By Victoria Barker

HOME-GROWN singer JJ Lin has been a very busy man. Aside from preparing for his latest album in Los Angeles and writing songs for his various side projects, the jet-setting 28-year-old has also been working on his streetwear label Smudge (Still Moving Under GunfirE).

But despite his hectic schedule, Lin will be returning to Singapore next month for a very good cause.

The singer - who made his name penning tracks for veteran singers such as A*Mei and Cyndi Wang - will perform at the GYSB Boomz '09 party at Velvet Underground.

The party is organised by Asia Pacific Breweries to celebrate the second anniversary of its Get Your Sexy Back campaign, Singapore's first youth-led initiative which aims to get young people to drink responsibly.

The boyish Lin told my paper: "It's a meaningful movement against binge-drinking and alcoholism and I am pleased (to be a part of it).

"Drinking is part and parcel of a person's lifestyle and I want to encourage friends to drink fun and drink safe."

But while the Taiwan-based singer does enjoy his fair share of partying, he is focused on his career - which he has learnt to treasure more than ever.

"It has been the roughest year for me as I've just recovered from a serious vocal injury," he explained. "Most of the songs (on the new album) were written during the process of picking myself up from the fall," he said. "Each song is an extension of me that represents a very real part of my heart."

His latest outing, which is yet to be named, took 11/2 years to record and is slated for release next month. According to Lin, it is more soul, blues and jazz-inspired.

For now, it seems Lin - who rose to popularity after his music was featured in television dramas and whose fourth album, Cao Cao, sold a million copies in less than a week upon its release - still considers his music his utmost priority.

He mused: "Everything I do today professionally derives from my music, which is the source of my confidence and inspiration."

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