Music Lab

Find out why his new single is about "past trauma, and not cured meats".

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.

In this third episode of Music Lab, ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts Singaporean singer-songwriter Nathan Hartono.

Nathan first made his name as a jazz singer while in his teens and since then, his music career has taken off in multiple ways. In 2016, he took part in Chinese television reality show Sing! China. Mentored by Mandopop star Jay Chou, he ended up in second place, which made him a regional star.

In 2020, he sang Everything I Am, a National Day theme song that reflected the sombre but hopeful mood of a nation in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The singer has released several albums and EPs, and has also dabbled in acting, taking on roles in film, television and theatre.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:45 How pursuing a music career in China led to him questioning his musical identity

8:20 On how he is “sick of Nathan Hartono”; taking back control after feeling he has lost a clear artistic direction, career path

12:26 On Jay Chou, his mentor on Sing! China and how the competition changed his music career

20:27 On how a karaoke session as a teenager led to a career in music

23:27 Singing the National Day theme song was the closest he ever got to a hit song

Listen to Nathan Hartono's live performance here: https://str.sg/ioof

Watch the full performance on YouTube here: https://str.sg/ioTK

Discover Singaporean artiste Nathan Hartono at:

YouTube: https://str.sg/iooY

Spotify: https://str.sg/ioog

Instagram: https://str.sg/iooB

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim 

Follow Music Lab Podcast episodes here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9T2

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Read Eddino Hadi's stories: https://str.sg/wFVa

Music Lab theme: Eden Soh (composer/arranger-guitar), Ernest Luis (guitar) 

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the Singaporean singer and songwriter's exclusive acoustic take of his new single out now - Pastrami.

Synopsis: This Music Lab playlist features the full live performance of music acts invited by The Straits Times to its podcast studio.

Listen to Nathan Hartono talk about his music, evolution, songwriting craft and his musical identity in the full podcast here: https://str.sg/io5L

Watch the full performance on YouTube here: https://str.sg/ioTK

Discover Singaporean artiste Nathan Hartono at:

YouTube: https://str.sg/iooY

Spotify: https://str.sg/ioog

Instagram: https://str.sg/iooB

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

Recorded by: ST Podcast Team

Mixed by: Hadyu Rahim 

Follow Music Lab Podcast episodes here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9T2

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Read Eddino Hadi's stories: https://str.sg/wFVa

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ST's podcast team composes an original song to set the tone for its new podcast series Music Lab. 

Synopsis: This Music Lab playlist features the full live performance of music acts invited by The Straits Times to its podcast studio.

Music Lab theme: ST podcast producer Eden Soh (composer/arranger-guitar), ST podcast editor Ernest Luis (guitar)

Trailer on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSlcUEl1LWc

Written, produced and mixed by: Eden Soh

Follow Music Lab Podcast episodes here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9T2

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The winner of the Best South-east Asia Act award at the 2019 MTV Europe Music Awards is our second guest in this new music channel.

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.

In the second episode of Music Lab, ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts award-winning Singapore singer, songwriter, and producer Jasmine Sokko.

Jasmine made her debut in 2016 with a self-released single 1057. Over the years, the self-taught producer has risen from cult local favourite to regional pop star, amassing a large following after reaching the finals of Rave Now, a Chinese reality television programme for electronic music acts.

In 2019, she became the first Singaporean to win Best South-east Asia Act award at the 2019 MTV Europe Music Awards held in Spain.

The enigmatic artiste is also known for covering part of her face with a mask, and has never revealed her full face in publicity photos.

The singer, who shuttles between China and Singapore, almost had her music career derailed during the pandemic lockdowns. But she is now back in 2023 with new music with Winter, a single that marks a new chapter in her artistry.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:49 Listen to Jasmine Sokko's new single in 2023 - Winter - which Eddino describes as having a different 'industrial rock-type' sound compared with her previous works

2:13 How Winter marks the end of a chapter in her music career and the start of a new beginning

6:45 How her music is inspired by everything that she absorbed growing up as a Singaporean

11:55 How she ended up making music in China despite not being fluent in Mandarin

13:46 How the pandemic lockdowns almost derailed her music career

15:46 Why she covers her face with a mask

21:00 On juggling school and her music career

26:20 The moment she realised she wanted to make music full-time, no matter the odds

Discover Singaporean artiste Jasmine Sokko at:

YouTube: https://str.sg/iZgT

Spotify: https://str.sg/iZgq

TikTok: https://str.sg/iZgc

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai

Follow Music Lab Podcast episodes here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9T2

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Read Eddino Hadi's stories: https://str.sg/wFVa

Music Lab theme: Eden Soh (composer/arranger-guitar), Ernest Luis (guitar) 

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore's award-winning hip-hop artist, producer and songwriter is our first guest in this new music channel.

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.

In this first episode, ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi hosts award-winning Singapore hip-hop artist, producer and songwriter Alyph.

Over the past few years, he had focused instead on making hits for regional acts. Alyph’s produced songs have amassed more than 45 million streams on Spotify and 2200 million views on YouTube. 

Signed to the South-east Asian wing of iconic American hip-hop record label Def Jam, Alyph, 33, teamed up with Malaysian cosmetics mogul and social media personality Dato Seri Vida for his latest single Swipe - released on October 21, 2022.

It has sparked a TikTok trend too, and even made an impact on Malaysian politics in the run-up to the country's general election late last year. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, gamely danced to Swipe on his channel.

In the short clip, whenever Alyph sings “swipe”, the 75-year-old chairman of Perikatan Nasional would “swipe” away the logos of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan.

On social media, users have been doing their interpretations of the catchy lyrics that go..."Kalau aku like (if I like), aku like (then I'll like), Kalau tak (If not), Aku swipe (then I'll swipe), Swipe 

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:10 How he appreciates different people interpreting his song Swipe; the message behind Swipe

5:15 The idea of working in Dato Seri Vida's infamous laugh and her eventual collaboration for the song

8:25 How is TikTok important for an artiste today?

13:16 On why Alyph makes music, to challenge normalcy in the music industry

17:45 How Alyph started writing and producing hits for artistes outside of Singapore, such as Kaka Azraff or K-Clique

21:48 Alyph on Singapore's hip-hop scene evolution, on being more serious as a pro artiste with Def Jam South-east Asia

Discover Singaporean artiste Alyph at:

Website: https://str.sg/wFV9

Spotify: https://str.sg/wFVC

Tik Tok: https://str.sg/wFVy

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim, Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow Music Lab Podcast episodes here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9T2

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Read Eddino Hadi's stories: https://str.sg/wFVa

Music Lab theme: Eden Soh (composer/arranger-guitar), Ernest Luis (guitar) 

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

---

Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's a trailer as our podcast team composed a theme song for this new music podcast channel. 

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times invites music acts to its podcast studio.

Find out which renowned Singapore hip-hop artiste we speak with first, in the full episode that will drop on Jan 25.

The next act to be featured in our series is being lined up by ST's music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi, so follow us on your favourite audio apps below to be notified of the latest episodes.

Produced by: Eddino Abdul Hadi ([email protected]), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim, Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

Edited by: Eden Soh

Follow Music Lab Podcast episodes out here every month:

Channel: https://str.sg/w9TX

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9TB

Spotify: https://str.sg/w9T6

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/w9T2

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Read Eddino Hadi's stories: https://str.sg/wFVa

Music Lab theme Parting Clouds: Eden Soh (composer/arranger-guitar), Ernest Luis (guitar) 

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

---

Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#musiclab

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.