Jackson Wang's new single, festival show build hype for July album

Pop icon Jackson Wang released his new single "Hate to Love" and its music video on June 6, following his electrifying performance at Head in the Clouds Festival 2025 in Los Angeles. The release builds momentum for his upcoming album, due in July.

The single cover art for Jackson Wang's "Hate to Love." [Photo courtesy of Team Wang Records]

Wang explores the sting of broken trust and the weight of betrayal on "Hate to Love." The slow-burning, dreamy track delves deeper into the grief explored across the four chapters on Jackson's upcoming album, "MagicMan 2," set for release July 18. In this chapter, Jackson stands on the edge of everything he has known, holding a crown he never wanted, finally ready to let it fall before stepping into who he is meant to become.

"I've always questioned when I'm going to find love," Jackson said. "But maybe the question is, 'When am I going to love myself?'"

The release of "Hate to Love" is accompanied by a music video directed by James Mao, amplifying the song's raw emotion. It features MagicMan, Jackson Wang's alter ego, alone in darkness, grappling with the catharsis of confronting reality and choosing growth over illusion.

"People say to surround yourself with 'good' people, but I believe it's really about finding the 'right' people— those who share a similar vision and values in life. But in reality, that's not always how it works," Wang said."I wrote this song after realizing the only person I could trust was myself. I want you to know that I'm a better version of myself because of what happened to me."

The singer, who boasts more than 100 million followers and is China's most-followed artist on Instagram, stopped short of naming names. Far from a love song, this track delivers a raw revelation about exploitation, laying bare the emotional turmoil of broken trust and betrayal. His lyrics expose the pain: "Wish I could still trust you, trust you," he sings. "It's funny how people can be selfish. I give it all, give it all, give it all. But you still want more."

Jackson's self-produced album, created during a yearlong break from the spotlight, is his most personal and ambitious work to date. It channels unaddressed emotions into a raw, unfiltered journey. The album moves from manic highs fueled by denial to the painful process of facing a lost identity, setting boundaries, letting go of people-pleasing habits and, ultimately, finding peace through acceptance.

"Hate to Love," the fourth single from the album, reached No. 34 on the Worldwide iTunes Song Chart, and its video drew more than 250,000 YouTube views in its first 24 hours.

Pre-orders for "MagicMan 2" are now available. The release follows the album's four-chapter thematic structure, with phased product drops: Chapter One is on sale now, and Chapter Two will launch June 10. Retail-specific versions of the album will also be released in the coming weeks.

The album's lead single,"High Alone," debuted at No. 1 on Apple Music in 22 countries and regions. The follow-up, "GBAD," went viral with more than 32 million YouTube views, fueled by popular remixes. The third single, "Buck," featuring Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, has attracted more than 8.3 million views for its music video.

Jackson Wang performs on stage at Head in the Clouds Festival 2025 in Los Angeles, June 1, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Team Wang Records]

Wang and his friends lit up the stage at Head in the Clouds Festival 2025 on June 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, celebrating the event's 10th anniversary. The pop star closed the night with the debut live performance of "Buck," followed by a show-stopping "GBAD" remix featuring seven guest artists, including Higher Brothers and Number_i. The explosive collaboration brought the crowd to its feet, instantly becoming one of the festival's most talked-about moments.