Since 2005, Nathan Hartono has been a prominent presence in Singapore’s arts scene, having done work in music, on stage, as well as onscreen. Starting with an amateur singing competition, he has gone on to perform on hundreds of stages around the world — from stadium shows (NDP 2008/2015, Youth Olympics, Asian Youth Games, Stefanie Sun Tour), to selling out theatres (Esplanade Presents: Nathan Hartono 2008/2014, Pangdemonium! Productions: Spring Awakening, Next to Normal), to staging his biggest solo concert at the Esplanade Concert Hall in July 2016.
He first appeared onscreen starring on HBO’s Halfworlds (2015), and recently emerged as first runner-up on popular China-based singing competition, Sing! China《中国新歌声》.
Nathan is an ambassador this year because he firmly believes that mutual understanding is the key to a kinder, less judgmental society.
“If I never had the communication and dialogue that I had with all kinds of people regardless of their orientation, I would not have become as open about it as I am today. I would not have understood their points of view. If you don’t understand or share that perspective, you would always be completely closed off to that person.
The first thing I felt at Pink Dot was just completely unfiltered joy for the entire day. Everyone there just felt so happy and they were around people that they know — unjudging and full of love, the kind of place that I want to be in. I just want everyone to be able to live unjudged like any other human being.”
