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

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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

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