Veteran rock band chooses female guitarist, social media influencer as newest member

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1. Music

• Updated: May. 03, 2024, 10:55 a.m.|
• Published: May. 03, 2024, 10:54 a.m.

The Smashing Pumpkins selected guitarist and social influencer Kiki Wong as the newest member of the band. Wong was one of more than 10,000 people who answered the alternative rock band's open casting call. Here frontman Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins perform at the BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival in 2023. Amy Harris/Invision/AP

CHICAGO - The Smashing Pumpkins, a veteran alternative rock band that has performed for more than three decades, has selected a muscian and online content creator to be its next guitarist.

Kiki Wong was one of 10,000 guitarists who applied for the job as part of a public casting call. The band announced in January it was seeking a new guitarist with the departure of Jeff Schroeder, who had played with Smashing Pumpkins for 16 years.

"The news you have been waiting for has finally arrived," the band announced on Instagram. "SP is excited to officially welcome highly-skilled veteran guitarist Kiki Wong. Kiki joins the band's touring lineup of Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha, along with mainstays Jack Bates and Katie Cole."

Smashing Pumpkins formed in 1988 in Chicago. The band broke up in 2000, but re-formed six years later. The band has tour dates scheduled for this summer in the United States and Europe with Green Day and with Weezer.

Where to get tickets now: SeatGeek, VividSeats, StubHub, TicketCity and Ticketmaster.

Wong, 35, is a Chinese and Korean American who is a social media influencer. Her TikTok account, Kiki: Daily Metal Guitar Riffs, has more than 1.3 million followers. More than 700,000 people follow her on Instagram.

"Well, cat's out of the bag! I am officially the new guitarist for the @smashingpumpkins 🙏❤️ I am beyond honored and excited to be a part of this new journey with such an incredible and legendary group of musicians. It's going to be a wild ride! " she said in an Instagram post. "I never thought little ole 15-year-old me playing metal guitar in my bedroom would amount to this moment. It goes to show hard work and perseverance truly pays off if you're willing to push through the tough stuff, so never lose hope out there."

Smashing Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan said in an Instagram announcement the band was lucky that so many great guitarists had sought to join the band. "I was a fan of Kiki's before she submitted her name to be considered — and it's great that someone of her acumen will be part of our touring family."

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