SINGAPORE, May 31 — Nathan Hartono is one good-looking fella, thanks to his boyishly handsome features, that chiselled jaw and the way the corners of his eyes crinkle when he laughs.
Yet, the Singaporean singer-songwriter exudes none of that arrogance or cockiness frequently associated with extraordinarily beautiful people. It’s a trait that Hartono, who entered the industry in 2005 after winning a singing competition, attributes to the “fat-kid syndrome” he claims he suffers from.
“I grew up very shy, with a terrible self-esteem,” he says. “It was the fat-kid syndrome! I was fat for a while, from 11 to 14, which was an important time (for a child growing up).
“And then at 14, I just stretched and evened out.
“Every once in a while, I would meet people I used to perform with last time and who are my friends now, and I would hear stories from them saying how I was a stuck-up little kid.
“And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ I thought about it and can understand why they would say I was stuck-up — it was because I didn’t talk to anybody.
“After sound-check, I would sit in a corner and just chill and wait. I was that kind of a guy. I didn’t really know what to do with myself.”
Thankfully, these days, Hartono is slightly more adept at socialising.
The musician, who was noted for being a jazz singer, has performed at various big events, including the Mosaic Music Festival, National Day Parade and the Asian Youth Games, and has even helmed sold-out shows at the Esplanade.
(Stefanie Sun’s fans will also remember his guest appearance at the Chinese pop star’s concert here in 2009.)
His debut album, Let Me Sing: Life, Love And All That Jazz, hit the top spot on HMV’s Jazz Chart, and his follow-up Feeling Good was well-received, as was his eponymous third album, which moved away from his jazz style and featured original compositions.
He is working on a new single with singer Daphne Khoo, and is featured on the SG50 music album Sing, Love helmed by local musician Ruth Ling.
(He performs with Rani Singam, THELIONCITYBOY and Jeremy Monteiro on the English-Tamil track, Love Sings.)
In fact, Hartono is so busy with his projects that he may not return to school in the near future.
“I wanted to take a break because I was just getting a little restless in school,” says Hartono, who was studying at the prestigious Berklee College Of Music in Boston before going on a sabbatical last year.
“I wanted to work and carry over the experience I learned in school to a real-world scenario. I’d always suspected I would do something like that, because in this scene, if you disappear for too long, it’s hard to crack back in.”
Being at home has also given Hartono the opportunity to explore different paths in his career as a performer.
The 24-year-old will soon star in his first television series as the love interest of the lead character in HBO Asia’s Halfworlds, which will be directed by renowned Indonesian filmmaker Joko Anwar.
“I’ve never really seen myself as an actor,” Hartono confesses.
“When I first started, I was very closed to everything. I was like, I am going to focus on music, do what I want to do and focus on that. At some point, I realised that if I kept closing doors, I wouldn’t grow as much as I’d like.”
The singer began to consider taking more acting roles, after starring in Pangdemonium’s 2012 musical Spring Awakening.
“I had to unlock a different part of my brain to even function in musical theatre, and I was lucky enough to be able to do big shows with Pangdemonium.
“That helped open doors to acting,” he says. “I have taken this whole acting thing in stride, not going for roles, but when interesting enough opportunities come along, I give it a shot. You never know where it may take you.”
While he may be growing as a musician, actor and all-round performer, Hartono confesses that, deep inside, he will always be the quiet, chubby kid who would rather be left alone.
“I am generally a very happy person — I don’t see much reason to be upset. I am not emo or anything, but I like to be alone. If you ask me about my perfect holiday, it’s just me going somewhere on my own, figuring things out for myself. I am not a very social person. I have never been,” he explains.
“But 10 years of doing this kind of thing taught me how to fake it — almost. I would like to think that I now know how to be more social, how to be more open to people. But for the most part, I am a ‘sit down by myself, mind my own business’ kind of guy,.
“Now, I guess with experience and a bit of perspective, I think, ‘Why not get to know people, why not talk to people?’
"But inside, I’m still the fat kid!” — TODAY
