Secret lives: Coco Zhao talks about being the other woman

Coco Zhao as his unmodified persona.

Coco Zhao is one of Shanghai's best known jazz vocalists. Playing independently as well as with the group the Possicobilities, Coco is known for creating a remarkable blend of Chinese, particularly Shanghainese, and Western elements in his music -- a combination that lends itself to any audience whether they're in China, North America or Europe. Coco sings with the Possicobilities at JZ Club on Sunday nights starting at 10pm.

I used to study classical music. I never trained as a jazz musician. I just sang in the shower and one day I said, "F*ck it, let’s sing outside of the shower."

The first time I got dressed up by Shalom, my drag queen friend in Amsterdam, was in 2001. He always told me, "Girl you have a beautiful face. You can fool everybody." I wasn't that into it. But then he dressed me up once and I thought that was great fun. I realized it’s not only about drag, it’s about magic, how you can switch and transform from one to another.

Singing, being Coco, is my major life. When I do Coco, I don’t do much performing, I just sing. But Cocolicious is a total show.

A lot of people would rather keep it as a secret identity. Why do I have to keep it a secret? Even my mom knows every part of me.

— Coco Zhao

When Cocolicious is ready she’ll come out. She’ll dress up and have fun. It takes a lot of trouble, two hours, to get ready. The process starts with shaving, you do the corset, put on the clothes, makeup, wig, and spend all this time in front of the mirror telling yourself, “This is who I am.” You have to get used to the role. You can’t just put a dress on and go out like that. I have to take some time to look at myself in the mirror to feel this transformation.

I never really try to think about how people react to it. Of course people get fooled by me. A lot of men think I’m a girl. There are guys who come and talk to me, be a gentlemen to me, stroke my chair, buy me drinks, take my coat, give me compliments and try to chat me up. They ask my friends, “Who’s this chick? Where’s she from?” And they say, “He’s from Hunan.” I like it when that happens. It’s fun to discover unknown parts, no matter whether it’s yourself or others. It’s playfulness.

Cocolicious linked me and acting life. When I sing I’m performing too, but I’m showing my true self. Cocolicious is all about being myself with a little topping.

Cocolicious steps out.

I believe that in our lives we don’t just run on one wheel. Like a car engine, you’ve got to run different wheels to move forward. So I try to find different ways of exploring my imagination and creativity. A lot of people would rather keep it as a secret identity. Why do I have to keep it a secret? Even my mom knows every part of me.

Every single person is a disco ball. When the light’s on, when it turns, each little mirror reflects an image on each corner of the wall. A lot of people don’t dare to turn the lights on or turn the disco ball, so they only see one image of themselves. If you turn the disco ball, if you turn the lights on, you can see yourself being so many different forms and different shapes.

As told to Rebecca Kanthor