Shane Ting Interview

1. What is your name and your profession(s)?

Shane Ting (shanexyeah) - Pianist and Speaker

2. What is your ethnic background and what is your citizenship?

I was born in China and am now a naturalised Australian citizen.

3. Are either/both of your parents musicians or somehow involved in the music industry?

Neither of my parents are musicians or involved in the music industry.

4. Please tell us a little bit about your experience, either growing up as an AAPI in America, or as a person of Asian descent who immigrated to America, whichever applies.

I moved to Australia at a young age, and my parents wanted me to be around more white people so I could improve my English. They never explicitly explained why, and I took that very literally.

For many years, up until I was about 20, I didn’t have any Asian friends.

I grew up in predominantly white environments and began to see myself as “white.” At one point, I even held internalised racism toward my own identity. People would say things like, “I don’t like Asians, but Shane you’re different,” and I would agree with them. Looking back, I feel ashamed that I allowed those ideas to shape how I saw myself.

That changed in my first year of university after I stopped swimming. I met new people and started forming friendships with other Asians. For the first time, I felt a genuine sense of connection through culture, humour, food, values, and shared experiences. Since then, I’ve grown to deeply appreciate and embrace my identity.

Family has also played a huge role in that shift. My mum is Chinese and my dad is Malaysian, and during my time studying abroad in the U.S., I would call them almost every day. That strong sense of family connection is something I value deeply, and it’s become a core part of who I am.

5. How connected do you feel to your heritage/culture(s)?

I feel much more connected to my heritage now than I ever did growing up. Most of my closest friends today are Asian, and I feel a strong sense of belonging both culturally and personally. Traditions like Chinese New Year are very important to me, I always make it a priority to be home with my family to celebrate.

6. 6a.) How did you get into music? Did you major in music in college? Where did you attend college/university (and grad school(s), if applicable) and in what subjects did you get your degree(s)?

I started piano at age five because my parents enrolled me in lessons. I showed strong musical ability early on, and I’ve been playing ever since.

I didn’t pursue music academically. I studied Biomedical Engineering and Physiology at the University of Sydney, and during that time, I also studied abroad at Rice University and UC Berkeley, focusing on Bioengineering.

6b.) When and how did you decide you were going to pursue music professionally? What were your parents’ reactions to you deciding to pursue music? Do they support your music career now?

I decided to pursue music professionally when I started gaining traction on social media through videos of me playing piano, especially content where I learned songs by ear and shared my progress.

Initially, my parents were hesitant. They didn’t fully understand the industry and were concerned about stability. But once I began receiving real opportunities through music, they started to see its potential. Now, they’re very supportive of whatever path I choose.

7. What are a few of your (music) projects of which you are the proudest? What were your roles on those projects? Beyond those projects, please feel free to name some of your other credits as well as any brands/companies you officially endorse.

One of my proudest moments was performing at the TEDxUniversity of Sydney flagship event in 2025, where I took live song requests from the audience and played them by ear on stage.

I’ve also had the opportunity to perform at weddings across Sydney, which has been incredibly rewarding in a different way - being part of such meaningful moments in people’s lives.

8. What are some obstacles you have encountered (if any) being an AAPI in the music world? What are some obstacles you have encountered (if any) as an AAPI in general (non-music)? Conversely, has being an AAPI ever helped you in the music industry or in general?

One challenge I’ve faced is dealing with stereotypes. When I post piano content online, people often attribute my ability solely to being Asian, as if it’s something innate rather than something built through years of practice.

Comments like that overlook the effort and discipline behind the skill. It’s a reminder that while there are positive stereotypes, they can still be limiting and dismissive.

9. 9a.) Who are some AAPI musicians/composers/producers who have previously inspired and currently inspire you (if any)? Why?

One of my biggest inspirations is Andy Morris. He was one of the first creators I saw playing piano in public and sharing it online. Watching his content pushed me to step outside my comfort zone, overcome social anxiety, and start creating my own piano content in public spaces.

9b.) What are your hopes for the AAPI music community and your hopes for AAPIs in general?

There is so much talent within the AAPI community, but a lot of it goes unrealized because of societal and cultural expectations, particularly the idea that the arts should remain a hobby rather than a serious career. I hope more AAPI artists choose to pursue music with full conviction and to take their craft seriously and believe that it can work. The talent is already there - it just needs to be backed by belief and action.

10. Name one or two non-music-related things/subjects about which you are also passionate.

I absolutely LOVE sports. I grew up as a competitive swimmer, training 9 times a week at the top swimming club in Australia training alongside Olympians and World Champions. It was my biggest dream to make the Olympics. After retiring from swimming due to a back injury, I picked up tennis and fell in love with it even more than swimming. To this day, I play at least twice a week. There was a phase where I was delusional enough to think I could make Wimbledon...which, in hindsight, was very optimistic.

--

Support Shane online :)

Instagram - @shanexyeah

YouTube - @shanexyeah

TikTok - @shanexyeah

Image courtesy of Shane Ting.