The Year Of Hartono

Started from the Barney, now he’s at the top. Don’t let Nathan Hartono’s whirlwind success fool you – behind his well-deserved spot in the limelight lies more than a decade spent chasing his dream.

- Chew Hui Ling

At a mere 14 years of age, Nathan Hartono entered Teenage icon 2005 and won the judges over with his seasoned-beyond-years vocals, charming disposition and golden-boy good looks. A decade later, the 25-yearold conquered Chinese reality talent show Sing!China very much the same way, while making history as the first local artiste to compete in the finals. ultimately emerging as the first runner-up, Nathan’s return home was a grand affair, complete with Milo fleets and food discounts to celebrate his victory.

Lauded as “Singapore’s latest national treasure”, Nathan has had no lack of love calls from tons of big-ticket brands – yet it’s admirable how he manages to stay grounded in a life where he can casually exchange fist bumps with Mandopop king Jay Chou, and has famous friends like The Sam willows, Munah and hirzi making frequent cameos on his social media platforms.

Arriving at the Teenage hQ for his photoshoot, Nathan strolled into the studio looking a tad worn-out, possibly due to the exhaustion of having back-to-back schedules since his return from China. but all it took was just a flash of the camera for him to snap into professional mode, showcasing his killer work ethic as he posed away confidently. by the time we settled down for our hour-long chinwag, the chap had reverted back to his usual candid, selfassured brilliance. Read on as he spills all about his wildest teenage shenanigans, the tough lessons he learned along his journey to stardom, and the aftermath of fame.