Huang Zitao

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Huang.

Huang Zitao
Huang Zitao at the Ports 1961 Opening Ceremony in Shanghai in 2015
Chinese name	黄子韬
Pinyin	Huáng Zǐtāo (Mandarin)
Ethnicity	Han Chinese
Born	(1993-05-02) May 2, 1993 Qingdao, Shandong, China
Other name(s)	Edison Huang Z.Tao Tao
Occupation	Rapper singer-songwriter actor martial artist
Genre(s)	C-pop K-pop R&B hip hop dance
Instrument(s)	Vocals guitar
Label(s)	S.M. Entertainment Huang Z.Tao Studio
Years active	2012–present
Associated acts	EXO EXO-M SM Town
Alma mater	Qingdao Foreign Service Vocational School

Huang Zitao (Chinese: 黄子韬; pinyin: Huáng Zǐtāo; born May 2, 1993), better known as Tao, is a Chinese rapper, singer-songwriter, actor and martial artist. He is a former member of the K-pop boy group EXO and its Mandarin language sub-unit EXO-M, having filed a lawsuit against S.M. Entertainment and left the group in 2015. That year, he made his solo debut with the three-track, digitally released mini-album T.A.O, under the new stage name Z.Tao. This debut album proceeded to break digital sales records by selling a total of 670,000 copies within its first week of release.

Biography

Early life and career beginnings

Huang Zitao was born in Qingdao, Shandong, China. As a child, he undertook Wushu training, and became a student athlete. In late 2010, he reluctantly accompanied a friend to an MBC Star Audition which was hosting a global talent search and was immediately scouted by a representative from S.M. Entertainment.

2011–2014: Exo

Main article: Exo (band)

Huang Zitao at the Golden Disk Awards in 2013

On December 27, 2011, Zitao was formally introduced as the third member of Exo, with the stage name Tao, through a teaser posted on S.M. Entertainment's official YouTube channel. He made his first appearance at the SBS Gayo Daejeon event on December 29. In the following years, EXO was met with global success as a group.

In late 2013, Zitao took part in filming for MBC's celebrity diving program Splash!. However, after a run of four episodes, the show was cancelled when a number of celebrities (including Zitao) were reportedly injured. The series aired from August 23, 2013 to September 13, 2013.

In 2014, Zitao appeared in the music videos for Zhang Liyin's singles "Agape" (released August 5) and "Not Alone" (released September 22). During the two videos, Zitao played the main protagonist of a continuous storyline alongside Victoria Song. He also featured on two songs from Zhou Mi's album Rewind, the title song "Rewind" and "Love Tonight", for both of which he penned the rap lyrics; and appeared as a cast member of the Solomon Islands edition of the SBS reality television program Laws of the Jungle. He left the show early due to a foot injury on a coral reef during filming. The episodes aired from October 17, 2014 to October 31, 2014.

2015: Lawsuit against S.M. Entertainment, T.A.O, and Z.TAO

In June 2015, Zitao set up an official Chinese agency, 黄子韬Z.TAO Studio. On August 24, he filed a lawsuit against S.M. Entertainment to terminate his contract. The principal cause of Zitao's exit stemmed from health concerns, mainly the aggravation of an ankle injury sustained at the Idol Star Athletics Championships. During his years as an Exo member, Zitao sustained multiple injuries.

On July 23, 2015, Zitao made his solo debut with a digital EP titled T.A.O, which was a great success in the Chinese music industry and took 670,000 digital sales in its first week of release.

The album was followed up with a second EP, Z.TAO, which was released for free on August 19 with the title track "Crown" after being postponed due to the Tianjin explosions. Two concert performances were also cancelled. Zitao's first solo concert performance was held at the Beijing Exhibition Center Theater on August 23, as a charity concert for those affected by the Tianjin explosions. A total of eight tracks were performed at the concert, including those from T.A.O.

The music video for "Crown" was presented in the style of a 7-minute short film, directed by Nick Lentz. Zitao performed the stunts and martial arts sequences for the action scenes. Australian model/actress Jessica Gomes and actor Jeff Kobler co-starred in the video.

On October 15, Zitao released the single "Reluctantly", an emotional ballad about a past love composed by himself and Grammy award winner Andros Rodriguez. At the 2015 Migu Music Awards, Zitao won his first award for Best Stage Performance and performed "Reluctantly".^[35]

As part of an endorsement deal with the game I'm the Sovereign (我是大主宰), Zitao composed and released the single "I'm the Sovereign". The song was number one on China's Billboard chart for the week of December 5, 2015.

2016: The Road

On January 12, 2016, Zitao won the Most Influential Male Singer award at the 2016 Mobile Video Festival (Miopai Awards),^[36] where he performed the song "Alone". He was later invited to perform as a headliner for the SoYoung 2016 Live Concert Tour on January 29, which featured the most popular rising musicians in China. There he performed five of his songs- "Reluctantly", "Crown", "M.O.M", "I'm the Sovereign", and "Feel Awake"- and won the Most Popular Performer award.

In March, Zitao announced that he was working on a new album, The Road, and had traveled to Los Angeles to complete recording and collaborate again with American director Nick Lentz. The album was set to contain four songs, each accompanied by a music video. The lead single "The Road" was written and composed by Zitao over a six-month process, and was released on April 22, with the music video release on April 29.

On May 1, Zitao commenced a concert tour for the album in Nanjing and released a music video for the single "Hello, Hello", featuring Wiz Khalifa. He also announced that he would be performing an Asia tour in November.

Artistry and musical style

Following his departure from Exo and return to China, Zitao stated that he made a decision to pursue his career in the ailing Chinese music industry, rather than an acting career, in the spirit of perseverance. He is involved in songwriting and composition, drawing inspiration from his experiences; he claims that creating music is for him a cathartic experience. He worked on the single "I'm the Sovereign", which contains lyrics addressing ambition and resilience.

Writing music isn’t just a process of wanting to write it and being able to. I tend to rely on my past and personal experiences to inspire me. I’ll remember and reflect on the instances that have happened and include them in my songs, as well as to add substance to the flow and the melody. I write my own stories in my music through the emotions I feel.

— Huang Zitao, Singapore Men's Folio, February 2016, Passion issue

Although he is primarily a rapper, he has also performed Mandopop ballad songs. His music combines elements of hip hop, EDM, and Chinese musical instruments. He cites Jay Chou as his musical inspiration, having listened to his music growing up. He has expressed a desire to continue as an artist with the goal of seeing C-pop receive global recognition.

Acting

Zitao made his first film appearance as William in You Are My Sunshine alongside Huang Xiaoming and Yang Mi. The film was released on May 1, 2015.

He has been cast for roles in numerous upcoming films, including the male lead role in Edge of Innocence (slated for release on July 8, 2016) alongside Yang Caiyu as the female lead. It was filmed in Taiwan and based upon a novel by Japanese mystery writer Soji Shimada, Summer, portrait of a 19 year old. He is also expected to appear in a supporting role in Jackie Chan's upcoming movie Railroad Tigers, directed by Ding Sheng, and as the lead in martial arts movie The Game Changer, directed by Gao Xixi and inspired by the Chinese television series The Bund. The Game Changer will be Zitao's first leading role as a martial arts actor.

Martial arts

Zitao has received formal training in Wushu since the age of five. Competing in his hometown of Qingdao,

File:Huang Zitao Wushu Taolu Performance.webm

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he won 1st place for cudgel play, 2nd place for swordsmanship and 3rd place at the International Championships of Martial Arts.

He has also expressed his desire to become a martial arts and action movie star. During his time in South Korea, he trained under Bruce Khan, who has choreographed action scenes in films such as The Medallion, starring Jackie Chan. Zitao performs Wushu Taolu routines on stage during concerts and as a guest in variety shows often. Michelle Yeoh, martial arts actress who guest starred along with Zitao in the variety show The Negotiator, complimented him for his Wushu skill and wished for him to successfully pass down Chinese martial arts to the next generations. Zitao has expressed the desire to follow in the footsteps of Jackie Chan in promoting martial arts.

Television

On 7 September 2015, Zitao attended the press conference of his first reality-variety show Charming Daddy which was aired on SZTV from November 28, 2015 - February 20, 2016. The show documented him and three other celebrities as they experienced parenthood by raising children of various ages for a month.

On March 2, 2016 it was confirmed that Zitao would appear in the first season of the Chinese version of Law of the Jungle that was recorded in Madagascar and Vanuatu with a guest appearance from Kim Byung-man, who he collaborated with in the Korean version in Solomon's Island. The show will be aired on Anhui TV in May.

Endorsements

Video games

File:Huang Zitao Game Character.gif

Almighty Team character modeled after Huang Zitao.

On June 3, 2015, Zitao was introduced as the celebrity endorser for the mobile game Almighty Team. Zitao, who is known to be an avid player of video games, has two major characters modeled after him and they display his own unique martial arts movements.

In October 2015, Zitao along with Yang-Mi was announced as one of the celebrity endorser of the online game I'm the Sovereign. He assumed the role of the game's main character Mu Chen in the advertising campaign. Along with being the celebrity endorser for the game, Zitao was chosen to be the singer-songwriter and producer of the game's theme song, and music director for the game.

Fashion

On September 19, 2015, Zitao attended the London Fashion Week after being invited by Versus Versace. Prior to the show, Zitao had been the brand's Chinese ambassador for its SS16 collection's street style photoshoot.

Zitao was one of the many celebrity guests to attend the October 13, 2015 grand opening of the Ports 1961 boutique in Shanghai. He sat front row at their Fall-Winter 2016 fashion show and attended the after party, as a brand ambassador. He also participated in their #Follow Me campaign by doing a photo shoot and several interviews wearing Ports 1961's latest collection.

On November 5, 2015, he attended the opening of outerwear brand Moncler's first boutique in Singapore at the Ion Orchard, where he was greeted by over 600 fans, and appeared in Men's Folio magazine wearing pieces from Moncler's collection.

Discography

See also: Exo discography

EPs

Title	Album details
T.A.O	Released: July 23, 2015 Label: Huang Zitao Studio Track listing T.A.O One Heart Yesterday
Z.TAO	Released: August 19, 2015 Label: Huang Zitao Studio Track listing 皇冠 (Imperial Crown) Cinderella Girl Feel Awake Alone

Singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions		Album	Remarks	Ref.
		CHN Billboard V Chart	CHN CCTV Music Chart
2015	"T.A.O"	-	-	T.A.O	–	-
	"Yesterday"	-	1
	"M.O.M"	-	-	Digital single	Free release	-
	舍不得 "(Reluctantly)"
	"Intro (Vox Up)"
	"I'm the Sovereign"	1	-		-
2016	"The Road"	2	-	TBA
	"Underground King"	-	1			-
	"Hello Hello" (featuring Wiz Khalifa)	2	-
"-" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

As a featured artist

Year	Album artist	Album	Song	Credits
2014	Zhou Mi	Rewind	"Love Tonight"	Rap Lyrics
			"Rewind (Chinese Version)"

Soundtracks

Year	Title	Album	Note
2015	"第一课 (The First Lesson)"	First Class	Theme song for the show 2015年《开学第一课》 (First Lesson of School 2015)
	"我是大主宰 (I'm the Sovereign)"	–	Theme song for the 3D Game 我是大主宰 (I'm the Sovereign)

Filmography

Films

Year	Title	Role	Director
2015	You Are My Sunshine	William	Huang Bin
2016	Edge of Innocence	Kang Qiao	Jung-chi Chang
	Railroad Tigers	Xiao Bo	Ding Sheng
	The Game Changer	TBA	Gao Xixi

Variety shows

Year	Date	Title	Role	Network	Note
2013	Aug 23	Splash!	Main cast	MBC	Ep. 1-4
2014	Oct 17 - Oct 31	Laws of the Jungle: Solomon Islands	Cast	SBS	Ep. 126-136
2015	Jan 24	With You All the Way	Guest	ZRTG: Zhejiang Television	Ep.3
	Jul 11	New Generation Sound of China 3 (Let's Sing Kids)	Mentor	HBS: Aniworld	Ep. 3
	Aug 21 - Sep 18	The Real Hero	Guest	JSBC: Jiangsu Television	Ep. 4-7
	Aug 14	Day Day Up	Guest	HBS: Hunan Television	Ep.
	Aug 9	Challenge the Impossible	Guest	CCTV: CCTV-1	Ep.
	Aug 20,27	Kugou Interview	Guest	Kugou Music	–
	Aug 24	See You Monday	Guest	HBS: Hunan Television	–
	Sept 4	The First Lesson 2015	Guest	CCTV: CCTV-1	Ep.
	Oct 10	Muse Dress	Guest Judge	SMG: Dragon Television	Ep.
	Nov 7	People in News Interview	Guest	HBS: Hunan Television	Ep.
	Nov 28 - Feb 13	Charming Daddy	Cast	SZMG: Shenzhen Television	Ep.1-12
2016
	Feb 5	Ace vs Ace/The Negotiator	Guest	ZRTG: Zhejiang Television	Ep. 2
	TBA	Laws of the Jungle	Cast	AHBC: Anhui Television	Post-production

Videography

See also: Exo videography

As lead artist

Year	Song title	Album	Director
2015	"T.A.O"	T.A.O	Colin Tilley
	"皇冠 (Imperial Crown)"	Z.TAO	Nick Lentz
	"舍不得 (Reluctantly)"	Non-album singles	Nick Asgill
	"我是大主宰 (I'm the Sovereign)"		Kwang Sheng
2016	"The Road"	TBA	Nick Lentz
	"Hello Hello" (featuring Wiz Khalifa)		Ethan Lader

As featured artist

Year	Song title	Artist	Album
2014	"Rewind (Chinese Version)"	Zhou Mi	Rewind

Other appearances

Year	Song title	Artist	Role
2014	"Agape"	Zhang Liyin	Lead
	"Not Alone"

Concerts

Z.Tao First Concert

• August 23, 2015: Beijing Exhibition Center Theater

Z.Tao The Road

• May 1, 2016: Nanjing

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result
2015	Migu Music Awards	Best Stage Performance	Himself	Won
2016	Mobile Video Festival (Miopai Awards)	Most Influential Male Singer	Himself	Won

External links

• Huang Zitao's channel on YouTube
• ZTAO channel on Youtube
• hztttao on Instagram
• Huang Zitao at the Internet Movie Database