Donnie Yen's daughter Jasmine discovers self, becomes well-rounded as independent music artiste

Jasmine Yen, daughter of Hong Kong movie star Donnie Yen and his model wife Cissy Wang, was an introvert when she was young but found something to help her break out of her shell.

The 22-year-old singer-songwriter was in Singapore recently and told AsiaOne in an interview held at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park's Shared Table cafe: "I used to be very shy when I was a kid, I couldn't even make eye contact with a lot of people, even if I had known them for 10 years.

"I am really dependent on female artistes who are divas - confident and about woman empowerment. They helped me feel confident about myself."

Through her mum and aunt, she was introduced to music by Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears and Beyonce, the latter of which is her idol.

However, Lady Gaga has been the most inspirational, so much so that the Jasmine's newly released single Sweat is a salute to the versatile pop diva.

She shared: "When I was seven years old, I dressed up as Lady Gaga for Halloween. I wore a blonde wig and a very crazy silver dress to school.

"Honestly, I think none of my schoolmates knew who I dressed up as."

Jasmine added, besides finding similarities in her and Mother Monster's love for musical theatre, she appreciates the latter's "confident, I'm-just-gonna-be-myself energy", as well as her experimental and edgy approaches to music.

'My thoughts are more formed now'

Jasmine debuted in showbiz with Sony Music Entertainment's RCA Records China in 2023, performing her single Idk (I Don't Know Why This Isn't Working) at Singapore's Majulah Music Night.

She released a single Forever 19 in January 2024 and Roll With Me in June 2026.

Jasmine, who is now an independent artiste, shared: "I think I definitely grew up and matured a lot. I was younger when I debuted and it was my first time being in the industry and I think I was just very excited to write my songs and perform them.

"But now, the more that I write, the more I realised there is actually a purpose and a message that I want to share with others, which is that music really helped me become confident in myself and I want to do the same, especially for young girls."

Reflecting on her music journey, she added: "Everything in life can be taken as a learning experience. I have no regrets for sure. I learnt a lot about being in a company, but I also learnt a lot about being independent.

"I am grateful to be able to experience both. Now, it really pushed me to grow a lot as a person and not just as an artiste. Before, I was just very caught up in the music. Now, I have to learn all aspects, but I think it's also good to learn these skills in general.

"My thoughts are more formed now. I am sharpening and learning skills like leadership - I'm still working on it... and communication."

Focusing on making music for the past two years also helped her pave the direction she wants to take and build her confidence.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/Delz21TvIuX/[/embed]

Hoping to inspire listeners to be confident and be themselves

In writing the lyrics for Sweat, which Jasmine described as her "darkest" yet, she said: "A lot of people think this song is so unexpected as compared to my old music, but honestly, I always have this side to me. My friends were like, 'Oh, it's finally you.'

"I think I have many sides to myself, and when I wrote this song, I was inspired by Lady Gaga for sure. The more I thought about this, the more I thought about my love for her as a kid and I really believe that everything you do is kind of influenced by your childhood...

"When I wrote this song, I want my listeners to feel [confident], just to go crazy and be themselves."

The music video (MV) for Sweat was filmed by Sweden-based director-producer and visual artist Erik He in Stockholm, whose work also spans commercials as well as fashion films, and he had collaborated with artistes including Calvin Harris and Zara Larsson.

Jasmine shared that she was glad to have the same vision for the MV as Erik while they worked together in the creative direction, and she learnt more about herself in the process.

"I love all my songs, but visually [for songs I released before], something wasn't really speaking to me. I think this is the first time I actually feel like this is what I want to share and how I want to express myself," she added.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1fpeBn45yY[/embed]

She also did many improvisations while filming the MV to immerse herself, including doing the splits.

Jasmine laughed while recounting: "I ended up doing it like 50 times, but I am okay, because I think I am rather double-jointed, so I don't have an issue.

"But I remember while shooting the scene on the ground, and the camera was filming me from the top, my legs started to cramp, but I was like 'locked in' and kept going. I knew I am cramping, but I still had to manage my facial expressions."

'You are meant to attract who you are meant to attract'

Despite the competitive entertainment industry, Jasmine believes there is room for everyone to stand out: "You are meant to attract who you are meant to attract. The right people will find your art."

Looking back at how she began to pursue music as part of her life path, Jasmine, who started writing music at seven, said she had a dilemma at 14 years old.

She recounted: "I have always been a creative person... I also did art, I drew. If I did not pursue music, I probably would have done something in the visual arts.

"I remember giving myself a lot of pressure when I was 14 years old. I told myself I had to pick one. When I imagined myself standing on stage, I just had a feeling and instantly knew I was going to do this. So, when I was 15, I told everyone that I was going to apply to Berklee and none of them could say anything about it."

At 18, she earned a scholarship to Berklee College of Music.

Jasmine also recounted how Donnie and Cissy were reluctant for her to join the entertainment industry at first.

"They know the industry and that it can be quite complex. But after seeing how much I loved it - I also think they have eyes and ears and opinions too. If they thought there was no chance for me, they would have told me. I guess they saw something in me too, so they ended up supporting me," she shared.

Staying grounded in the spotlight

In addition to releasing a mini album in 2027, Jasmine will also be making her acting debut on the big screen.

While she can't reveal more, she hinted it would be a "massive" production.

Despite her father's successes on the silver screen, she has never considered acting.

"A lot of people asked if I wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps, but that has never been a topic on my mind. It's only because I genuinely love music so much. But I don't mind it, I don't mind challenging myself to try new things," she explained.

With her parents in the spotlight, Jasmine, who has a younger brother James, stays grounded by remembering the best advice they have given her.

She shared: "They told me to just be myself, and I think that's really important, to be real. I am pretty honest, open and direct, and I appreciate people that are authentically themselves. I like it when people are straightforward.

"I have a great and close family, they gave me the emotional support I need to be confident and they gave me motivation."

She added that open communication helps them to support and help each other.

Outside of work, Jasmine unwinds through a cup of oat milk coffee over philosophy podcasts.

On how she is navigating adulting, Jasmine remains positive, sharing that she is still learning every day.

"You can learn something from anybody. The more people you meet, the more you say 'yes' to things, the more you learn about yourself. I think especially this year, I have really stepped out of my comfort zone, and I have matured a lot," she concluded.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/Dei0Tq-kafd/?img_index=1[/embed]

[[nid:740314]]

[email protected]

No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.