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)  --- 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.