Pong Nan
While singer-songwriter Pong Nan is best known for his uplifting songs, the musician says he is more in tune with his dark side. He talks to June Ng about the therapeutic benefits of music, and why depression and detachment can often point the way to happiness.
I’ve always loved music. As a child I spent a lot of time alone, watching television and listening to albums. My parents were always working and I had no brothers or sisters.
Music is more than entertainment; it’s a form of therapy. It’s helped me through so many dark periods. This is why I want to make music that can help people through hard times.
I never studied music. When you study a subject that you love, you come to hate it eventually. I knew that if I studied music for four years, I would never touch it again.
My current album is about my adolescence. Throughout that time, I never spent more than three years in the same place. I’ve lived in Canada, Hong Kong, the United States and Tokyo.
I never had the fortune of growing up with the same people and in the same neighborhood. I am envious of that kind of childhood. Then again, I still appreciate my own experiences.
I’m an emotional nomad. I don’t get too attached to anything or anyone, not even to music. This is a kind of survival mechanism, to know that you don’t need anyone or anything. If I were on the TV show “Survivor,” I’d definitely win.
On the other hand, being too detached is one of the biggest obstacles I’ve had to overcome. I’m regarded as very icy by those in the entertainment industry, but actually I’m not.