Chinese Singer-Songwriter Eric HZ Reflects on Fatherhood and Mandarin Song “Child” Amid New GRAMMY Category

Eric HZ reflects on fatherhood, vocal artistry, and the universal emotions behind his Mandarin song 'Child,' submitted for GRAMMY consideration.

DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, October 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ --

Part III — A Father’s Song, A Universal Language

For Chinese singer-songwriter and vocalist Eric HZ, the introduction of Best Asian Pop Music Performance at the 69th GRAMMY Awards represents an opportunity to encourage a deeper understanding of Asia’s diverse musical traditions.

His original Mandarin-language song “Child,” submitted for consideration in the new category, grew out of a deeply personal experience: becoming a father to twins.

In the third part of his written reflections on music and cross-cultural understanding, Eric HZ discusses the new category and how language, vocal artistry, and human experience inform his songwriting.

Asian Pop Should Be a Door, Not a Wall

“I support this new category not because Asian music requires lower standards, nor because I believe Asian artists should be recognized only within a separate category,” Eric HZ explained.

“Quite the opposite. I hope it will encourage the international music community to develop a fuller understanding of the richness of Asian music and inspire music professionals to approach works from different linguistic and cultural traditions with both openness and rigorous artistic standards.”

He emphasized that Asia is not a single musical culture. Music performed in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and other Asian languages reflects diverse melodic approaches, linguistic expression, vocal practices, and histories of popular music.

“These works do not need to become more alike in order to contribute to the vitality of Asian popular music.”

At the same time, he believes cultural diversity cannot serve as a substitute for artistic quality.

“Meaningful diversity does not require every culture to receive identical outcomes. Rather, it means giving works from different cultural traditions the opportunity to be evaluated with equal seriousness and rigor, informed by an understanding of their respective artistic languages.”

He summarized his perspective in a phrase he has expressed before:

“Asian Pop should be a door, not a wall.”

Eric HZ hopes the category will not only help Asian music reach international audiences, but also encourage greater understanding of the distinct artistic expressions within Asian music itself.

“Child”: A Father’s Song

For Eric HZ, these questions of language and artistic expression are deeply personal.

“First and foremost, ‘Child’ is a song written by a father for his children.”

“When my twins came into my life, I began to understand love in a new way, and I also began to rediscover myself.”

He originally intended the song as a gift to his children—a reminder that whatever challenges or mistakes they encounter, they do not have to be perfect to be worthy of love.

“I chose to write in Mandarin because it was the most natural language through which I could express this deeply personal experience.”

But emotional authenticity, he argues, does not diminish the need for artistic discipline.

“The simpler and more sincere the emotion, the more carefully a songwriter must consider the relationship among melody, lyrics, voice, and musical structure.”

When the Voice Serves the Music

“In vocal performance, I want my voice to serve the work, rather than turning the song into a showcase for vocal technique.”

“A singer needs to know when to use power and when to exercise restraint. We need not only the ability to express emotion, but also the artistic judgment to let emotion unfold naturally within the musical structure.”

For Eric HZ, the essential question is not simply how to make a song sound beautiful, but how to make the voice remain faithful to the lived experience at the heart of the work.

“When people listen to ‘Child,’ I hope they hear the intimate reflections of a father before they hear the technical abilities of a formally trained vocalist.”

A Universal Human Experience

As the creative process continued, Eric HZ discovered that the song was changing him as well.

“It began with my children. But somewhere along the way, I came to realize that I am still a child, too.”

“We grow, we lose our way, we fall, and we search for the road home again. And at every stage of life, we long to be understood, accepted, and loved.”

“I believe these emotions belong to no single language or culture.”

“A work of music can have a distinctive cultural identity while expressing human emotions that resonate across cultural boundaries.”

For Eric HZ, this connection between cultural identity and shared human experience remains central to his commitment to writing original music in Chinese.

About Eric HZ

Eric HZ is a Chinese singer-songwriter, vocalist, and music producer based in the Dallas, Texas area. He studied under Chinese opera performer and vocal educator Professor Wan Shanhong.

He is the founder and chairman of the Chinese-American Federation of Arts and Culture (CAFAC), and the founder and executive producer of the Chinese American Music Festival (CAMF).

His original Mandarin-language song “Child” has been submitted for consideration in Best Asian Pop Music Performance at the 69th GRAMMY Awards.

Music and artist information:

https://www.cafacofficial.org/eric-hz-child

Chris Jin
Chinese-American Federation of Arts and Culture
festival@cafacofficial.org
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Eric HZ Performs “Child” at the 21st Chinese American Film Festival Golden Angel Awards