Huang Zitao

Biography

Huang Zitao (Chinese: 黄子韬; pinyin: Huáng Zǐtāo; born May 2, 1993), also known by his stage name Tao (Korean: 타오), is a Chinese rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is a former member of the South Korean-Chinese boy band Exo and its Chinese sub-unit, Exo-M. After leaving Exo, he made his solo debut in China in 2015 with the mini-album TAO, under the stage name Z.Tao. Huang made his acting debut in the romantic movie You Are My Sunshine, followed by TV series Negotiator and The Brightest Star in the Sky. Huang ranked 25th on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list in 2017, 35th in 2019, and 37th in 2020.

== Early life == Huang Zitao was born in Qingdao, Shandong on May 2, 1993. As a child, he undertook Wushu training and became a student athlete. In late 2010 he was scouted by a representative from SM Entertainment at a talent show.

== Music career ==

=== 2011–2015: Exo and lawsuit against SM Entertainment === On December 27, 2011, Huang was formally introduced as the third member of Exo (with the stage name Tao). In late 2013, Huang took part in filming for MBC's celebrity diving program Splash!, but withdrew due to injuries, and the show was cancelled due to injuries to multiple other contestants. He featured in two songs from Zhou Mi's album Rewind, which he penned the rap lyrics to; and appeared as a cast member of the Solomon Islands edition of the SBS reality television program Law of the Jungle in 2014. He left the show early due to a foot injury on a coral reef during filming and other scheduled commitments. In June 2015, Huang set up a Chinese agency, 黄子韬Z.TAO Studio. On August 24, he filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment to terminate his contract. Huang claimed the 10-year contract had unjust terms and said he lacks freedom due to the long contract period. However, the Supreme Court dismissed Huang's appeal on March 15, 2018. The exclusive contract between SM Entertainment and Huang was considered valid until his contract's conclusion in 2022. In China, SM Entertainment filed a lawsuit against Huang regarding his solo activities. Chinese courts ruled that Huang was entitled to use his name and image for solo activities in China, and dismissed the lawsuit.

=== 2015–present: Solo career and mainstream popularity === On July 23, 2015, Huang made his solo debut with a digital EP titled TAO, which sold 670,000 digital copies in its first week. The album was followed up with a second EP, Z.TAO, which was released for free on August 19 with the title track "Crown". The music video for "Crown" was presented in the style of a 7-minute short film, directed by Nick Lentz and featuring Jessica Gomes. Huang performed the stunts and martial arts sequences for the action scenes in the music video. Huang held his first solo concert Z.TAO Mini Concert at the Beijing Exhibition Center Theater on August 23, as part of a benefit concert for those affected by the Tianjin explosions.

On October 15, Huang released the single "Reluctantly", a ballad composed by himself and Andros Rodriguez. At the 2015 Migu Music Awards, Huang won the "Best Stage Performance" award and performed the single. As part of an endorsement deal with the game I'm the Sovereign, Huang composed and released the single "I'm the Sovereign". The song topped China's Billboard chart for the week of December 5, 2015. On January 12, 2016, Huang won the "Most Influential Male Singer" award at the 2016 Mobile Video Festival (Miopai Awards). He was later invited to perform as a headliner for the SoYoung 2016 Live Concert Tour on January 29, which featured young rising musicians in China. Huang's first album The Road was announced in March 2016. It was recorded partly in Los Angeles in collaboration with Nick Lentz. The lead single "The Road" was released on April 22. On May 1, Huang commenced a concert tour Z.Tao The Road Concert for the album in Nanjing and released a music video for the single "Hello, Hello", featuring Wiz Khalifa. Another single, "Adore" was released the same month and sold over 30,000 copies, receiving the platinum certification. The Road was released on August 22 was sold with 8888 pieces limited edition. After one minute of pre-sale opening, the sale profit reached 500k rmb; and the album reached number one on the sale charts. At the end of 2016, Huang won the Most Influential Male Singer award at the Tencent Star Awards. In April 2017, Huang was named Promotional Ambassador for the 17th Top Chinese Music Awards, where he also won the "All-Round Artist" award. He embarked on his first Asia Tour, Z.Tao Promise Concert Tour which kick-start in Beijing on April 30; and also released a single of the same name. In 2018, Huang joined the dance-oriented variety show, Street Dance of China. It was also announced that Huang would be the head producer and MC on the Chinese version of Produce 101. The same year, Huang embarked on his fourth concert tour, Z.Tao 2018 IS GOØD Concert Tour.

== Artistry and musical style ==

Following his departure from Exo and return to China, Huang stated that he made a decision to pursue his career in the ailing Chinese music industry, expressing a desire to continue as an artist with the goal of seeing C-Pop receive global recognition. He is involved in songwriting and composition, drawing inspiration from his experiences. 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.