In a recent Instagram story, Kiki Wong talked about her journey in the music world.
The guitarist shared some photos from one of Smashing Pumpkins’ recent shows and wrote:
“I remember back in the day performing to only a few people in the crowd… sometimes no one. I’ve played shows where they’ve cut our set halfway through, and even shows where we were fired. But I never let the bad take me down; I just kept pushing, practicing, improving, and learning. I am so f*cking grateful to be here. It’s never too late to follow your dreams.”
After Jeff Schroeder left, Smashing Pumpkins announced in January 2024, via social media that they were looking for a new guitarist. They received over 10,000 submissions by January 17 and hired eight people to review them. Later in April, they announced Wong as their new touring guitarist. Corgan mentioned he was already a fan of hers before she applied.
What Did Kiki Feel After Her First Show?
After her first show with Smashing Pumpkins, Kiki posted on Instagram. She shared photos from their Birmingham concert and wrote in the caption:
“What an absolute mind-blowing experience it was for Smashing Pumpkins’ first show of the tour at the Utilita Arena Birmingham. Here are some fun fan photos taken from the show! I am so overwhelmed with excitement. It was such an honor to play my first arena on guitar with such an incredible group of musicians. Someone pinch me, actually don’t because I want to keep living this dream. Tonight we play the O2. Sold out show let’s go!!”
Later in other posts, Wong also said how amazing it feels to perform with Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, and Teen Mortgage. She described it as the tour of a lifetime. Wong was thrilled to play at Co-op Live, a dream come true to perform on such a huge stage. She felt overwhelmed by the crowd singing along passionately to every song. The rocker also expressed gratitude to Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, James Iha, Jack Bates, and Katie Cole for believing in her.
You can see her IG story below.
