New Frontier

With a new record label and an upcoming solo single, the recently married Jon Chua JX is venturing into new territories while staying on track on his musical journey.

- Wilson Lim

If one were to use an archetypal character from a school yearbook to describe Jon Chua JX, he would be “the cool guy” – super popular with his too-cool-for-school attitude, sitting at the back of the classroom, and peppering conversations with his low-key dark humour. Prior to this interview, this writer had the pleasure of working with him in his early music-making days and found that the reserved boy always seemed to have a witty comeback for every occasion.

Five years later, Chua has gone from being single to newly married, and he is enjoying every bit of it. “It’s been really great! I never imagined myself married, but I’m so fortunate to marry my soul mate who gets me, my work, and my lifestyle. Honestly, it doesn’t feel that different, except for the fact that I have more forms to fill up with the government, and that can get rather tedious,” he jokes.

He is still humorous, but to someone who has witnessed Chua maturing in the cut-throat entertainment industry over the years, his recently developed stable, collected and cool demeanour is refreshing. Also, he has shaken off his bad habit of hunching, which could be a big contributing factor to his new outlook.

A quarter of The Sam Willows, Chua has often been described by his other band mates as the guy who keeps the band focused on the task at hand. This seems to be at odds with the laid-back side of his character, but it undeniably proves his passion for music.

Many people know Chua as the singer/ musician, but his passion also extends to music production. He set up Zendyll Productions in 2016 with fellow musician and business partner, Evanturetime, and has recently set up a record label. He shares, “I hope the company grows to help create a stronger and more unified music industry in the region, as well as provide a safe haven for musicians to come on board.”