In Lay's "Veil" MV, the silver tiles we see are silver Mahjong tiles, which is a game that is made up of tiles a little like dominos. Lay's just happen to be extra fancy silver to show his status, etc. On one tile you see the Chinese character for East, which is his previous album that "Flying Apsaras" is on, and another was the Chinese character for West, which is his current album title. The instrument you hear -- which you also see being played at the beginning of the MV -- is an Erhu, which is a traditional Chinese instrument that is a little like a cross between a violin and a cello. On one of Lay's first solo albums Sheep, he has a song called "Mask" and it's all about striving to keep on the right path and to accomplish his goals even in the face of adversity, as he struggles to be accepted and understood. It's about not letting others influence your choices when you know the direction you are headed is right and to believe in yourself, etc. So, an alternate message in "Veil" could be that he is now taking the mask off and he no longer has to hide who he really is because he has accomplished some of his goals and he is learning what path he needs to take in order to find the success that he is looking for, etc. Or, he is telling others that they should be brave enough to take the mask off, etc. Check out this clip of Lay on the survival reality competition show Idol Producer, where he explains to a group of trainees the meaning behind "Mask," ruclips.net/video/6OOiszMmrN0/видео.html. Lay has also posted two dance practice videos for "Veil". You are in for a treat when you check them out. The MV was the English version of the song, however, in his first "dance practice"/performance video you can hear the Chinese version of the song. As previously mentioned, with Lay's M-Pop style, he is combining traditional Chinese sounds and instruments, like you hear in this song, with modern hip-hop and pop beats and styles to create an amalgamation of both Western and Eastern culture in order to reach a wider audience. And he showcases traditional forms of dance by combining them with modern dances in order to bring Chinese/Asian/Eastern culture to the world in a new way. As with everything Lay does, this whole song, MV and choreography was created by him. Once again, he wrote and composed and produced this song and the whole album himself, including the English lyrics. He even created the beats himself. And he also helped choreograph and direct the MV, etc. As you have discovered, when it comes to Lay's solo work, he pretty much does it all himself. He has a hand in all aspects of his solo projects.
The story in Lay's "Lit" MV, he said, is based on his favorite Chinese historical figure. In the MV he is portraying a Chinese general who has been trapped by the Han soldiers while trying to rescue his wife. The general -- who is portrayed as the character with the mask -- is a real historical figure named Xiang Yu, who fought in the battle of Gaixia. In the beginning of the MV you hear a Peking opera singer performing “The Song of Gaixia” (A traditional Chinese Opera song), which is a song that Xiang Yu composed for his wife, Lady Yu, who eventually took her own life. (Fun fact: In Lay's song "Jade," which is a song also on this album, the story is supposed to be about Lady Yu and Xiang Yu's love story.) The dancer with the long nails is a traditional Chinese dance style, and, along with the drummers, I believe it's also part of the Chinese opera performance. Lay is an ambassador for China, so one of his goals is to share Chinese culture with the world. One way he is doing this is by creating his own style of music, which he has labeled M-pop. M-Pop stands for Mixed-pop, which means he mixes traditional Chinese elements and sounds with mainstream pop and hip-hop beats and styles -- combining old school Chinese culture with new modern hip-hop and contemporary beats and styles. As he says in "Lit," "I am the King ... bringing China to the world." And that's pretty much a fact: He has king-maker status in the music and entertainment industry and he has a lot of international influence, which allows him to bring Chinese culture to the world. Everything about this song and MV is a poetic, cinematic masterpiece. For example, the word Lotus in Chinese sounds a little like Lit in English. (Another play on words, just like the Chinese pronunciation of Jade sounds like Yu, or you in English, which Lay cleverly used in his song "Jade." Get it? Jade = Yu and Jade = you.) Lay used lotus (Lit) as a metaphor for no matter how hard people try to bring him down, he will stand strong and survive through anything the world throws at him, like a lotus flower. The Lotus often represents purity. The Lotus is special because it grows in the mud, but out of the most dirty and unforgiving conditions, blooms one of the most beautiful flowers. The Lotus is a famous symbol in Chinese culture and it often represents how something good and pure can grow and triumph despite what you would think are harsh conditions. Lay has said that the idea for "Lit" comes from the fact that his haters have been calling him "White Lotus," which refers to someone who acts innocent, and uses it for his gain and plays the victim all the time. So when he wrote the song he took that negativity and embraced it and turned it into something positive. So, in other words, he is saying: "You thought you could bring me down, but you are wrong. I am not a fake white lotus, but I am a true lotus who is LIT. I am more powerful than you know and I will rise above all your negativity and show you how I grow even stronger and more beautiful no matter how much mud and dirt I have to go through," etc. The dragon is a very powerful symbol in Chinese culture, and it is even said that if you are Chinese you are a descendant of the dragon. Chinese dragons traditionally symbolize vitality, strength and good luck. In one interview I read, Lay also talked about how he has two dragons inside him -- a good dragon and a bad dragon. He said he always chooses to listen to the good dragon. The good dragon is the one who is protecting him and helping him through all his hardships and difficult times. So the main theme of "Lit" is about fighting his inner self and learning to ignore and overcome the people who are trying to knock him down. Lay is is a singer, rapper, songwriter, composer, producer actor, director, editor, dancer, designer, etc. -- genius -- and with every new release of his, he just one ups himself. And "Lit" is a prime example of that. If you take the time to read the credits at the end of this video, you will see this MV was produced by Zhangyixing Studios, which is named after Lay (Zhang Yixing is Lay's real name, Lay is a stage name given to him by SM Entertainment) -- he owns the studio. So, the credits show, Lay has his hand in almost every aspect of this production. It's his name you will see dozens of times in the credits. He is the one that wrote and composed the song, as well as the beat. He is also executive producer (So, this production was all financed by him), he came up with the storyline, he helped choreograph and he helped direct the MV, etc. This MV took more than 6 months to make and more than $1.4 million to produce. And it was all done by Lay. They actually filmed at one of the largest and most well known film studios in China and had more than 50 extras. What you saw was the real temple. The dragon was CGI, but the rest of the set is all real. You should check out the making of film, ruclips.net/video/x_K39ntCEXw/видео.html, and Lay's "dance practice"/choreography video for "Lit," ruclips.net/video/9Yefy6iw0As/видео.html, to really see how things were made. Within the Chinese music industry and dance community, Lay is regarded as an industry expert that pretty much all other dancers and musicians look up to -- he is one of EXO's main dancers. He has even been credited with making Krump a mainstream dance style in China, and he is one of China's leading experts when it comes to Krump. (Lay's first Krump teacher is Trix who is from Korea and is considered one of the best Krumpers in the industry.) Lay's dancers are always very international, they are usually from all over the world, all races and genders and they speak all different languages. Lay's goal is always to seek out the best of the best and to surround himself with experts in everything he does. He wants to learn as much as possible and to be as diverse as possible about all styles of dance and cultures. And he doesn't just casually learn a new style of dance, when Lay puts his mind to something he goes all in and immerses himself in it with a goal of becoming the best at it. That is why he is regarded as an expert at so many different things, because he becomes so involved and studies and practices so much that he eventually surpasses his teachers.
Seeing the Peking opera stuff he's incorporated into Lit and some performances took me right back to 2016 and watching Lay's character in The Mystic Nine/Old Nine Gates^.^
Lit has similar pronunciation as lotus flower in Chinese, and it describes a Chinese religious belief of the duality of life and death. In lit mv, general Xiang Yu (the person who got killed in the beginning of the mv, and the one in Peking opera costume) who is a very famous war hero 3333 years ago, is the past life and Lay in modern clothes is the present life. Dragon is the spirit and soul, and the lotus flower and witch help pass along the spirit. Another meaning of Lotus flower is the symbol of growth and purity because it grows and blossoms out of mud. Some people also use it to describe someone who is pure and innocent in appearance but maybe opposite inside. Lay’s antis used to call him white lotus because they don’t believe such a huge star could be so honest, humble, hard working and respectful to others. They also mock at his dream of bringing Chinese music to the world, saying that all of his hard work and effort will go in vain. This song is Lay’s answer to their bully. “No one beat me down, I walk my own path, I’m the lit”.
"Honey" is another one of Lay's solo English songs and it's in English because it was a follow up to his previous album Namanana. (Namanana was Lay's 2018 U.S. debut album, so all the songs on that album have a Mandarin and an all-English version.) You heard Lay listening to his song "Give Me a Chance" on his earbuds at the beginning of the "Honey" MV and that is one of his songs and MVs from his Namanana album. Because Lay was not allowed to promote in Korea at this time due to the issues between the Chinese and Korean government, SM found a way to promote him as part of EXO's storyline by partnering with him to release English songs and to tie his MVs in with EXO's story. Everything EXO does, including several of Lay's solo releases -- such as "Sheep," "Namanana" and "Honey" -- all tie into the fact that he is a member of EXO. It's SM's way of making sure that even though he might not be able to work with the members, that they show fans that his storyline and presence as part of EXO is still really important to Lay and SM. When it comes to EXO, one thing you have to keep in mind is that absolutely everything they are involved in is connected to their concept and storyline, including a majority of the members' solo work. So, the story in Lay's "Honey" MV is just another piece of EXO's story. To explain the story in "Honey," some fan theories say that the fact that the weather lady on the TV is talking about the changing weather and the pressure system, could be a nod to the unsettled conditions within EXO's current storyline and how currently the members are struggling to distance themselves from the Red Force, etc. And because you hear her speaking with a British accent, this might be a clue to tell us where Lay is right now within EXO's storyline, and it might explain why the other EXO members seem to be sending him messages -- as we see with the bee and the blackout, etc. Some theories say, the mechanical bee has been sent by either one or more of the EXO members or it could be sent by the Red Force. The bee is either a message or a warning sent to Lay (although I am not sure what that exact message is.) And I think, the fact that the bee passes through the glass, might be Kai using his power of teleportation to allow it to pass through it -- or more like, transported to the other side of the glass. And then the lights in the entire city go out as if in a blackout, which I think might be Baekhyun using his power, which is the ability to control light, or Chen, who has the ability to control electricity. Plus, as Lay's power counterpart, it makes sense that Baekhyun would feel the pull to want to find Lay. Chen is a member of EXO-M along with Lay, so he would also have a heightened reason to want to find Lay. EXO needs Lay to help protect them and to heal all the things that are going on around them. And Kai's whole mission is to find the other EXO members and bring them back together to stop the Red Force. Also, I think it's interesting that Lay, as a member of EXO, has the power of healing, and honey is known for its natural homeopathic healing and medicinal properties. And in parts of the MV, we see Lay submerged in a pool of honey, almost as if he might be using it to recharge and gain strength. I have no idea what this all means, but I just thought it was an interesting parallel. If you notice, the part of the choreography where Lay is standing in the middle and the dancers are all round him as he spins around, I am pretty sure that is supposed to be depicting a flower as it blooms, which is what is attracting the "bee" to him. :D On the flip side, the story in the song also is saying that Lay is a bee and he is looking for his "honey," that's why he is in a honeycomb/beehive or in a pool of honey the whole time. I think what he is saying in the lyrics is that, "Be my honey and be available to me when I want you, but 'please don't catch no feelings' because you have to know that we can have fun together, but I can't invest all my time and energy into you the way I should if we were in a relationship." In other words, he is too busy and too popular to be exclusive right now. He needs to keep the girl at a safe distance for both of their emotional safety, etc. This also plays into the theory within EXO's storyline that the "girl" is a manifestation of the heart of the Tree of Life and that is why the members of EXO are always rescuing or protecting the girl, etc. And why all of EXO's songs are about being in love with a girl or being controlled by the power of the girl. Which could possibly explain the lyrics in "Honey." If you think of the girl as the heart, it might explain why Lay "wants her," but needs to keep her at a distance to protect her, etc. When you think of her as the heart of the Tree of Life, you begin to see even more parallels to EXO's story and even more ways to connect it all together. Did you notice the spinning honeycomb in the middle of the MV? That spinning honeycomb is a nod to the fact that even as a solo artist, he is still part of EXO. The hexagon is EXO's symbol, and if you pay close attention to that spinning honeycomb, you will see that it says EXO in the middle as it spins. So this is Lay's and SM's way of making sure that we never forget that he is part of EXO and that even if he isn't able to work with the group, he still makes sure to show just how important they are to him. As you can see, EXO's MVs are more complex than what you see on the surface. However, often -- although the stories in the MVs are loosely based on the lyrics -- many times the story in the MV and the lyrics in the song are two separate things. The lyrics don't necessarily always go with the story in the MV. Often EXO's songs are about being in love with a girl and wanting to be with her, but the story in the MV is about them working to complete their mission and to fight against the Red Force, etc. Everything EXO does has many layers and it has multiple means and messages, including any of the member's solo work. There are always two levels to every EXO song, one designed to grab the casual listener that has no idea about EXO's storyline, and one that, if you look deeper, you discover has hidden meanings and messages that all connects to EXO's mission here on Earth. Lay is a trendsetter in China. The things he does with his music and career is not like what most Chinese artists are doing. Among many things, he is breaking ground by being one of the very first Chinese artists to ever chart in the U.S. For the sheer fact that he is Asian and making a name for himself outside of the Asian music market, is trendsetting. He is breaking new ground in the music industry with every new release he has. For any of us that know EXO, and especially Lay, "Honey" is kind of exactly what we would expect from him. This is just the sexy, cool kind of song and amazing choreography that Lay is known for. All the guys want to be him and all the girls want to be with him. If you look at the credits for this album, Lay, once again wrote and composed and produced this song and the whole album himself, including the English lyrics. He even created the beats himself. And he also helped choreograph and direct the MV, etc. When it comes to Lay's solo work he pretty much does it all himself. He has a hand in all aspects of his solo projects. And that is why he is known as China's national producer. Lay is one of the top dancers in the industry and it's his solo work where he really gets to showcase what an amazing dancer he really is. He literally spends at least 6 hours in the dance studio every day and that's usually after he has completed a full slate of activities as an idol and company CEO, such as filming variety shows, acting, filming commercials, promoting products, running his companies, etc. You should check out the documentary he did as he was preparing for one of his solo concerts, for the TV show Only 3 Days, ruclips.net/video/V0jjBXQKhk4/видео.html, to really see how hard he works. Lay has been a main producer/coach and trainer on numerous Idol trainee survival reality TV shows in China where he helps to prepare trainees as they complete for a sport in a new C-pop group. And he has even started his own Idol trainee company in China called Chromosome where he is passing on his talents to the next generation. (And he's not just the face of his companies, he is hands-on with everything he does.) He was even a team captain on the dance competition show Street Dance of China season 3 in 2020 and season 4 in 2021, where he competed with and against some the top street dancers from around the world. He is one of the most well respected singers, dancers and music producers in China. If you like his dancing, you have to check out Lay's dance practice video for "Honey."
Our one and only Lay Zhang. He is the most hardworking artist you'll ever know. We miss him having a comeback with EXO. Don't Fight The Feeling album was his latest comeback with EXO. The MV of that is so cool too. tho he was edited (CGI) because it was released during the Pandemic. You might want to check it out too. Thank you for this reaction
Lay iz super talented! He had many masterpiece that I really love. His latest collaboration with Lauv Run Back To You is super nice! I am excited for his coming album this year! It gonna ne Lit! 😊
with Lay it's a bit complicated, for him EXO is still his group but with the complicated relationship between China and Korea it's been really hard for him to comeback and promote with them without getting any issue from chinese and korean netizens.
OMG, you reacted to Lay! Love him❤. Him and Ten are the smoothest and sexiest guys. I'm so glad he left SM. SM would have only limited him. I sometimes wish Ten would do the same thing..
EXO Lay “HONEY” - When it came out I literally died in every scene, I mean i’ve seen him shirtless many times but his swagger vocals & dancing is what attracted me since day one with EXO. My boy became an Alpha Bee 🐝, I personally don’t listen to rap in general in english but LAY does it so well even tho he’s Chinese; I do love his Mandarin version better and to be honest the english lyrics make the song feel too westernized but he kills it. He filmed the intro at a Grand Hotel in luxurious penthouse suite in Seoul, South Korea (reflection in the window) where high-class people stay whenever they visit and our boy Yixing is one of those people especially in China. *Please don’t think inappropriately about what he’s saying b/c it’s not what you think; I won’t lie the song itself is a bit cringy which gives others such a wrong idea what he’s saying when he says “I need a taste ... honey”.* IN AN INTERVIEW HE EXPLAINS THE SONG MEANING THAT ITS INSPIRED BY HIS FANS’ LOVE FOR HIM WHICH IS SWEET & PRECIOUS LIKE “HONEY”, YOU’LL JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM MORE. Its disappointing no one noticed the EXO shape being disguised as honeycomb pattern and during interviews he’s started many times expressed his love for his Korean brothers and has no plans on leaving the group (but im sure his control freak government did everything they could to keep him busy in order to keep him from EXO 🤬. Anyhow im so proud of his achievements and success. This was his 4th or 5th comeback as a Cpop soloist, which has been about five years too long now since he started his solo work on top of having to do Chinese related events and so on. #Honey #LayZhang #EXO
He is the best dancer in EXO but he wasn't as pushed as the Korean members.. Also, I think it's clear that Lay is not going back to Kpop. Based on his MVs alone I think he wants to represent China now. Plus there's the fact that SM isn't known for treating their foreign idols well. He still loves his EXO members though.
I would say it's a tie between Kai and Lay for best dancer. Yeah you're right about Lay not coming back to Korea for Kpop - he makes so much more money in China (he's the top C-pop artist). Actually the other two Chinese former members of Exo - Luhan and Tao (we won't talk about Kris) are all HUGE stars in Korea. Part of the issue is that foreign members in Kpop make less than Korean idols (has to do with Korean law).
@@jamesrawlins735 for most people it seems that way. I just prefer Lay. He has that balance and smoothness I love. Not saying Kai isn't smooth. Just that he has that powerful animalistic thing when he dances and I prefer smooth and effortless and balanced types like Lay and Ten. Like power is great but it's not always the way to attack a choreo..
You have to check out his Flying Asparas dance practice, it is mind-blowing.
In Lay's "Veil" MV, the silver tiles we see are silver Mahjong tiles, which is a game that is made up of tiles a little like dominos. Lay's just happen to be extra fancy silver to show his status, etc. On one tile you see the Chinese character for East, which is his previous album that "Flying Apsaras" is on, and another was the Chinese character for West, which is his current album title.
The instrument you hear -- which you also see being played at the beginning of the MV -- is an Erhu, which is a traditional Chinese instrument that is a little like a cross between a violin and a cello.
On one of Lay's first solo albums Sheep, he has a song called "Mask" and it's all about striving to keep on the right path and to accomplish his goals even in the face of adversity, as he struggles to be accepted and understood. It's about not letting others influence your choices when you know the direction you are headed is right and to believe in yourself, etc. So, an alternate message in "Veil" could be that he is now taking the mask off and he no longer has to hide who he really is because he has accomplished some of his goals and he is learning what path he needs to take in order to find the success that he is looking for, etc. Or, he is telling others that they should be brave enough to take the mask off, etc. Check out this clip of Lay on the survival reality competition show Idol Producer, where he explains to a group of trainees the meaning behind "Mask," ruclips.net/video/6OOiszMmrN0/видео.html.
Lay has also posted two dance practice videos for "Veil". You are in for a treat when you check them out. The MV was the English version of the song, however, in his first "dance practice"/performance video you can hear the Chinese version of the song.
As previously mentioned, with Lay's M-Pop style, he is combining traditional Chinese sounds and instruments, like you hear in this song, with modern hip-hop and pop beats and styles to create an amalgamation of both Western and Eastern culture in order to reach a wider audience. And he showcases traditional forms of dance by combining them with modern dances in order to bring Chinese/Asian/Eastern culture to the world in a new way.
As with everything Lay does, this whole song, MV and choreography was created by him. Once again, he wrote and composed and produced this song and the whole album himself, including the English lyrics. He even created the beats himself. And he also helped choreograph and direct the MV, etc. As you have discovered, when it comes to Lay's solo work, he pretty much does it all himself. He has a hand in all aspects of his solo projects.
The story in Lay's "Lit" MV, he said, is based on his favorite Chinese historical figure. In the MV he is portraying a Chinese general who has been trapped by the Han soldiers while trying to rescue his wife. The general -- who is portrayed as the character with the mask -- is a real historical figure named Xiang Yu, who fought in the battle of Gaixia. In the beginning of the MV you hear a Peking opera singer performing “The Song of Gaixia” (A traditional Chinese Opera song), which is a song that Xiang Yu composed for his wife, Lady Yu, who eventually took her own life. (Fun fact: In Lay's song "Jade," which is a song also on this album, the story is supposed to be about Lady Yu and Xiang Yu's love story.)
The dancer with the long nails is a traditional Chinese dance style, and, along with the drummers, I believe it's also part of the Chinese opera performance.
Lay is an ambassador for China, so one of his goals is to share Chinese culture with the world. One way he is doing this is by creating his own style of music, which he has labeled M-pop. M-Pop stands for Mixed-pop, which means he mixes traditional Chinese elements and sounds with mainstream pop and hip-hop beats and styles -- combining old school Chinese culture with new modern hip-hop and contemporary beats and styles. As he says in "Lit," "I am the King ... bringing China to the world." And that's pretty much a fact: He has king-maker status in the music and entertainment industry and he has a lot of international influence, which allows him to bring Chinese culture to the world.
Everything about this song and MV is a poetic, cinematic masterpiece. For example, the word Lotus in Chinese sounds a little like Lit in English. (Another play on words, just like the Chinese pronunciation of Jade sounds like Yu, or you in English, which Lay cleverly used in his song "Jade." Get it? Jade = Yu and Jade = you.) Lay used lotus (Lit) as a metaphor for no matter how hard people try to bring him down, he will stand strong and survive through anything the world throws at him, like a lotus flower. The Lotus often represents purity. The Lotus is special because it grows in the mud, but out of the most dirty and unforgiving conditions, blooms one of the most beautiful flowers. The Lotus is a famous symbol in Chinese culture and it often represents how something good and pure can grow and triumph despite what you would think are harsh conditions.
Lay has said that the idea for "Lit" comes from the fact that his haters have been calling him "White Lotus," which refers to someone who acts innocent, and uses it for his gain and plays the victim all the time. So when he wrote the song he took that negativity and embraced it and turned it into something positive. So, in other words, he is saying: "You thought you could bring me down, but you are wrong. I am not a fake white lotus, but I am a true lotus who is LIT. I am more powerful than you know and I will rise above all your negativity and show you how I grow even stronger and more beautiful no matter how much mud and dirt I have to go through," etc.
The dragon is a very powerful symbol in Chinese culture, and it is even said that if you are Chinese you are a descendant of the dragon. Chinese dragons traditionally symbolize vitality, strength and good luck. In one interview I read, Lay also talked about how he has two dragons inside him -- a good dragon and a bad dragon. He said he always chooses to listen to the good dragon. The good dragon is the one who is protecting him and helping him through all his hardships and difficult times. So the main theme of "Lit" is about fighting his inner self and learning to ignore and overcome the people who are trying to knock him down.
Lay is is a singer, rapper, songwriter, composer, producer actor, director, editor, dancer, designer, etc. -- genius -- and with every new release of his, he just one ups himself. And "Lit" is a prime example of that.
If you take the time to read the credits at the end of this video, you will see this MV was produced by Zhangyixing Studios, which is named after Lay (Zhang Yixing is Lay's real name, Lay is a stage name given to him by SM Entertainment) -- he owns the studio. So, the credits show, Lay has his hand in almost every aspect of this production. It's his name you will see dozens of times in the credits. He is the one that wrote and composed the song, as well as the beat. He is also executive producer (So, this production was all financed by him), he came up with the storyline, he helped choreograph and he helped direct the MV, etc.
This MV took more than 6 months to make and more than $1.4 million to produce. And it was all done by Lay. They actually filmed at one of the largest and most well known film studios in China and had more than 50 extras. What you saw was the real temple. The dragon was CGI, but the rest of the set is all real.
You should check out the making of film, ruclips.net/video/x_K39ntCEXw/видео.html, and Lay's "dance practice"/choreography video for "Lit," ruclips.net/video/9Yefy6iw0As/видео.html, to really see how things were made.
Within the Chinese music industry and dance community, Lay is regarded as an industry expert that pretty much all other dancers and musicians look up to -- he is one of EXO's main dancers. He has even been credited with making Krump a mainstream dance style in China, and he is one of China's leading experts when it comes to Krump.
(Lay's first Krump teacher is Trix who is from Korea and is considered one of the best Krumpers in the industry.)
Lay's dancers are always very international, they are usually from all over the world, all races and genders and they speak all different languages. Lay's goal is always to seek out the best of the best and to surround himself with experts in everything he does. He wants to learn as much as possible and to be as diverse as possible about all styles of dance and cultures.
And he doesn't just casually learn a new style of dance, when Lay puts his mind to something he goes all in and immerses himself in it with a goal of becoming the best at it. That is why he is regarded as an expert at so many different things, because he becomes so involved and studies and practices so much that he eventually surpasses his teachers.
Seeing the Peking opera stuff he's incorporated into Lit and some performances took me right back to 2016 and watching Lay's character in The Mystic Nine/Old Nine Gates^.^
Lit has similar pronunciation as lotus flower in Chinese, and it describes a Chinese religious belief of the duality of life and death. In lit mv, general Xiang Yu (the person who got killed in the beginning of the mv, and the one in Peking opera costume) who is a very famous war hero 3333 years ago, is the past life and Lay in modern clothes is the present life. Dragon is the spirit and soul, and the lotus flower and witch help pass along the spirit.
Another meaning of Lotus flower is the symbol of growth and purity because it grows and blossoms out of mud. Some people also use it to describe someone who is pure and innocent in appearance but maybe opposite inside. Lay’s antis used to call him white lotus because they don’t believe such a huge star could be so honest, humble, hard working and respectful to others. They also mock at his dream of bringing Chinese music to the world, saying that all of his hard work and effort will go in vain. This song is Lay’s answer to their bully. “No one beat me down, I walk my own path, I’m the lit”.
"Honey" is another one of Lay's solo English songs and it's in English because it was a follow up to his previous album Namanana. (Namanana was Lay's 2018 U.S. debut album, so all the songs on that album have a Mandarin and an all-English version.) You heard Lay listening to his song "Give Me a Chance" on his earbuds at the beginning of the "Honey" MV and that is one of his songs and MVs from his Namanana album.
Because Lay was not allowed to promote in Korea at this time due to the issues between the Chinese and Korean government, SM found a way to promote him as part of EXO's storyline by partnering with him to release English songs and to tie his MVs in with EXO's story. Everything EXO does, including several of Lay's solo releases -- such as "Sheep," "Namanana" and "Honey" -- all tie into the fact that he is a member of EXO. It's SM's way of making sure that even though he might not be able to work with the members, that they show fans that his storyline and presence as part of EXO is still really important to Lay and SM.
When it comes to EXO, one thing you have to keep in mind is that absolutely everything they are involved in is connected to their concept and storyline, including a majority of the members' solo work. So, the story in Lay's "Honey" MV is just another piece of EXO's story.
To explain the story in "Honey," some fan theories say that the fact that the weather lady on the TV is talking about the changing weather and the pressure system, could be a nod to the unsettled conditions within EXO's current storyline and how currently the members are struggling to distance themselves from the Red Force, etc. And because you hear her speaking with a British accent, this might be a clue to tell us where Lay is right now within EXO's storyline, and it might explain why the other EXO members seem to be sending him messages -- as we see with the bee and the blackout, etc.
Some theories say, the mechanical bee has been sent by either one or more of the EXO members or it could be sent by the Red Force. The bee is either a message or a warning sent to Lay (although I am not sure what that exact message is.) And I think, the fact that the bee passes through the glass, might be Kai using his power of teleportation to allow it to pass through it -- or more like, transported to the other side of the glass.
And then the lights in the entire city go out as if in a blackout, which I think might be Baekhyun using his power, which is the ability to control light, or Chen, who has the ability to control electricity. Plus, as Lay's power counterpart, it makes sense that Baekhyun would feel the pull to want to find Lay. Chen is a member of EXO-M along with Lay, so he would also have a heightened reason to want to find Lay.
EXO needs Lay to help protect them and to heal all the things that are going on around them. And Kai's whole mission is to find the other EXO members and bring them back together to stop the Red Force.
Also, I think it's interesting that Lay, as a member of EXO, has the power of healing, and honey is known for its natural homeopathic healing and medicinal properties. And in parts of the MV, we see Lay submerged in a pool of honey, almost as if he might be using it to recharge and gain strength. I have no idea what this all means, but I just thought it was an interesting parallel.
If you notice, the part of the choreography where Lay is standing in the middle and the dancers are all round him as he spins around, I am pretty sure that is supposed to be depicting a flower as it blooms, which is what is attracting the "bee" to him. :D
On the flip side, the story in the song also is saying that Lay is a bee and he is looking for his "honey," that's why he is in a honeycomb/beehive or in a pool of honey the whole time. I think what he is saying in the lyrics is that, "Be my honey and be available to me when I want you, but 'please don't catch no feelings' because you have to know that we can have fun together, but I can't invest all my time and energy into you the way I should if we were in a relationship." In other words, he is too busy and too popular to be exclusive right now. He needs to keep the girl at a safe distance for both of their emotional safety, etc.
This also plays into the theory within EXO's storyline that the "girl" is a manifestation of the heart of the Tree of Life and that is why the members of EXO are always rescuing or protecting the girl, etc. And why all of EXO's songs are about being in love with a girl or being controlled by the power of the girl. Which could possibly explain the lyrics in "Honey." If you think of the girl as the heart, it might explain why Lay "wants her," but needs to keep her at a distance to protect her, etc. When you think of her as the heart of the Tree of Life, you begin to see even more parallels to EXO's story and even more ways to connect it all together.
Did you notice the spinning honeycomb in the middle of the MV? That spinning honeycomb is a nod to the fact that even as a solo artist, he is still part of EXO. The hexagon is EXO's symbol, and if you pay close attention to that spinning honeycomb, you will see that it says EXO in the middle as it spins. So this is Lay's and SM's way of making sure that we never forget that he is part of EXO and that even if he isn't able to work with the group, he still makes sure to show just how important they are to him.
As you can see, EXO's MVs are more complex than what you see on the surface. However, often -- although the stories in the MVs are loosely based on the lyrics -- many times the story in the MV and the lyrics in the song are two separate things. The lyrics don't necessarily always go with the story in the MV. Often EXO's songs are about being in love with a girl and wanting to be with her, but the story in the MV is about them working to complete their mission and to fight against the Red Force, etc. Everything EXO does has many layers and it has multiple means and messages, including any of the member's solo work. There are always two levels to every EXO song, one designed to grab the casual listener that has no idea about EXO's storyline, and one that, if you look deeper, you discover has hidden meanings and messages that all connects to EXO's mission here on Earth.
Lay is a trendsetter in China. The things he does with his music and career is not like what most Chinese artists are doing. Among many things, he is breaking ground by being one of the very first Chinese artists to ever chart in the U.S. For the sheer fact that he is Asian and making a name for himself outside of the Asian music market, is trendsetting. He is breaking new ground in the music industry with every new release he has.
For any of us that know EXO, and especially Lay, "Honey" is kind of exactly what we would expect from him. This is just the sexy, cool kind of song and amazing choreography that Lay is known for. All the guys want to be him and all the girls want to be with him. If you look at the credits for this album, Lay, once again wrote and composed and produced this song and the whole album himself, including the English lyrics. He even created the beats himself. And he also helped choreograph and direct the MV, etc. When it comes to Lay's solo work he pretty much does it all himself. He has a hand in all aspects of his solo projects. And that is why he is known as China's national producer.
Lay is one of the top dancers in the industry and it's his solo work where he really gets to showcase what an amazing dancer he really is. He literally spends at least 6 hours in the dance studio every day and that's usually after he has completed a full slate of activities as an idol and company CEO, such as filming variety shows, acting, filming commercials, promoting products, running his companies, etc. You should check out the documentary he did as he was preparing for one of his solo concerts, for the TV show Only 3 Days, ruclips.net/video/V0jjBXQKhk4/видео.html, to really see how hard he works.
Lay has been a main producer/coach and trainer on numerous Idol trainee survival reality TV shows in China where he helps to prepare trainees as they complete for a sport in a new C-pop group. And he has even started his own Idol trainee company in China called Chromosome where he is passing on his talents to the next generation. (And he's not just the face of his companies, he is hands-on with everything he does.) He was even a team captain on the dance competition show Street Dance of China season 3 in 2020 and season 4 in 2021, where he competed with and against some the top street dancers from around the world. He is one of the most well respected singers, dancers and music producers in China.
If you like his dancing, you have to check out Lay's dance practice video for "Honey."
Our one and only Lay Zhang. He is the most hardworking artist you'll ever know. We miss him having a comeback with EXO. Don't Fight The Feeling album was his latest comeback with EXO. The MV of that is so cool too. tho he was edited (CGI) because it was released during the Pandemic. You might want to check it out too. Thank you for this reaction
Everything you thought you heard in "Honey you did hear. Lol The lyrics were spicy! 🥵
Lay is a phenomenal performer and artist who knows how to make a impact in the music industry whenever he decides to release new music
The KING OF CHINA!!
lay always be swag and fire🚒🚒
Lay, he is the best for me
Lay is my King of Stage, super obsessed of him.
Lay iz super talented! He had many masterpiece that I really love. His latest collaboration with Lauv Run Back To You is super nice! I am excited for his coming album this year! It gonna ne Lit! 😊
11:43 He paid out of pocket for LIT production, what a beast Lol in a good way 🫰
19:09 He master of wordplay, likes to keep you on our toes Lol 😅
with Lay it's a bit complicated, for him EXO is still his group but with the complicated relationship between China and Korea it's been really hard for him to comeback and promote with them without getting any issue from chinese and korean netizens.
I absolutely love veil! His energy, aura and everything in live performances is crazy!
Check out Jason Derulo's song SHUT UP AND DANCE. Lay and NCT are in it. It's 🔥.
OMG, you reacted to Lay! Love him❤. Him and Ten are the smoothest and sexiest guys. I'm so glad he left SM. SM would have only limited him. I sometimes wish Ten would do the same thing..
Ge is superb Super talented
Thank you very much for the video LAY ZHANG . 💯💯💯💓💓
EXO Lay “HONEY” - When it came out I literally died in every scene, I mean i’ve seen him shirtless many times but his swagger vocals & dancing is what attracted me since day one with EXO. My boy became an Alpha Bee 🐝, I personally don’t listen to rap in general in english but LAY does it so well even tho he’s Chinese; I do love his Mandarin version better and to be honest the english lyrics make the song feel too westernized but he kills it. He filmed the intro at a Grand Hotel in luxurious penthouse suite in Seoul, South Korea (reflection in the window) where high-class people stay whenever they visit and our boy Yixing is one of those people especially in China. *Please don’t think inappropriately about what he’s saying b/c it’s not what you think; I won’t lie the song itself is a bit cringy which gives others such a wrong idea what he’s saying when he says “I need a taste ... honey”.*
IN AN INTERVIEW HE EXPLAINS THE SONG MEANING THAT ITS INSPIRED BY HIS FANS’ LOVE FOR HIM WHICH IS SWEET & PRECIOUS LIKE “HONEY”, YOU’LL JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM MORE. Its disappointing no one noticed the EXO shape being disguised as honeycomb pattern and during interviews he’s started many times expressed his love for his Korean brothers and has no plans on leaving the group (but im sure his control freak government did everything they could to keep him busy in order to keep him from EXO 🤬. Anyhow im so proud of his achievements and success. This was his 4th or 5th comeback as a Cpop soloist, which has been about five years too long now since he started his solo work on top of having to do Chinese related events and so on. #Honey #LayZhang #EXO
He is my man, may idol with so much abilities. Zhang Yixing is talented person. I Love him so much as a hard work person.
Girls... it's been a long time since I said this & I also almost forget abt this lol..
fyi, Lay is also known as hip-thrust king 🤣🤣🤣
it was great, thank you, hope to see you react more Lay
😂ALL I SAY IS RIP LADIES CUUZZ LAY GOING TAKE YOUR SOULS.
He is the best dancer in EXO but he wasn't as pushed as the Korean members.. Also, I think it's clear that Lay is not going back to Kpop. Based on his MVs alone I think he wants to represent China now. Plus there's the fact that SM isn't known for treating their foreign idols well. He still loves his EXO members though.
I would say it's a tie between Kai and Lay for best dancer. Yeah you're right about Lay not coming back to Korea for Kpop - he makes so much more money in China (he's the top C-pop artist). Actually the other two Chinese former members of Exo - Luhan and Tao (we won't talk about Kris) are all HUGE stars in Korea. Part of the issue is that foreign members in Kpop make less than Korean idols (has to do with Korean law).
@@jamesrawlins735 for most people it seems that way. I just prefer Lay. He has that balance and smoothness I love. Not saying Kai isn't smooth. Just that he has that powerful animalistic thing when he dances and I prefer smooth and effortless and balanced types like Lay and Ten. Like power is great but it's not always the way to attack a choreo..
I recommend you LAY joker lyrics performance firework + Boom lyrics performance firework please 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Seconding this. If you go to Lay's channel, he has the performance videos from his free online concert that he did for his fans
More video Lay Zhang please 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Please react to lays older songs haven’t seen a reaction to namanana and give me a chance in a long time and also many others that are amazing 🤩
I feel like you should react to Lay peach if you haven't already. 😏
I recommend you LAY Honey performance firework dance practice lit performance firework dance practice please
Lay is most definitely still part exo since he still introduces himself as an exo member. So excited for the day all exo members leave SM together
made in exo..😊
Please react to XODIAC kpop boy group making a comeback with their single titled only fun