Chromosome Entertainment

Zhang Yixing
Born	Zhang Jiashuai (1991-10-07) October 7, 1991 Changsha, Hunan, China
Occupation(s)	Rapper, vocalist, actor, entrepreneur
Years active	1998–present
Known for	Member of Exo and Exo-M; solo music career; acting roles in The Mystic Nine, Kung Fu Yoga, The Island, Winter Begonia, No More Bets

Zhang Yixing (originally named Zhang Jiashuai; ), professionally recognized as Lay Zhang or simply Lay, is a multifaceted Chinese artist known for his work as a rapper, vocalist, actor, and entrepreneur. After participating in the Chinese talent competition Star Academy in 2005, he became a member of the South Korean-Chinese boy group Exo and its Chinese sub-unit Exo-M under the management of SM Entertainment in 2012.

In 2015, Zhang launched his own studio within SM Entertainment to focus on solo projects in China. Between 2015 and 2018, he was a regular cast member on the Chinese reality series Go Fighting!. His debut extended play (EP), Lose Control, released in 2016, secured the top position on the Gaon Album Chart and reached number four on Billboard’s US World Albums chart. By 2020, he had established Chromosome Entertainment Group, broadening his influence as a producer and mentor within the entertainment sector. Zhang’s acting credits include prominent films and television dramas such as The Mystic Nine (2016), Kung Fu Yoga (2017), The Island (2018), Winter Begonia (2020), and No More Bets (2023).

His standing on the Forbes China Celebrity 100 list has been notable, ranking 20th in 2017, advancing to 11th in 2019, rising to 5th in 2020, and placing 6th in 2021.

Early life

Born as Zhang Jiashuai on October 7, 1991, in Changsha, Hunan, China, he later legally adopted the name Zhang Yixing.

1998–2008: Early career development

At just six years old, Zhang appeared as Huan Huan in the 1998 Chinese drama We The People. When he was nine, he was featured on a Chinese television program as part of a fan club dedicated to Taiwanese singer and actor Jimmy Lin. He gained early public attention by securing third place in the 2005 edition of Star Academy. During 2005 and 2006, Zhang made appearances on shows such as Yue Ce Yue Xin Kai and Liu Na's variety program Na Ke Bu Yi Yang. In April 2006, he auditioned for a role in the series The Duke of Mount Deer, although he was not selected.

At age sixteen in 2008, while attending the High School Attached to Hunan Normal University, Zhang successfully auditioned for SM Entertainment during their global casting held in Wuhan. Following his acceptance, he relocated to South Korea to undergo idol training. Prior to his official debut with Exo in 2011, he temporarily served as a dance substitute for Jonghyun during Shinee’s Shinee World Tour.

2012–2014: Official debut with Exo

Zhang debuted with Exo, adopting the stage name 'Lay', which was inspired by Huaze Lei from the drama Meteor Garden. In January 2012, he was introduced as one of Exo’s four Chinese members. After releasing singles such as "What Is Love" and "History", Exo conducted pre-debut showcases at venues including Seoul Olympic Stadium and Beijing University of International Business and Economics. The group’s formal debut occurred on April 8, 2012, with their single "Mama". Exo-M made their first televised appearance in China at the 12th Yinyue Fengyun Bang Awards.

In December of that year, Zhang became part of SM Entertainment’s special dance unit SM the Performance alongside fellow Exo member Kai and labelmates Yunho, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Minho, and Taemin. This group performed their track "Spectrum" at the 2011 SBS Gayo Daejeon.

During early 2014, Zhang composed and performed "I'm Lay" for his solo segment on Exo’s first headlining tour, The Lost Planet. Later that year, he showcased another self-written piece titled "I'm Coming" on a special year-end broadcast aired by Hunan TV. Additionally, he wrote "Promise" for the repackaged version of Exo’s second studio album Love Me Right, contributing lyrics specifically for its Chinese rendition.

2014–2015: Individual pursuits and cinematic debut

In August 2014, Zhang featured on the variety program Star Chef. By April 2015, SM Entertainment had launched a dedicated studio to oversee Zhang's endeavors in China. The following month, he secured a regular role on the Chinese reality series Go Fighting!, participating in its second through fourth seasons.

On September 18, Zhang released a limited edition of his autobiography titled Standing Firm at 24, followed by the standard edition on October 7. This publication chronicled significant moments from his life and shattered online sales records, moving 68,537 copies within the first 24 minutes of pre-orders. He earned the distinction of being the youngest celebrity author ranked fourth on the 10th Chinese Celebrity Writers List. The autobiography repeatedly topped Asia's Best Books rankings and achieved sales of 400,000 copies within six months via Rakuten.

Zhang made his film debut in November 2015 with a supporting role in the Chinese romantic comedy Ex-Files 2: The Backup Strikes Back, earning the Best Supporting Actor accolade at the 2016 China Britain Film Festival. He composed and performed the original soundtrack "Alone (One Person)", which reached number one on the Baidu Music Chart and received Best Movie Original Soundtrack honors at both the 16th Top Chinese Music Awards and the 4th V-Chart Awards. Additionally, Zhang appeared in the comedy film Oh My God and collaborated with fellow cast members on the track "Happy Youth," which climbed to number eight on the Billboard V Chart.

2016: Growing recognition and solo launch

In January 2016, Zhang joined the cast of Go Fighting! for a role in the Chinese film Royal Treasure. April saw him earn the Most Popular Newcomer award at the 16th Top Chinese Music Awards. By May, he made his television acting debut in To Be A Better Man. His single "Monodrama," co-composed and arranged alongside Divine Channel, topped YinYueTai's V Chart. In July, Zhang starred in The Mystic Nine, an action mystery drama serving as a prequel to The Lost Tomb. The series dominated domestic ratings and set online viewership records exceeding 12 billion views. He also led its spin-off centered on his character.

October marked Zhang's solo debut with "What U Need?", a birthday gift that achieved number four rankings on China's V Chart as well as on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart. He premiered this song live at the 2016 Asia Song Festival held in Busan. On October 28, he unveiled his debut EP Lose Control, comprising six Mandarin songs accompanied by a music video for the title track. Zhang played a significant role in all aspects of production including songwriting, arrangement, and translating lyrics into multiple languages. Pre-orders surpassed 200,000 copies, with the EP debuting at number one on Gaon Album Chart and reaching number four on Billboard's US World Albums chart. He performed "Lose Control" on The Show on November 15.

2017: Breakthrough into mainstream

In January 2017, Zhang appeared at the CCTV Spring Gala Festival and acted alongside Jackie Chan in Kung Fu Yoga. February featured performances with Exo during their Hong Kong concerts before he concentrated on solo projects within China. In April, he portrayed Lu Deming in The Founding of an Army, receiving commendations for his performance. Later that month, Zhang starred in China's adaptation of Operation Love and composed its theme song "Pray". July included lending his voice to Jackson Storm in the Mandarin dub of Cars 3.

On September 25, Zhang released "I Need U", a pre-release single from his album Lay 02 Sheep, which broke several sales records upon its release on October 7 via QQ Music. He hosted the 2017 Zhang Yixing Showcase at Beijing National Aquatics Center. In October, he was announced as lead actor alongside Krystal Jung for the South Korean-Chinese co-production film Unexpected Love. His second EP, Winter Special Gift, was launched in December and quickly surpassed multiple sales milestones on QQ Music. That same month, Zhang took on dual roles as presenter and production director for iQiyi's talent competition show Idol Producer.

2018: Entry into U.S. market

Zhang returned to participate in season four of Go Fighting! in April 2018 and performed at CCTV’s New Year's Gala alongside Huang Bo and William Chan. In May, he contributed to China's Youth Day anthem and appeared as a guest star in the web series The Tomb of Sea. August highlighted his acclaimed performance in Huang Bo's directorial debut film The Island.

His U.S. debut occurred at Lollapalooza where he collaborated with DJ Alan Walker; they subsequently released "Sheep Relift". On October 19, his second studio album Namanana was released featuring 22 tracks including a collaboration with American artist Bazzi; it debuted at number 21 on the Billboard 200 chart, setting a record as the highest-ranking Mandopop artist there. December included releasing a Christmas-themed single titled "When It's Christmas" along with serving as mentor on China’s EDM competition show Rave Now.

2019–2021: Solo tours and founding Chromosome Entertainment Group

In January 2019, Zhang performed alongside ASAP Ferg and Steve Aoki at a Samsung event and resumed hosting duties for Idol Producer 2. He appeared again at CCTV’s New Year's Gala and was invited as promotional ambassador to attend that year’s Grammy Awards—the sole Chinese celebrity present. February brought forth a Michael Jackson tribute single "Let's Shut Up & Dance" featuring Jason Derulo and NCT 127. A wax figure honoring him was unveiled at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong. He starred in fantasy drama series The Golden Eyes and collaborated with Far East Movement on "Lovebird". In May, Zhang attended the Met Gala representing Valentino.

June saw release of digital EP Honey, which sold over 1.87 million copies within minutes through QQ Music—setting new records. July marked his inaugural international concert tour Grand Line with rapid ticket sellouts in Shanghai and Nanjing; performances also included Bangkok. December featured release of tribute single "Grandmother (外婆)".

Throughout 2020, Zhang released multiple collaborations including "Love You More" with Steve Aoki and Will.i.am; his fourth studio album Lit was issued in two parts. He won iQiyi's competition show I'm a Singer-Songwriter 2, served as producer mentor for Youku's talent contest We are Young, and mentored dancers on survival show Street Dance of China. Additionally, he filmed drama series Challenges at Midlife.

On October 7, 2020, Zhang established Chromosome Entertainment Group aimed at training new talent under a system inspired by SM Entertainment; industry veterans including Lee Soo-man congratulated him publicly. His fourth studio album titled Producer was released in February 2021 featuring songs from his competition appearances. After three years away from group activities, he rejoined Exo for their June EP release Don't Fight the Feeling. In October, he released EP East highlighted by lead single "Samadhi Real Fire".

2022: Exit from SM Entertainment and second global tour

On February 22, Zhang issued collaborative album Dawn to Dusk alongside artist 24kGoldn. That same month aired drama series Challenges at Midlife, featuring him as an antagonist. On April 8, he released "酒(JIU)" commemorating Exo’s tenth anniversary; this date also marked his departure from SM Entertainment after ten years while affirming ongoing participation with Exo.

He returned to variety show circuit with season six of Back to the Field in April and starred in online film titled Chinese Youth: Me and My Youth. In May, Zhang partnered with former NBA player Nick Young to produce theme song "Time To Shine", which was showcased during NBA Finals coverage.

July featured an online concert celebrating his decade-long career milestone; proceeds were donated to charitable causes. September saw release of EP titled West featuring lead track "Veil". Beginning mid-October, Zhang embarked on his second world tour Grandline II spanning Asia and North America.

In November, he delivered a speech at Harvard Business School discussing Asian culture alongside M-POP music trends and headlined MetaMoon Music Festival spotlighting AAPI artists at Barclays Center. He concluded 2022 by performing at Dream Oriental New Year's Eve Ceremony.

2023–present: Acting projects, Hollywood expansion, return to Korean market

Zhang commenced 2023 performing as spokesperson during Hunan Satellite TV’s Spring Festival Gala and earned Artist of the Year honors at Weibo Music Ceremony. He founded entertainment company D.N.A factory officially announced that February. March marked beginning of filming for suspense crime movie titled See You at Dawn.

He assumed ambassadorial duties for Hublot watches during their Geneva exhibition and attended The 13th Beijing International Film Festival alongside Jackie Chan promoting their film The Legend. Upcoming release includes film Changsha Nightlife, where he portrays stand-up comedian He An.

In August 2023, Zhang debuted first signed artist Le'v under Chromosome Entertainment Group. September saw him sign with American firm Range Media Partners aiming to broaden activities within Hollywood industry. Plans include returning to Korean music scene with a comeback scheduled for April 2024 under producer Jung Chang-wan’s label n.cH Entertainment.

Artistry

Songwriting

Zhang has penned numerous tracks featured on Exo albums including "Exo 2014", as well as all songs across his solo projects such as Lose Control, Lay 02 Sheep, Winter Special Gift, Namanana, Honey, Lit, East, West along with singles like "Monodrama". He composed original soundtracks including "Alone" for film Ex-Files 2 and "Prayer" for web drama Operation Love. His collaborations extend to writing contributions for Karen Mok’s anniversary album track "Not to be Continued" and MC Jin’s single "Debut". In April 2018 he earned Best Producer award at Chinese Top Ten Music Awards despite losing over ninety-nine unreleased compositions.

Musical style

Zhang incorporates traditional Chinese instruments such as hulusi, guzheng, and gong into many compositions. He describes his genre as M-pop ("Mix Mandarin popular music"), blending languages evident through bilingual songs like "Lovebird" featuring Far East Movement. The instrumental opener of Namanana, titled "The Assembly Call", prominently features traditional Chinese musical elements.

His zodiac animal—the sheep—has become an iconic motif throughout his solo career branding especially notable on Lay 02 Sheep album along with its lead single "Sheep". Domestically fans affectionately refer to him as "little sheep".

Personal life

In his autobiography Standing Firm at 24, Zhang shared how intensive practice alongside Exo members helped him overcome stage fright; he is largely self-taught on guitar and piano. Politically he endorses One China policy opposing separatist movements or rhetoric. During Hong Kong protests (2019–20), Zhang publicly expressed support for Hong Kong law enforcement via social media platforms.

Other activities

Endorsements and partnerships

As of March 2023, Zhang represents over fifty brands globally serving as spokesperson or ambassador including ongoing collaborations with Hublot, Bang & Olufsen, Biotherm Homme, Epson, Wedgwood, Fila, Decorte, Calbee among others; previous endorsements include Calvin Klein (notably first Chinese global underwear/jeans ambassador), Valentino (participating in fashion events/Met Gala), Huawei Nova (2015–18), Dell Computers, Converse, MAC Cosmetics, Ray-Ban, H&M, Perrier, etc.

Since July 2016 he has served five consecutive years as publicity ambassador for Communist Youth League of China. In October 2017 he joined Tencent Music Entertainment's Music+ Plan. On June 6, 2024 Zhang was named culture and tourism ambassador for Hunan province.

Philanthropy

Beginning February 2015 Zhang has actively participated in numerous public welfare initiatives including delivering relief supplies to laborers; founding "Zhang Yixing Arts Scholarship" providing annual donations to his former middle school fostering youth artistic development.

He has promoted campus soccer programs via social media; contributed funds during Lunar New Year aid drives; donated over ¥2 million plus musical instruments to schools; engaged extensively in charity events linked to variety shows; provided ambulances valued over ¥1 million across successive years; consistently ranked among China’s Top Philanthropist Celebrities.

Zhang appeared in public service films such as I'm Beside You (for which he composed/performed theme song) and participated as guest recitalist on CCTV’s 'Trust in China'.

Discography

Main article: Lay Zhang discography

Albums

• Lay 02 Sheep (2017)
• Namanana (2018)
• Lit (2020)
• Producer (2021)
• Step (2024)

Film

Year	English Title	Original Title	Character	Remarks	Reference(s)
2015	SMTOWN The Stage		Himself	Documentary centered on SM Town
	Ex-Files 2: The Backup Strikes Back	前任2：备胎反击战	Lee Xianghe	Featured in a special appearance
	Oh My God	从天儿降	Le Yi
2016	Royal Treasure	极限挑战	Himself
	The Mystic Nine Side Story: Flowers Bloom in February	老九门番外之二月花开	Er Yuehong	Released as a web film
2017	Kung Fu Yoga	功夫瑜伽	Zhu Xiaoguang
	The Founding of an Army	建军大业	Lu Deming	Appeared in a special role
	Cars 3		Jackson Storm	Provided Chinese voice dubbing
2018	For Love With You	一切如你		Promotional film; cameo role
	The Island	一出好戏	Xiao Xing	Lead role
2023	Tale of the Night	长沙夜生活	He An 何岸	Special appearance role
	Chinese Youth: Me and My Youth	中国青年：我和我的青春	Xu Mai 许麦	Featured in a special appearance; web film format
	No More Bets	孤注一掷	Pan Sheng	Lead role; commercially successful at the box office
2024	A Legend	传说	Wang Jing/Huajun	Portrays main character
Template:TBA	Unexpected Love	闭嘴！爱吧	Han Bin	South Korean-Chinese production; release delayed due to Terminal High Altitude Area Defense#THAAD conflict in China and South Korea
Template:TBA	See You at Dawn	黎明时分见	Lead character |

Television series

Year	English Title	Original Title	Character Name	Additional Information	Ref.
1998	We The People	咱老百姓	Huan Huan	Role prior to official debut
2012	' 'To the Beautiful You	Himself Cameo in episode 2
' '2015 Exo Next Door 우리 옆집에 엑소가 산다 Himself Guest appearance
' 'To Be A Better Man 好先生 Xiao Cai (Cai Mingjun)
' 'The Mystic Nine 老九门 Er Yuehong
' 'Operation Love 求婚大作战 Yan Xiaolai
' 'The Tomb of Sea 沙海 Jie Yuchen Special guest appearance
' 'The Golden Eyes 黄金瞳 Zhuang Rui
' 'Empress of the Ming 大明风华 Zhu Qizhen
' 'Faith Makes Great 理想照耀中国 Xiong Dachen Guest appearance role
' 'Challenges at Midlife 相逢时节 Ning Shu
' 'Crime Crackdown 扫黑风暴 Lin Hao

Variety shows

Year	English Title	Original Title	Position	Remarks	Ref.
2014	Star Chef	星厨驾到	Participant
2015–2020	Go Fighting!	极限挑战	Principal cast member	Featured in Seasons 1 through 6
2018	Idol Producer	偶像练习生	Lead mentor and host
	Rave Now	即刻电音	Mentor
2019	Youth With You	青春有你	Lead mentor and host	'Idol Producer' Season 2
2020	'I'm CZR II'	'我是唱作人2'	'Featured Singer-songwriter'	' '	' '
	'We Are Young'	'少年之名'	'Lead mentor and host'	' '	' '
	'Street Dance of China'	'这 就是街舞'	'Team leader'	'Season 3'	' '
	'Let's Chat'	'一起火锅吧'	'Key cast member'	'Season 1'	' '
	'Dance Smash'	'舞蹈风暴'	'Smash leader and dance judge'	'Season 2'	' '
'Youth and Melody'	'金曲青春'	'Producer'	' '	' '
'Back to Field'	'向往的生活'	'Principal cast member'	'Season 5'	' '
'Street Dance of China'	'这 就是街舞'	'Team leader'	'Season 4'	' '
'Let's Chat'	'一起火锅吧'	'Key cast member'	'Season 2'	' '
'Back to Field'	'向往的生活'	'Season 6 participant'
"Show It All"	"百分百出品"	"Mentor"

Tours

2019 Grand Line: The First Concert 大航海

Date	City	Country	Venue
July 6, 2019	Shanghai	China	Mercedes-Benz Arena
July 14, 2019	Chongqing		Huaxi Culture and Sports Center
July 20, 2019	Nanjing		Nanjing Olympic Sports Center
August 3, 2019	Beijing		Cadillac Arena
August 25, 2019	Bangkok	Thailand	Impact Exhibition and Convention Center
December 14, 2019	Shenzhen	China	Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre
December 15, 2019

2022 Grand Line: Infinite Lands 大航海II 未至之境

Date	City	Country	Venue
October 15, 2022	Kuala Lumpur	Malaysia	Arena of Stars
October 19, 2022	Singapore		Resorts World Convention Center
October 22, 2022	Bangkok	Thailand	Royal Paragon Hall
November 20, 2022	San Francisco	United States	The Warfield
August 5, 2023	Shenzhen	China	Shenzhen Universiade Center Gymnasium

2023 Grand Line: Boundless 大航海III 无远弗届

Date	City	Country	Venue
August 12, 2023	Beijing	China	Cadillac Arena
August 13, 2023
October 6, 2023	Shanghai		Mercedes-Benz Arena
October 7, 2023
October 28, 2023	Dalian		Dalian Sports Center Gymnasium
November 4, 2023	Nanjing		Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park Gymnasium
November 11, 2023	Guangzhou		Baoneng Performing Arts Center
November 18, 2023	Chengdu		Phoenix Mountain Sports Center Gymnasium
December 2, 2023	Chongqing		Huaxi Culture and Sports Center

2024 Grand Line: STEP 大航海IV 舞步

Date	City	Country	Venue
June 15-16, 2024	Nanjing	China	Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park Gymnasium
June 22-23, 2024	Seoul	South Korea	SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium
July 6, 2024	Chengdu	China	Phoenix Mountain Sports Center Gymnasium
July 10, 2024	Kuala Lumpur	Malaysia	Arena of Stars
July 13, 2024	Yokohama	Japan
July 27, 2024	Xi' An	China
August 2-3, 2024	Guangzhou	China	Baoneng Performing Arts Center

Forbes China Celebrity 100

Year	Position	Source
2017	20th place
2019	11th place
2020	5th place
2021	6th place

Published Works

Publication Date	Work Title	Description	ISBN
October 1, 2015	Standing Firm at 24	Personal autobiography	ISBN 978-7550260917