xue has seen his fair share of ups and downs in his life. he was born and grew up in shanghai, china. when he was four years old, his mother died of heart disease. he studied hotel management at glion institute of higher education in switzerland, before dropping out to pursue a music career. xue first came to prominence in 2005, when his outstanding performance at the tv talent competition "my show" gained him widespread popularity and earned him a seven-year contract with shangteng entertainment. his first few releases were a hit on the charts, but his career went downhill after the record company ran into financial difficulties. not one to sit by the sidelines, xue decided to open a hot pot business in a bid to fund his singing ambitions. he also ventured into the fashion world with one label under his belt and dabbled in acting and hosting. his business took off and he used the money he made to fund his career in music.