What are influences behind the textures you’ve introduced into this album? “In the studio, my happiness comes from letting my imagination wander as I put down emotions and stories into song.” I believe the more we’re able to face ourselves truthfully, the closer we are to happiness. Most of the time we don’t even realise the two go hand in hand. Happiness coexists with pain for everyone. As for which direction I’ll take, that’s still an unknown. Twenty years into my career, I’ve accomplished plenty but also opened a new chapter for my next adventures. The language I used tries to stress that the pursuit of happiness is always ongoing and linear.

“I realised that the meaning of happiness continues to change and evolve as we grow. Interspersed throughout are the tender, emotive ballads that are Lin’s stock in trade.īelow, Lin shares with Apple Music some stories behind the making of the album.Ĭan you elaborate on the title Happily, Painfully After? Paak-and he turns a similar linguistic somersault with the Mandarin-language opener “Dust and Ashes” and its poignant English version “Castle In The Air”. In “Satisfaction”, he delivers a Mandarin version of “In The Joy”, his 2023 collab with Anderson. In the retro hued synth-pop of “Liv’ a Little”, Lin invites listeners to accompany him on his quest, while “Braindance” drops a surprising trap beat and applies layered guitars and autotune magic to Vincent Fang’s lyrics. The album marks that milestone, and the joys and cares along the way, with songs that find the artist exploring the possibilities of Mandopop. Twenty years into his singing career, Mandopop voyager JJ Lin returns to the simple pleasures of making music with Happily, Painfully After.

Jenny han ashes to ashes