The psychotic killer persona for the single, The Killa, which recently put JJ Lin in the headlines, is not entirely a product of imagination, it seems. It is "eerily similar" to his own, said the 26-year-old homegrown pop star on Monday. The result of one too many violent video games for this avowed computer geek? Apparently not. Blame it on songwriting, which Lin describes as a "schizophrenic" act. "I have to become another person in order to write a new song or come up with different ideas and point of views," he told TODAY. Based in Taiwan, he was in Singapore to launch a charity project with New York-based beauty brand, Kiehl's. The $88 Kiehl's/JJ Lin Charity Pack consists of his latest album Westside, an admission ticket to an event on Sept 8 at which he will be appearing, a teddy bear and a bottle of Kiehl's facial lotion. And as if to quell concerns over just how dangerous split personalities — such as the love torn pianist featured in The Killa — can get he said: "Of course that's under my control … so it's not really like losing myself." Role-playing is not unfamiliar to Lin, whose new album — his fifth — has sold 20,000 copies in Singapore so far. What is notable about this offering is his metamorphosis from a likeable R&Bstyle boy-next door into a darker, less predictable musician. Casually decked out in a white jacket over a lime-green polo shirt and jeans, Lin said Westside is "closest to (my) heart". "I spent 18 months preparing for this, which is also the longest time I'd spent on any album I've done," he said. Lin's wish of collaborating with heavy hitters like Jay Chou, Wang Lee Hom, and David Tao has yet to materialise, but the baby-face singer can take consolation from his burgeoning social circle. "I definitely have more female friends this year than last year," he said. "But I don't really need a girlfriend right now." Indeed, this fashion-conscious artiste debunks the stereotype of gamers being socially awkward. "If I like a girl, I won't show it immediately. I'll take my time ... and then strike," he said with obvious excitement. Spoken like a true gamer. The special showcase will take place at Dragonfly, St James Power Station, on Sept 8 from 6pm to 8pm. Proceeds from the charity packs will go to the Children's Cancer Foundation.
