Q&A: Nathan Hartono to Kickstart a New Prolific Musical Era With New Single “Infinity”
WHEN IT COMES TO MULTIFACETED STARS — Nathan Hartono is the real McCoy. Since making his debut in 2006 at the tender age of 15, the singer-songwriter-actor triple threat has been a household name in Singapore, where he was born to Chinese-Indonesian parents. Never one to shy away from his cultural identity, the Berklee College of Music alumnus has been making pop ditties colored by English and Chinese lyrics atop a backdrop of dreamy synths and guitars. He’s even dipped his sonic toes in Indonesian music, which makes him a trilingual artist, if you want to get technical.
Just as Hartono’s discography can’t be defined by one language, there’s no one way to describe his genre-bending music. As a multilingual artist, his musical prowess in varied genres of pop, R&B, acoustic, and funk are fully showcased in his releases, including his debut Mandarin EP, Do Nothing Day (2020) and English EP, Edge of Days (2021), all packaged with relatable narratives, catchy lyrics, and irresistible guy-next-door charms.
Not one to rest on his laurels, the pop maestro is constantly evolving as a musical artist, making him one of the most exciting artists of his generation. He is currently on a new sonic odyssey to explore all creative corners, with the hopes of keeping up with his artistic vision and approach. His latest single, “Infinity,” a striking indie-pop sound driven by an intended wave of chaotic energy, is a testament to his commitment to kickstart a new prolific musical era in which he wears various creative hats, from photography and artwork to directing his own music videos. Talk about making a mark on the world!
Read on below to find out more about Hartono’s new single, “Infinity,” being a multilingual artist, and the “new prolific musical era” plans he has up his kaleidoscopic sleeves.
LUNA: We know Nathan Hartono as the singer-songwriter. But in your own words, who is Nathan Hartono?
HARTONO: An existentially confused minor celebrity living in a country where everyone seems to know each other. But that’s just how I feel today.
LUNA: You’re also a bilingual artist, releasing music in both English and Mandarin. Over the last couple of years, musicians have been vocal about using their work to reconnect with their roots. But in your own words, why is being a bilingual artist important to you?
HARTONO: It has opened up my world so much. The audiences I’ve had the pleasure to perform for, the people I’ve collaborated with, a lot of these paths were available because of my previous exploration of Mandarin and Indonesian music. I’ve had magical moments in [the] studio working with people in China/Indonesia, where my fluency in either language is honestly questionable. But there [are] days where music transcends language and we just make beautiful art together. I don’t know if moments like that would’ve happened if not for trying to be a bilingual artist.
LUNA: You were on a short hiatus since collaborating with Singaporean DJ and producer MYRNE on the remix of “The Difference.” Could you tell us what you've been up to?
HARTONO: Getting my head straight, mostly. [The] last few years have been challenging for everybody, and I guess I wasn’t an exception to that. I became smaller, more anxious, more introverted than ever, antisocial at times. There was a lot of brain gymnastics that had to be done to get to a place where I felt like me again.
LUNA: You recently released a new single, “Infinity.” What is the story and inspiration behind the song?
HARTONO: It was a song birthed from the above-mentioned time period. So it’s kinda my “depression era” song, I guess (laughs). It’s about how disconnected I can get from reality when I’m in depressive states. Disconnected from myself, from other people, from logic even. And that disconnection usually manifests into days that bleed into each other, making it seem like you’re swimming in an infinite ocean with no end in sight. Good times.
LUNA: “Infinity” also marks the first single that will kickstart a new prolific musical era for you. Could you share with us more about this? Does this mean we’ll be seeing and hearing more creations distinctively different from your previous releases?
HARTONO: Here’s hoping! I feel more energized than ever to create, especially after managing to squeeze these songs out despite my emotionally frazzled state. I think the main difference is that I’m embracing honesty and open-heartedness more than ever, both in life and music. Which is kinda “no-duh” to say for a songwriter, really. But for an emotionally stunted aspiring songwriter raised within a system that never really encouraged creativity, I’d say I’m quite proud of me.
LUNA: Besides providing the music, you also directed and filmed the official video. What is the inspiration behind the music video and when can we expect it?
HARTONO: Soon! And a lot of the images from the [music video] are images from my childhood. Like a fair amount of ’90s kids — I was raised by TV. And you’ll see a lot of that influence in the final [music video].
LUNA: Will “Infinity” be part of a bigger project, say, another EP or even an LP?
HARTONO: It’s a part of my “depression era” EP! (Laughs) I honestly can’t wait to get it out and have that catharsis of expelling it from my system. Maybe also secretly hoping it helps me move on a bit from this headspace.
LUNA: Let's talk live shows. How does it feel to be performing in front crowds once again? Is there a huge difference between pre-COVID shows and now?
HARTONO: Live performing has and always will be my bread and butter. It’s probably the realm I feel most comfortable with out of all the aspects of this job. So to me, an audience is an audience. Masked, unmasked, distanced or not, it’s an opportunity to connect on a very intimate level, and it’s always a fun challenge each time out. I’ve played real horrible gigs throughout my lifetime as well, like real musical wallpaper kinda gigs. So the weird COVID gigs didn’t feel that weird — at least people were paying attention to me (laughs).
LUNA: Besides new music and live shows, what else can fans expect from Nathan Hartono?
HARTONO: I’ve been doing a lot of work the past few years trying to build a community of creatives, alongside a bunch of friends called The Glass Hut. We’ve been building it up slowly, with community jam sessions, all sorts of workshops, showcases and exhibitions, etc. I hope to do more in the future and help nurture a culture of creativity, as that can be easily lost in the bustle of city life. I just want to keep contributing to the arts in Singapore, be it as a creator or supporter.
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