Yoga Lin returns with concert, new album and life lessons
Yoga Lin is more than eager to put the pandemic behind him.
After all, it was during this period that the Taiwanese singer-songwriter faced health scares, as well as the postponement – and eventual cancellation – of his Singapore concert, originally slated to take place in April 2020.
Four years later, the 36-year-old is back, not only with the show that did not manage to go on, but also his first album in eight years.
The Mandopop star was in town on June 7 to promote his Aug 30 gig at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which is part of his Idol World Tour, as well as his sixth album Love, Lord, released in March.
He told local media that he found 2020 to 2023 particularly challenging.
Apart from the disruptions to his career, his fatherly duties increased with the birth of his second child, daughter Pippi, in March 2020. He also has a five-year-old son, Kubi, with his wife, Taiwanese singer Kiki Ting.
In addition, one of Lin’s family members was diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer, and at one point was expected to live for only another two months. Thankfully, the relative’s condition miraculously improved and is currently stable.
The stress Lin faced during that period led him to develop irritable bowel syndrome. Several areas of his gastrointestinal tract were inflamed, and the types of food he could eat were greatly reduced.
He said: “This event led me to a revelation – that if you are facing a lot of stress, you have to find an activity which brings you joy, something to be thankful for, like a warm shower or not having diarrhoea after drinking coffee. I believe that being thankful will help all of us feel better about life’s stresses and challenges.”
With the pandemic firmly behind him, it is onward and upward for Lin.
He performed at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2009, The Star Theatre in 2012, the Esplanade Concert Hall in 2017 and the Bayfront Event Space as part of 2022’s One Love Asia Festival, and assured his upcoming concert will be very different from his previous ones.
Some parts of the production are said to be dark and quiet. According to the event’s ticketing page, light-emitting devices such as light sticks or LED boards are prohibited, to ensure audiences are fully immersed in the performance.
The Idol World Tour, which kicked off in 2018 and has made stops in Hong Kong and Sydney, also won an iF Design Award – one of the most prominent design prizes in the world – in 2021 for its stage design and visual presentation.
Lin clarified that the name of this tour does not refer to fans looking at him as an idol. Rather, the word’s letters represent his concert’s four themes – I, Doubt, HerO and Life – which depict a journey from self-doubt to heroism.
Asked about the long interval between Love, Lord’s release and his last album Sell Like Hot Cakes (2016), he said: “One’s plans might not always work out. Nobody predicted that the pandemic would happen. But I believe if something important is meant to happen, it will happen at the right time.”
Indeed, three songs from the new work – Otomen, Wordless Groans and Who Doesn’t Wanna – have been played more than a million times on Spotify.
His singing has also improved in the past few years, Lin added. With time to practise his craft, he managed to hit higher notes than before, and learnt new ways to breathe to enhance his performances.
“I have recently sung songs which I have never succeeded at before, and my passion for singing has never been this strong,” he said.
“In the last few years, I have faced many difficulties, but also learnt many things. So I hope to combine these life lessons with my music, and share them with fans at my upcoming show.”
Book it/Yoga Lin Idol World Tour Singapore
Where: Singapore Indoor Stadium, 2 Stadium Walk
When: Aug 30, 7.30pm
Admission: $128 to $348 via Ticketmaster (go to ticketmaster.sg or call 3158-8588)
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