We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zhihao Cao. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zhihao below.

Alright, Zhihao thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I went back to China after spending 7 years in the US finishing high school, college, and a year working in the Bay area in sales. I moved back to China and started working in Shanghai. Hiphop was getting really big at the time, I started clocking in in Shanghai, and as i gained more experience in the workforce, I had a urge to learn music from scratch. I wanted to understand how music worked, and i had an artistic vision to be an international artist, leveraging my command of both English and Chinese. I wanted to make music that are both harmonically soothing, as well as rhythmically invigorating with conscious lyrics that tell a meaningful story in the spirit of Hiphop.

I started to attend a local Jazz school over the weekend while working, and once i felt like i’ve accumulated enough experience in my artistic attempts, i applied for the master’s program in Songwriting at NYU which took me back after 6 years spent in Shanghai.

To sum it up – i met a girl that inspired me to truly lean into things that i am passionate about but scared to pursue because of societal expectations, and fear of failure.

Zhihao, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I never planned to pursue a music career.
For six years, I worked in the Fortune 500 world — leading sales at one of the world’s top tech companies. But something shifted.

Around 2020, I saw how Hip-Hop was finding its voice in China. I thought:
What if my years of violin training could bring more musicality to rap? What if my voice — even if it’s not MJ — could still carry stories?

I started writing.
Weekends became music lessons — first piano, then theory, then production. I took my time, two years of patient grind while still working at SAP.

Eventually, I applied to @nyusongwriting and told myself:
“Go for broke. Leave no regrets.”

I think what sets me apart is the fact that i’ve gained a command of English on an native level not only conversationally but also artistically to express myself through rhymes and poetry. I have the ability to tap into both of my Chinese heritage, which is rich in wisdom and meaningful messages, and the American sentiment. I could be a bridge, culturally. Musically, i play the violin and raps and sings. I write my own songs. And with my background in corporate sales, i have an awareness of building trust with people around me to make the “team” successful, rather than going about things on my own.

I also try to have a lot of fun on this crazy ride to manifest my destiny.
I want people to look at China in a refreshed light through my music and storytelling. My intention is to spark interests amongst the mainstream Western consciousness about my heritage.

I believe music is the tuning folk for the environment around us. Music does not change the world, but it gathers and unite the people who are and who will.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on NFTs. (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

Huge – i view it as the gateway for individuals to have total ownership over their creativity. Though societal agreement needs to be established on a broad sense so everyone buys into it. But i guess it is happening, and the digital world is going to become more and more seamlessly integrated with our real life, just like how Internet has occupied a huge chunk of our attention just within the past 2 decades.

Things could change fast. And i am fascinated by leveraging the new tech and ecosystem to secure financial/legal control over my creativity.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I would say my time at SAP through their Sales Academy Executive Training program was a great experience for me to gain the strategic thinking and business awareness, and also planning skills. This is huge to compliment my creative side.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenhow_zhihao/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caozhihao/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@zenhow_zhihao

Image Credits

Rob Sexton based in Chengdu, China