Last year, Los Angeles-based guitarist and social-media sensation Kiki Wong famously beat out some 10,000 online applicants and was chosen as the newest member of the Smashing Pumpkins. Three months after being tapped for the gig, Wong hit the road with the superstar alt-rock outfit, playing festival and arena shows for much of 2024. She admits there’s still certain aspects of major band perks she’s getting used to — for instance, backstage riders.
“I’ve always toured broke,” she says. “I mean, I learned how to take a bath at a Starbucks. When I first joined the Pumpkins, they asked me what I wanted to add to the rider, and I just didn’t know. I still haven’t added anything because I’m literally the person who goes, ‘Why don’t we stop at a gas station for some Slim Jims?’”
During the past few years, Wong achieved a significant level of notoriety via her social media posts — everything from a travel blog to irresistible videos of heavy metal electric guitar covers — and has amassed millions of online followers. Though her success might appear to be the result of some grand agenda, she rejects the notion outright.
“The only plan I’ve had is to just keep going,” she says. “Don’t worry if something seems crazy. If you want to do it, do it — even things that sound terrible can catapult you to the next level. Learn to say ‘yes’ more than you say ‘no.’ Most of the time, we say no to protect ourselves from fear and rejection — which you will have, so accept that and move on.”
If all of that sounds like good advice, you’re in luck: Wong has other choice pieces of wisdom for guitarists trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B.
1. Fail Like You’ve Never Failed Before
“I’ve failed more times than I’ve succeeded. 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.
“I don’t know anybody who’s had success after success and never experienced 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 trunk. 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.
“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.”
2. Shred What You Can Get
“I’m a gearhead. I love gear, and I have too many guitars. I’ve got almost 40 guitars, and I keep getting more, which is insane. But I strongly believe that you can make the best out of a cheap instrument. I started playing guitar at 13, and for the longest time I played a Hamer Slammer. I played the crap out of it and learned my stuff.
“If you’re just starting out, don’t focus on all the beautiful guitars you see online or in magazines. Shred what you can get. If all you have is a cheap guitar, that’s the guitar you’re meant to play right now. Make that guitar sing. One day you’ll have something nicer, and you’ll sound amazing on it. Remember: Race car drivers don’t start out driving race cars.”
3. 10,000 Hours of Practice, 10,000 More in the Industry
“There’s the whole theory that you need to put in 10,000 to master something, and I’m a big proponent of that idea. If anybody thinks I’ve had it nice my whole life and had all the breaks, think again. In high school, I was a total nerd and spent hours each day practicing and practicing. I was obsessed with guitar and put all of my effort into playing and learning technique.
“Later on, when I joined this all-Asian female pop-rock band called Nylon Pink, I realized that the visual aspect of performing was also important, and that made me realize that there was a lot about the industry that I needed to learn about. If you don’t understand the business, you’re going to limit your opportunities. So make a plan for yourself: As much time you spend learning your instrument, spend as much, if not more, time learning everything you can about the music industry. And like I mentioned before, don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is another way of learning.”
4. Be Humble, But Celebrate Your Wins
“I’m a big believer in humility and respect. You need to appreciate every opportunity that comes to you, and no matter what happens, have respect for it.
“I remember going into the Smashing Pumpkins audition. I had practiced the songs, and as I stood outside the studio door I thought, Even if I don’t get chosen to join, right now in this moment I’m about to play with the Smashing Pumpkins — how cool is that? Even if they hated me, I told myself to enjoy the moment. In my mind, I was already a winner.
“What happened next was, I went in and forgot to perform. I was just smiling and having a good time, and my whole vibe was ‘This is way too cool!’ At that moment, I was grateful for the chance to be there. I remember thinking, Even the bad stuff was worth it, because I got through it and it allowed me this opportunity. And I know there will be struggles in the future, but I also know that I’m going to press on and achieve. It’s important to celebrate your wins, but always be humble. That’s what will keep you going.”
5. You’re Not Selling Out If You’re On Social Media
“I built my fame on social media. I just decided, ‘I’m going to take my love of heavy metal, and I’m going to make all of these fun and crazy videos of me playing metal covers.’ I read a lot of negative stuff: ‘Oh, look at all the stupid faces you make’ or ‘What are you doing on TikTok?’ TikTok’s for kids.’ Some people even called me a sell-out. I didn’t care.
“Sure, I wrote my own music and spent thousands of hours in the studio, but I also know that people related to music they knew. I just kept doing what I wanted, and it got me fans and all this recognition, and it took me to the level of playing with the Pumpkins. I also helped inspire other female guitarists to put their own videos online, and that’s a great thing.
“Social media is here to be used. I find it perplexing that musicians would have a hard time accepting it at this point. You can promote yourself and find other musicians, or build an audience. And you can get good gigs, too. You can get chosen to open for bigger bands. It used to be that you had to book a gig somewhere, and sometimes pay to play that gig, to have somebody notice you. Now you can put a video online and it’ll be seen by thousands of people — eventually, it could be somebody who can do something for you. I don’t call any of that ‘selling out.’”
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