Around a decade ago, Shao entered a songwriting competition with a demo he made at London Camden's Roundhouse, where he spent two years as a resident artist. Shao's original composition won the entire contest, which secured him a publishing deal in Taiwan. Following industry advice to make his name as a songwriter before launching his own artist project, Shao went on to craft hits for massive artists including Stefanie Sun (No.1 across four countries), Taiwanese rock duo Power Station (2025 Hito Music Awards – Top 10 Mandarin Songs of the Year), Mandopop main pop girl Angela Zhang (No.1 album) and Japanese major virtual girl band V.W.P. Songs written by Shao have hit number one in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. Along the way, he has become a go-to songwriter for East Asian TV shows and No.1 Netflix series.

Shao's songwriting career continues to flourish. Last year, he was nominated for the best original song prize at the Golden Bell Awards – Taiwan's equivalent to the Emmys. Another career highlight came earlier last year when he wrote for Mandarin-pop superstar Stefanie Sun. Fast forward to 2025, and Stefanie Sun made Shao's song the theme for her latest Asia tour with already half million audiences so far.

In January, Shao asked a promoter friend to plot an extensive school tour where he could hone his live skills while previewing new material from his artist project. Performing in schools has been incredibly inspiring for Shao, not least because he receives so much positive feedback – both in person and online. "I get so many messages from kids saying thank you for making it feel cool to be different," he says. As he plots future shows in schools and adult music venues, he's never felt more certain of his purpose as a performer. "It's so important for young people to know it's OK to be a boy who's attracted to other boys, it's OK to feel as though you have a different gender inside of you, it's OK to be autistic, it's OK to have a disability," he says. "I hope that when Gen Z fans hear my music, they realise we're the people who can work together to build a better, kinder community for everyone."

Photographer: Kentata Murata

Heritage: British - Chinese
Location: London, UK

Connect: Instagram | Website

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3 words to describe you:
Emotional, cross-cultural, hopeful.

Describe your sound:
A blend of Brit-pop/Brit-rock emotional storytelling with the melodic sensitivity and energy of K-pop — heartfelt vocals, warm instrumentation, and cinematic, nostalgia-tinged production.

Describe the moment you knew that you wanted to pursue music:
When I moved to the UK alone at 17, music became my anchor. I remember sitting in a tiny practice room at school, singing solo for the first time in the school concert. Music became my first language to connect with others before my English was fluent. 

How does your heritage impact your art?
My heritage is at the centre of everything I create. Growing up Chinese and then rebuilding my identity in the UK gave me a constant sense of “in-between,” which naturally shaped my writing. It’s why my songs often explore belonging, identity, and home. Musically, I combine the emotional directness of Western songwriting with the melodic, poetic sensitivity I grew up hearing in Asian pop.

What moment are you most proud of in your music journey so far?
One of the proudest moments of my career was when a song I wrote for my childhood idol, Singaporean Chinese singer (Queen of mandopop) Stefanie Sun, went to No.1 across multiple countries in Asia. I grew up listening to her, so seeing a song I created reach people on that scale — and knowing she was the one singing it — felt surreal. It was the first time I truly realised that my music could travel far beyond where I came from.

Your next music goal:
To have my own No.1 hit as an artist and reach people on both sides of the world. 

If you could collaborate with anyone, who and why?
Laufey. I love the way she blends jazz, classical influences, and modern storytelling into something beautifully intimate and timeless. Her music feels both nostalgic and fresh, and I think our shared focus on emotional honesty and cross-cultural identity would make for a really special collaboration.

Your favourite song/lyrics:
“Once I was a dreamer, had stars in my eyes. Leaving that night was the greatest mistake of my life”

- From my debut single 'Where Is My Home' 

3 songs you're listening to right now:
Where Is My Home - Shao Hao
Lover Girl - Laufey
Afterwards (日落） - Stefanie Sun 孫燕姿 (written by yours and truly! ;) ) 

Your community shout out:
Kanata Okajima (@kanataokajima) — My Japanese best friend/“sister” and one of the most inspiring Asian songwriters in the world. She’s written for BTS, Twice and countless artists, and has been a huge supporter of my project. (We wrote “Where Is My Home” together.) Her work ethic and generosity have shaped so much of my writing journey.

Anything else you'd like to share:
Go Listen to “Where Is My Home” now! 😝 
Fun fact: “Where Is My Home” was originally written for a BTS member! 😂

My next release is my Christmas single — a reimagined, cinematic pop version of “Walking in the Air” from The Snowman, featuring strings, harp, and electronic beats. It’s part of the rollout leading to my 2026 debut EP S.H.17, supported by my ongoing UK nationwide school tour where I’ve performed for over 50,000 students.