memory mark, someone whose work will make audiences think of him when they see it. Kayan laughed and said she wants to be a creator who balances looks and intelligence, and that moving from being an R&B fan to a singer made her acutely aware of the professional knowledge she still needs to learn, especially in music production.
Postgame review: discipline from sports to performance
Both said self-critique is essential to improvement. “After each project I always feel there are ways to make it better,” kayan said. She admits she is nervous to listen to final mixes, while Kenji said he watches playback repeatedly, even after a release, to find mistakes and learn from them. He said that habit of meticulous review comes from his time as an athlete.
“Being an athlete taught me to find my weaknesses and drill them until they improve,” Kenji said. He added that when he discovers a shortcoming he enrolls in classes, and that insight has helped his acting. Lately he has been trying to rid himself of laziness, telling himself that even when tired he cannot use it as an excuse to skip training. He allowed with a smile that athletes are still human, and now and then it is natural to allow yourself to relax.
Credits: Executive Producer: Angus Mok. Photographer: Leung Mo. Art Direction: Mimi Kong and Leung Mo. Styling: Yoyo (kayan9896), Yoanah Chan (Kenji). Makeup: Chi Chi Li (@chichili) for kayan, @agnesypw for Kenji. Hair: Lupus Chui (@Lupus_c_hair) for kayan, @holamchong for Kenji. Set Design: Karson Liu. Interview: Jay Chow. Bite Editor: Blaire Lo. Videography: Kason Tam, Alvin Kong, Fai Wong. Video Edit: Kason Tam, Alvin Kong, Fai Wong. Wardrobe: Louis Vuitton.
