The title song, Sailing Into The Past, for example, tells of Wang's reflections on his past 10 years. He left his hometown and moved to Beijing in 2007.

Like many young people pursuing their dreams in big cities, Wang worked hard to afford a life in the capital.

"I moved about 20 times in Beijing, from basements to small rooms. It didn't matter where I lived as long as I had the opportunity to sing onstage," he recalls.

"Now, I feel grateful for the hard times. I didn't become an overnight sensation. But the waiting enabled me to have a clearer goal and helped me to deliver more messages through my songs."

Feng Ke, founder and CEO of Show City Times, says his Beijing-based company signed a contract with Wang after hearing the singer's deep voice on the variety show, I Am a Singer.

"We didn't rush to release an album from him because he had clear ideas about his music," says Feng, whose company supports nearly 20 singers, including his wife, pop star Zhang Liangying.

"Our company releases more than 200 new songs every year, and we believe that Wang's performance will stand out in the market."

The album's producer and songwriter, Wang Haitao, says he had many discussions with Wang Xi, who "often motivated us to come up with something even better".

Wang Xi was introduced to music by his parents and received vocal training from the age of 15.

He recalls that his favorite hobby as a teenager was to buy cassettes and learn new songs.

"I bought lots of pop cassettes, such as those of Hong Kong band Beyond, and I was very proud when I sang the latest songs in front of my classmates," Wang Xi says.

"Music makes me happy. I knew I would become a singer."

Wang Xi married his actress girlfriend, Jin Yanzhu, in 2015. The couple had a daughter last year.

Fatherhood has made him more mature and added a new perspective to his music, he says.