‘Huawei princess’ Annabel Yao released her first pop single Backfire, making waves on Weibo – but some think the heiress daughter of billionaire Ren Zhengfei’s talents lie elsewhere
Netizens have compared Annabel Yao’s dance moves to Blackpink’s Lisa and even Rihanna, but is modern choreography and English lyrics enough for the Harvard graduate to succeed in her new career with TH Entertainment?
In the nearly four-minute music video, the 23-year-old shed her usual title of “Huawei princess” and transformed into a pop singer. The ballet skills that she’s known for are nowhere in sight; instead, she performed modern choreography while donning a mini skirt, knee-high boots and smoky make-up against a dim background.
I know I’m not the most gifted person, but I will work harder to achieve my best, as what ballet has taught me and how I have practised it
The record cover featured her in a black Balmain-style jacket and stiletto boots, which she described in her documentary as more exaggerated than her usual looks.
The video quickly emerged as one of the hottest topics on Chinese social media platforms Weibo and Douyin, with millions viewing the new release.
The Harvard computer science graduate signed with TH Entertainment, the company behind stars like Qi Wei and Aarif Rahman, on her 23rd birthday on January 14. She also scored an ambassador deal with Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motors for its newest SUV.
Many consider the debut song a reflection of her true personality, as it features lyrics like, “I’ll break the so-called tenet and make up my own princess story” and “not following the rules is my style”.
While her documentary received comments encouraging her to pursue her dream, netizens have mixed views of the new music video. Some continued praising her for being brave and attempting a career in showbiz instead of settling for being a heiress member of China’s nouveau riche. Others commented that the project is simply another perk she enjoys thanks to her family’s billions.
Yao also made her own posts on Weibo, saying, “As a new [entertainer], I know deeply that there are lots of aspects I need to learn. Your encouragement and criticism will be motives for me to grow. I will present more, better works.”
Before this, Yao was widely recognised for her debut at Le Bal des Débutantes ball in Paris in 2018, where she danced with her cavalier, Count Gaspard de Limburg-Stirum from Belgium.