After beating over 10,000 online applicants to the highly coveted role of standing side by side with Billy Corgan in the Smashing Pumpkins, Kiki Wong has had what can only be described as a career-making year. However, she emphasizes that she’s no overnight success, as she has been hustling and trying to make a dent in the cutthroat industry since 2010.
“I’ve failed more times than I’ve succeeded,” she shares frankly with Guitar Player. “I’ve almost become numb to failure. But there’s an upside to it: I’ve learned to look at the benefits of failure.
“I know that sounds strange, but I started to realize that I gained some type of strength or experience from each opportunity I’ve had – even the ones that didn’t pan out.”
She also asserts she doesn't know anyone who has experienced “success after success” without any “stumbles”.
“Nobody’s that lucky. People might look and think that I’m just this TikTok personality. They don’t know that I’ve been playing since 2010 and have done these crazy bootleg tours with three people sleeping in the back of a [truck].
“I’ve played gigs to nobody. There was one show I played where half the audience left. They just took off, yelling, ‘You suck!’ Believe me, I’ve been beat down a lot."
She continues, “But that’s the thing: A lot of people quit when they experience those failures. They’re like, ‘I’m just gonna put the guitar down and do something else.’ I get it – this stuff can be tough. But I think there’s a turning point where failure can eventually lead to success, and that’s when the magic happens.”
Wong had previously opened up about her struggles in the industry in an in-depth interview with Guitar World, saying that she had been in touring bands since she was 20 – and that the failures led to “a love/hate relationship with music – and even a point in my life where I didn't touch my guitars for three years and got a corporate job.
“I fought tooth and nail and stuck to my guns. I always practiced more than one would think was worth it – because I feel like it takes longer for me than others.”
In recent Kiki Wong news, the new Smashing Pumpkins guitarist talked about how she has improved and diversified her playing since joining the esteemed band.
“Things are changing very quickly, but at this time, we have decided to go forward with the show”: Sophie Lloyd confirms her debut U.S. show at Los Angeles' iconic Whisky a Go Go will go ahead
“It’s been an incredibly intense year – even my closest friends didn’t know what we were doing. I can’t believe we were able to keep it a secret”: Brad Delson on Linkin Park’s miraculous comeback, why he quit touring, and how he trained his replacement
