July/August 2009 ❙
❙ 25
CelebInPerson
The J way
JJ Lin is more cute than a hunky rocker but he has fans all across Asia thanks to his musical talent and earnest demeanour. OutramNow gets Singapore’s poster boy for singing-songwriting to talk about fashion, love and of course, health.
By Hazel Yong
JJ LIN is one Mandopop artist who epitomises the ‘never say die’ attitude. He’s often lambasted for his fashion sense but it didn’t stop him from opening a streetwear shop at Ann Siang Hill in March this year with three buddies. The shop’s name? Smudge, an appropriate acronym for Still Moving UnDer GunfirE. “I don’t see myself as a fashion guru or anything close. I just wear what represents me, and it should never be rated with numbers,” said Lin when asked to rate his own fashion quotient. “Smudge is a brand that reflects the condition of our world. But instead of complaining and swearing about how life sucks, it provides strength and faith to those who believe in the warrior mentality behind the brand.” Lacking in the boy-band type of good looks, he walks the talk as he takes the tougher route to win fans over with his hardworking attitude, vocals and songwriting talents. Discovered in a talent search by local record company Ocean Butterflies Music in 1999, the former ACS boy has been pushing himself hard to stay on top of the pop-idol pack. With so little personal time, he ended up celebrating his birthday belated and onstage at the Singapore Indoor Stadium as he turned 28 a day before his 2009 World Tour opened. For his efforts, top awards garnered this year alone include the Top Local Artiste of the Year, Top Local Songwriter of the Year as well as Top Local Soundtrack award (for 2007 animation Legend of the Sea) at the 14th annual Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (Compass) Awards Presentations. The Singapore Entertainment Awards also honoured him with the Best Local Singer title, as well as K Box Most Popular Karaoke Hit for his duet Dimples with Hong Kong songbird Charlene Choi.
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How do you prepare yourself physically for concerts or shows? I usually spend an hour at the gym about four times a week and up to five hours every day for dance rehearsals. At the gym, I would do crunches and lift weights to build stronger biceps and triceps. Running on the treadmill helps build up my stamina too. Besides exercise, ample water and rest are important in helping preserve my voice. I would also cut down on oily and fried food.
“My highest high is yet to come. I’m always working to better myself and my craft,” he declared. Being so driven has its price. Late last year, his throat became so inflamed that he coughed blood during promotional tours in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. About three months ago, an endoscopy revealed gastric acid had damaged his vocal chords and the doctor ordered him to take a break from singing. While he has decided to persist with work, it is unconfirmed by press time if his seventh album will be released around August as originally planned. According to sources, he is in the midst of selecting the songs for the album lineup. Still, there is something that JJ might consider slowing down his career for – love. Currently rumoured to be dating Choi since their collaboration on Dimples, the usually obliging Lin turns remarkably tightlipped. What if his fans desert him because he has a girlfriend? “I’d rather lose fans due to my dating status than lose them because of my music, or age! As with any and every important thing to me, I choose to protect it and if it means keeping secrets, I would gladly do so.”
What is your favourite sport and what would you like to try next? Besides swimming, I like basketball and will play with other artistes like Jay (Chou), Jerry (Yan) and Energy. I want to try racing because I love cars! It’s a different form of sport to hone speed and mental endurance. You were spokesman for foodstuff such as potato chips, ice-cream and soda in China. Why are you advocating junk food to impressionable teen fans? Young people already like junk food. I always try to remind them to take everything in controlled proportions. What is your daily diet like? I always stay away from the oily and fried stuff, but I have a weakness for ice-cream. My favourite flavour is chocolate! Thick, brown, rich… yummy! I eat a small cup of ice-cream whenever the craving hits. To enhance my nourishment, my mum feeds me vitamins and bird’s nest. You shuttle frequently between Taipei, Singapore and China for work. Any tips on dealing with jet lag? Thank God there isn’t any time difference between these three regions! However, I get headaches from the air pressure so I avoid night flights which cause me the most discomfort. I always drink lots of water and usually take the chance to sleep the moment I’m on board. Rest and water is the best way to hydrate one’s skin! When I’m awake, I make a point to stand and stretch regularly to prevent numbness. You are an avid player of computer games like World of Warcraft and Counter Strike. Do you think such games promote violence, and how do you take care of your eyes? I think it’s just like watching a movie or reading a book – we have to approach it with maturity. In life, you have to keep yourself in constant check and balance. For eye care, I take breaks and try not to stare into the screen for prolonged periods. Gaming should always be for leisure, unless you are a professional gamer. And if you are a professional gamer, you would know how to control playing time to be at your competitive best. Besides playing computer games, what else do you do to rest and relax? I like to watch movies or chill with my friends at coffee joints just to catch up. Other times, I’ll chill at the Smudge store in Ann Siang Hill. To what extent does love contribute to good health? Love makes you want to stay healthy, happy and strong for your loved ones. It’s the largest source of energy to help achieve anything in life.