Early life and education:
Lay was born on September 27, 1991, in Changsha, Hunan, China. He began dancing at a young age and studied at the Hunan Normal University High School Affiliated Middle School. In 2008, he won first place in the national finals of a popular Chinese talent show called "Star Academy."
Music career:
With EXO:
Lay joined SM Entertainment in 2008 and became a member of EXO in 2012. EXO debuted in April 2012 with the extended play "Mama." Lay has participated in all of EXO's releases, including their studio albums "XOXO" (2013), "EXODUS" (2015), "EX'ACT" (2016), "The War" (2017), and "Don't Mess Up My Tempo" (2018). He has also released several solo songs as part of EXO, such as "What U need?" (2014) and "Sheep" (2016).
Solo career:
Lay has also had a successful solo career, releasing several albums and singles under both his Chinese and Korean names. His debut Chinese-language mini-album, "Lose Control" (2016), was a commercial success and sold over 1 million copies in China. His subsequent Chinese-language albums, "Lay 02 Sheep" (2017), "Namanana" (2018), and "Lit" (2019), were also successful and received critical acclaim.
Lay has also released Korean-language singles, such as "Honey" (2017), "NAMANANA" (2018), and "Lit" (2019). These singles have performed well on South Korean music charts and showcased Lay's growing popularity as a solo artist.
Acting career:
In addition to his music career, Lay has also pursued an acting career. He has appeared in several Chinese films and television dramas, including "Ex Files 2: The Back Up Strikes Back" (2015), "The Founding of an Army" (2017), "Operation Love" (2017), and "The Golden Eyes" (2019). He has also starred in the South Korean drama "To Be A Better Man" (2016).
Other activities:
Lay has also been involved in various other activities, such as being a brand ambassador for several companies and participating in philanthropic events. He has also launched his own fashion brand called "Layzhang STUDIO" and has collaborated with other artists on music and film projects.
Overall, Nathan Lay is a multi-talented artist who has achieved success in both the music and acting industries. He has a large fan base in both China and South Korea and is considered one of the most influential figures in the Chinese entertainment industry.