If music is a form of therapy, Nathan Hartono definitely achieved it through his seven-year comeback performance, In The Clouds Live. The Fifth Parlour was there to unwind and learnt different ways to love ourselves!

The show began with Weight of Her Love, a track he released in 2012. It is a mellow and emotional song which is also my personal favourite. Then, we heard voices over the speakers, Hartono’s thoughts that was being spoken in real time, allegedly. The “inner voices” took the show up a notch where we get to listen to what is on his mind. Besides that, he also added a tinge of comedy and positive interactions with the audience as well as fans who held light sticks with his name on them.

The setlist for the show was carefully curated by him, whereby he ensured to include original songs from his previous albums as well as his latest album titled, The Great Regression. He performed songs such as Infinity, Night After Night, Pastrami, Tell It To My Face, Dopamine, The End Of The World and old favourites such as Electricity, 今天你熬夜了吗？and 什么都不做的一天.

On top of the whacky visuals and the groovy band on stage, Hartono brought forth a collection of deeply personal and introspective tracks that resonate with raw emotion at the In The Clouds Live show. He explained in his own quirky way, on how he confronted his vulnerabilities and transformed his pain into profound musical expression, fearlessly shedding light on his struggles and challenges.

Mental health has been front and centre of today’s generation zeitgeist and only though the conversation is not new, Hartono managed to include themes such as self-love, post-trauma, and vulnerability to the unknown on his music. In other words, he transformed them into anthems for the masses to live on!

Nathan Hartono’s music is no stranger to the local music scene. It has always been a delight to listen to his songs while growing up. I have to say it has been a rollercoaster ride with Weight of Her Love on repeat at 21, with heartbreaks and falling in love the next with Thinkin Bout Love. As I matured through life and adulting, I figured that self-love is the main root of happiness and to keep an open mind to what lies ahead.

The Fifth Parlour would like to thank Warner Music Singapore for the invitation.