ONE OK ROCK’s new Stand Out Fit In music video has been viewed over 8 million times between the Japanese and English versions in just a month, and deservedly so. It tells a sympathetic story of a young Asian boy growing up in a western society who is teased for standing out and who later tries to change himself in order to fit in.

I recently had the chance to interview music video director Peter Huang, and also got the opportunity to talk with Steven Chau about his role as the teenaged Hao.

Please tell us a bit about yourself and how you began dancing.

SC: Hello! My name is Steven Chau and I am currently 23 years old, living in Toronto, Canada. I recently graduated from Film Studies at York University in September, 2018 and am currently trying to pursue life as a dancer/artist/performer!

I started dancing in 2010 when I was 15 years old (grade 10). There was a show called America’s Best Dance Crew, and I loved how cool the dance teams were! I never really felt like I fit in my high school… I had no interests or many friends. However, watching ABDC gave me a sense of community and family (even though I wasn’t a part of it directly).

Fanny Pak was my absolute favourite crew. They were the underdogs and were not that popular because of their way of expression in dance. However, I loved them no matter what. Fanny Pak pushed and pushed. They eventually gained the audience’s attention and landed 3rd place in the competition!

My favourite part about Fanny Pak was their unapologetically quirky and unique choreography and representation of the team. No matter what people said or thought of them, they continued to show their brightest colours on stage, which won the audience’s heart in the end.

Fanny Pak empowered me to begin my dance journey. I wanted to have a voice of my own and have fun while finding it! Dance is definitely a way of telling my story and showing who I am in a community without judgement!

Steven Chau, actor for teenage Hao in ONE OK ROCK’s “Stand Out Fit In” MV

Did you know about ONE OK ROCK before being cast in this music video? What are your impressions of the band and the song Stand Out Fit In?

I definitely knew about ONE OK ROCK before being cast in the music video! My sister is a big fan of them and has shown me a few songs from the group before.

I used to be a huge anime fan, and I loved Japanese music, so ONE OK ROCK’s music definitely resonates with me! Their song, Stand Out Fit In, does not have the same style or feeling as their other songs. However, I still really enjoy it, as I also like pop music! The message behind the song is simple, yet beautifully told and the melody is catchy and new! Taka’s voice is BEAUTIFUL in the pre-choruses! (I heard it before, heard it before~)

How did you approach your audition for the role of teenage Hao? Please describe what the audition process was like.

I had a talent agent submit my dance resume and reel to the casting agent for the ONE OK ROCK music video! When they were interested in having me come for the audition, I was given the pitch for the music video and a description of Hao’s character. In the pitch, there was a description of the scenes I would have to act out as well!

When I read about Hao, I felt really close to his character. We’re both first generation Chinese Canadians and have had many similar experiences. So I entered the audition trying to just be myself, but placed in Hao’s shoes. In the end, I think I gave a very natural performance because of that!

Were you given any specific instructions by director Peter Huang for this role? What were some things you paid extra attention to during your performance?

I have a very bright and bubbly personality! Whereas Hao’s character is supposed to be really cool and kind of intimidating even… So when I was acting on set, I would be told by Peter, “LESS BUBBLES!”

I always had to be aware to tone my bubbly character down because it would affect Hao’s character and it wouldn’t be portrayed well. Aside from that, nothing much really!

The story in this music video has resonated with many people around the world. Did you find any similarities between Hao’s situation and your own experiences?

Yeah, I feel like I have many similarities with Hao and myself! I definitely do feel a lot of cultural separation with my parents. I remember hating my culture because of what I would be taught in school, and knowing what was “cool” and not.

Sometimes, I wouldn’t even want to look Chinese, and when someone would say I look really Chinese, I’d find it offensive.

The video leaves a lot of room for interpretation. What do you think was going on in the second half of the video?

So when I was told that there would be a Bian Lian (the dancer with the changing masks), I was like, “Oh! I used to see a lot of that in Chinese opera!” So basically in my view, the Bian Lian represents the changing of identities. As Hao struggles to fit in with his group of friends in high school, he steps out of his own comfort zone to try and impress his friends and gain their approval. After the car crash, I feel like the encounter with the Bian Lian represents his inner struggle of trying to fit in with a culture he might or might not entirely belong to. That’s why in the dance that I do, you can see that I start to copy some of the Bian Lian’s movements and my hair changes from black to blonde, and my eyes turn blue as well.

What is your favorite line in the song and why?

Try to color inside their lines

Try to live a life by design

I just wanna be myself

I can’t be someone else

These lines are my favourite because I relate to it the most. To this day and age… I still feel like I don’t truly know myself. In fact, a lot of things I do sometimes feel like they’re just for validation from my friends, parents, or on social media.

For most of my life so far, I’ve “coloured inside my parents’ and society’s lines.” If I think about it… For the past four years, I would feel trapped inside the school system’s bubble but I would stay anyways just because it’s what everyone else had to do. I felt like a robot, day in and day out trying to even just pass the bare minimum in school. My heart was not in it, my head was not in it, but my body was. It made me so unhappy to the point where I was desperate enough to change my program to something so drastically different and random like Animation.

I think now that I recently graduated from university… I am more than excited to focus on myself, and to find my voice in the world!

Are you surprised at the reception this music video has received? How has your experience working on this project changed you?

I am super surprised at the reception of this music video! I do NOT consider myself an actor at all, so taking on the role of Hao in the music video was super daunting. However, the way the audience has commented on my acting and performance really inspires me to break out of just dance roles, and do more acting!

My experience working on this project has changed a lot for me. It was my first time ever getting involved with something so big. However, before this opportunity, I wasn’t sure if I had the potential to make it to my dreams. But this experience has shown me that I do have potential, and it makes me want to work 100 times harder to become the star I want to be!

What would you say to ONE OK ROCK if you got the chance to meet them? Have you listened to any of their other songs and if you have, do you have a favorite?

If I met ONE OK ROCK, I would thank them for their beautiful music and for staying true to themselves throughout their careers. I know it’s easy to change a lot because trends change, and sometimes we have to stay within the times to remain popular. However, they’ve generally kept their rock image and their music continues to inspire millions of people around the world. And also… TAKA I LOVE YOUR VOICE!!!

I have listened to some of their other songs! My favourite… would be Heartache. It’s absolutely beautiful and serene.

Is there anything you’d like to say to the viewers of the Stand Out Fit In music video?

Thank you everyone for your support on my role in the music video, and also for believing in the message behind the song. This song is for those who feel like they need to hide their true selves from society because they’re not considered “normal”. Believe in your individuality, remain strong, and just be the best you that you possibly could be!

Thank you so much for sharing with us your experience working on this amazing music video, Steven! Please make sure to check out his awesome dance videos and give him a follow on Instagram and YouTube! He also mentioned to me that his sister got them tickets to February’s show in Toronto. Perhaps some of you may see him there!

