JJ LIN sometimes thinks of himself as the comic book hero Dr Strange, barrelling through inter-dimensional portals of an infinite multiverse. Sometimes he’s bending space and time, speeding up or turning back the clock, or conjuring alternate realities. Other times he is summoning circles of orange energy to his fingertips – they swirl around like planetary systems at his command.

The comparison isn’t as far-fetched as you think. While many know him as a music superstar with 20 years of hits and awards, his fans recognise him as much more – a multi-talented entrepreneur with several ventures in various industries, including fashion, F&B, e-sports and Web3. Lin certainly has many balls to juggle, but he keeps them in the air with almost superhero-like powers, transcending human-dom.

“I make jokes about it. But I really do feel like Dr Strange sometimes, co-existing in different universes at the same time,” he says. “Seriously speaking, I feel like I have multiple roles that are not bound by time and space. Like I have to exist in different time zones and different spaces for different people.”

When he’s not touring, he splits his time between Singapore and Taiwan, which provide different kinds of inspiration and refuge – with occasional sojourns in cities like Los Angeles “where I can move freely and see life from a broader perspective”. 

But he spends just as much time in the metaverse, interacting with his over six million social media followers, blazing through his favourite video games Gran Turismo 7 or Cyberpunk 2077, or wandering through Decentraland and Sandbox sometimes, where he owns plots of virtual land. He believes in the potential of blockchain, crypto and NFTs to shape a better, freer world. And he holds a few blue-chip NFTs, including a CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT. 

“I didn’t buy these NFTs to speculate or make a profit,” he says. “I bought them because they give me access to communities I believe in and want to support. This is where I find people I can vibe with, people who love science fiction and mech culture as much as I do. So regardless of what’s happening in the crypto markets now, the construction of the Web3 universe is on-going. And I want to be a part of that future.”   

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Like Dr Strange, Lin’s curiosity about different worlds – physical, digital or metaphysical – appears boundless.

WINNING HEARTS

Back in the physical world, his latest projects are the Singapore debut of his coffee chain Miracle Coffee, and the global debut of Patti Tsai, the first artiste to be signed to his music label JFJ Productions.   

At his recent concert in Singapore’s National Stadium, Tsai stepped on stage for the first time to sing with Lin a duet she wrote titled Dear Stranger. And though she was nervous and trembling, her voice and song were beguiling.

Lin says in his 20-year career, he’s chanced upon many talented aspiring musicians whom he thought of nurturing – but Tsai is the first to make the cut. He says: “Patti is different. She is humble and hardworking. She has heart. I’ve met many young musicians who are genuinely talented. But their mindsets weren’t right – they were either too confident or too eager to start their careers. 

“Patti has been interning with JFJ Productions for five years. Her music, I thought, was ready from Day One. To me, she felt like a Taylor Swift from the early years; she has this fire in her. But she was just too shy at the start – and that was a problem. So we spent the past five years building her confidence and getting her ready for this moment. And the audience, as far as we can see, really likes her.”

2023 will be a big year for Tsai, as JFJ Productions plans to release her debut EP or album. Lin doesn’t dismiss the possibility of nurturing other newcomers in future, but he says: “More than talent or charisma, they must have heart. Even if they have the biggest talent in the world but if they don’t have heart… well, let’s just say they’re not right for JFJ Productions. Someone else might take them on and they might still succeed. But we won’t be that label… To me, heart is more important than talent.”

JJ’S STEAKHOUSE, ANYONE?

Like Tsai, the debut of Miracle Coffee in Singapore was five long years in the making. Lin’s coffee chain first opened in 2017 in Taipei’s Neihu District where JFJ Productions is based, and has since expanded to two more stores in Taipei and one in Shanghai. Lin wanted to bring the chain to Singapore earlier, but the pandemic scuppered plans. 

On Sep 30, 2022, Miracle Coffee finally opened a 90-day pop-up at the ArtScience Museum in Marina Bay Sands Singapore, and it will subsequently have a permanent space in the museum lobby in 2023. The store serves a range of pour-overs and cold brews from single origin beans, as well as Americanos, cappuccinos and specialty lattes. But the fancy option on everyone’s lips is the Singapore-exclusive Kaya Cloud, an Americano topped with velvety kaya-spiked cream and shaved gula melaka.    

Lin says he’s aware of just how saturated that coffee market is, but believes Miracle Coffee has an edge. He says: “I’m a big coffee drinker. But I can’t take Americano or espresso because of my gastric problem. So I always take pour over instead because it’s lighter and cleaner, plus I like the process of making it. But very few cafes allow you to take out good pour over coffee. So we decided to be the place to do exactly that – serve premium pour over takeaway to busy people.  

“I know the F&B industry is a crowded one. But so are the music and fashion industry, which I’m also in… So I think you have to be daring about thinking about doing things other people don’t dare think about, and take the risk of putting your investment in those untapped territories. That’s what I’m all about.”

In Taipei and Shanghai, Miracle Coffee is also housed in his larger lifestyle concept store SMUDGEstore, which sells Lin’s SMG streetwear clothing and merchandise, including outerwear, T-shirts, hats and bags. He declines to disclose revenue figures – but laughs when asked if he’s considering any other F&B ventures. 

He replies with a devilish grin: “I make a pretty good steak. So if I were to open a restaurant, it’s going to be ‘JJ’s Steakhouse’!”

Beyond coffee and steak, Lin is a pure Singaporean when it comes to food: “I love bak kut teh, char kway teow, Indian fish head curry, Peranakan cuisine… and durians! I could eat durians all day – but it makes me fat. But seriously, Singapore is the best place to eat. I’ve been around the world and dined in good restaurants. Nothing beats coming back to Singapore where you have this combination of Michelin-starred restaurants and amazing street food, all in one place.”

RAISING HIS E-GAME

In the film Dr Strange (2016), Dr Strange starts off as a mortal man who gradually learns the ancient art of manipulating the space-time continuum. “You need to focus. Visualise. See the destination in your mind. Look beyond the world in front of you. Imagine every detail. The clearer the picture, the quicker and easier the gateway will come,” exhorts Mordo, a master of the mystic arts who early on teaches the still-too-human Dr Strange how to summon inter-dimensional portals.    

Lin clearly loves the movie. He uses a similar language to describe how he’s envisioned and built his portfolio of businesses over the years: “I’m not a numbers or spreadsheets person. I have visions, goals and ideas. Sometimes I go a bit too crazy with my imagination. I imagine myself being there and being involved in these different ventures, using my capacity to get involved in my own special way… My business ideas are usually based on some out-of-this-world ideas. And then we work backwards to figure out how to turn them into reality, step-by-step.”

His longtime love of comic books, science fiction, video games, Web3 and all things universe-expanding has been duly parlayed into the 2017 creation of an e-sports organisation he owns called Team SMG (short for “Still Moving Under Gunfire”). It notched an almost overnight victory at the 2017 Arena of Valor World Championship with its Taiwan-based team, and has since expanded to include players in South-east Asia, including an all-Singaporean and all-Malaysian team.

Lin has had to broaden his skills repertoire to be a mentor to his players. Though he doesn’t manage them on a day-to-day basis, he does “step in and get involved at the most crucial moments before or after the competition, to give them a booster or pep talk,” he says. 

“The double-edged sword here is that the players know that they’re playing in a team owned by a celebrity. That puts them in a position where they have even more pressure compared to another team. But, at the same time, it puts them in the limelight. Whenever the news comes out, they always describe us as ‘JJ Lin’s team SMG’ – which may not necessarily be a good thing. But because of that, we have to take extra steps to manage the expectations of the fans, media, other teams and also, most crucially, our own players. 

“I make a conscious effort to keep that relationship as healthy as possible.”

INTO THE METAVERSE

In July 2022, Lin made a major foray into the metaverse by joining Kiat Lim and Elroy Cheo (sons of tycoons Peter Lim and Cheo Tong Choon respectively) in co-founding Arc, a private NFT club connecting creatives across the world. 

Lin explains: “Arc is about bringing the best of the best contributors, designers, directors, photographers, artists, investors and others to connect and collaborate with each other. It uses the blockchain technology and the concept of NFTs to bind together like-minded and passionate people to co-create things. With Arc, I can imagine or accomplish things that I couldn’t before. For instance, I could meet someone from another part of the world who doesn’t speak my language yet can collaborate with me on my next album or concert. The sky’s the limit.”

His idealism may sound misplaced at a time when blockchain has been hit by scandals, from crypto theft to the collapse of FTX. But he genuinely believes that the current turmoil and volatility are a necessary process of “weeding out the bad actors”, which would eventually lead to a healthier metaverse.

His longtime manager Yvonne See says Lin has always carried a positive and optimistic attitude, perhaps his biggest superpower: “He has a boyish enthusiasm for the things he wants to do. He’s always focusing on the possibilities rather than the challenges and obstacles. He’s also quite forgetful about the bad things that may have happened on his road to success. Like a boy, he falls, gets up, forgets and tries again.  

“For instance, we sometimes forge business partnerships which, for whatever reason, go sour – as business partnerships sometimes do. But a few years down the road, he might meet the individuals involved in those partnerships and he’d get excited about working with them again. We’d have to remind him of what happened the last time, because he doesn’t remember! He’s very good at letting go of the past.” 

Lin chuckles when he hears this: “We are essentially in the creative business,” he says. “And I can’t come up with ideas if I’m not in a good emotional place. So I guard my state of mind and keep it as healthy as possible.”

SEASONAL SPIRIT

Christmas has always been a meaningful time for Lin. As a young boy, he honed his fledgling stage talents by writing, directing, acting, singing and composing music for church shows. His earliest performing experiences involved leading worship or trilling Christmas carols on the church stage together. “I even learnt my R&B from listening to Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas (1994) album on repeat,” he says with a laugh. 

For most professional entertainers, holiday seasons are usually busy work periods. “But I’ve tried to keep Christmas a little different for myself; I’ve tried to keep it a little more simple and a little less business-y. Christmas for me is about love and intimacy, so I always spend it with family and friends. Even if it’s a big group of people, we would always settle for a quiet space, just hanging out with each other, having a good meal and exchanging gifts. It would just be a nice gathering to remind each other of how important we are to each other.”

He demurs when asked about his favourite Christmas gifts: “To be honest, I don’t remember material gifts. Christmas is more about companionship. Getting the space and time with my friends and family is the best gift in the world.”

Consequently, he has the same wish for everyone this season: “In this time and age, when we are so engaged and distracted all the time, my Christmas wish is that we can all go back to simplicity and cherish the little things in life, the little moments of truth and honesty with each other.” 

This year, he’ll be celebrating Christmas between his concerts in Malaysia and the United States. He’ll be travelling from the warm tropical climes of South-east Asia to the cold winters of North America. He’ll be crossing time-zones and disrupting his circadian clock. He’ll have to arrive at each destination, ready to adapt his show for different audiences and situations. 

But, as it is with Dr Strange, crossing cultures, disrupting time-space continuities and plunging into different worlds are all in a day’s work. Like his superhero, Lin doesn’t see borders and obstacles – only portals of cosmic possibilities. 

Photography: Darren Gabriel Leow Art direction & styling: CK Hair styling: Ken Hong/ Evolve Salon Grooming: Clarence Lee Location: Little Social (littlesocial.sg) Outfits: Louis Vuitton