Did you know that the green terraces and contours of the iconic PARKROYAL on Pickering were inspired by the paddy fields of Bali? I’m sure, like me, you’ve passed it in a taxi many times, but it wasn’t until a recent photoshoot for local underwear store The Jock Shop that I had the chance to take a look around.
Gabriel, the founder of The Jock Shop, and my Tanglin co-star Jae Liew, were waiting for me in the huge reception area. Once the photographers and all of their kit had arrived, we took the lift up to the suite. It was only when we reached the room that I was let in on the secret – the shoot was going to take place in the Presidential Suite! When we opened the door, we were in awe. It was enormous (over 1,700 sq. feet), and had the most amazing views of the city skyline and the tropical plants and trees on the surrounding terraces. Natural light flooded through the huge double-height windows – perfect for a photoshoot!
It is not very often that you get to spend a day in a Presidential Suite, so we made the most of it. Jae was particularly taken with the huge two sink, two mirrored bathroom and separate dressing room. My favorite part was the breathtaking views of the city skyline and the perfectly designed office space for the working individual lending a beautiful shot of me in the office.
Eventually, our time at PARKROYAL on Pickering was coming to an end, and to top it off, we were given a small box of chocolates to thank us for staying with them. Ironically, it is us that would like to thank them for giving us the opportunity to stay in Presidential Suite – it truly was an eye-opener. Thank you to PARKROYAL and to The Jock Shop team for making this photoshoot a success.
Love Nat Ho.
M: Thank you for taking the time to speak to us here at Metropolitant. We’ve been following you during your time in Taiwan, and am glad to have you back home in Singapore. For today we actually only have a few questions for you. To start off, we’ve heard great reviews about Tanglin, can you tell us more about it?
N: Tanglin is Singapore’s first long-form drama on Channel 5, and it’s about 4 multi-racial families living together in 1 neighbourhood.
M: Sounds exciting yet chaotic! You’ve been away from Singapore for 2 years. How was that, and what made you comeback?
N: I first came back to Singapore in mid-Feb 2015, primarily because I had landed this Tanglin gig. Prior to that, I was in Taiwan for 2 years where I underwent intense artiste training, and subsequently released a mandarin album. Our first single there, “Lonely Detective” broke into the Top 10 charts of many Taiwanese radio stations. Taiwan was a great experience, teaching me a lot and making me grow as an artiste.
M: Yes, I remember hearing that single. Very catchy tune, loved it. Being back for almost year, what are your plans now?
N: Now that I’m back, my focus is mostly on Tanglin, as filming takes up a large percentage of my time, usually from Mondays to Fridays. On the weekends, when I’m not busy with promotions for the show or doing other productions, I’m busy working on some other side businesses, one of which is The Jock Shop with an old friend, Gabriel.
M: Singer, Actor and now business partner – very busy! Can you tell us more about your involvement regarding The Jock Shop.
N: My involvement in The Jock Shop is mostly handling branding and marketing as I have strong media connections.
M: How did you find out about The Jock Shop, and what made you want to do this?
N: The Jock Shop founder, Gabriel, was an old army friend of mine and he first approached me with regards to helping him with some Instagram posts. After catching up and understanding more about the business, I thought it would be an interesting project, and one that had lots of potential. From a marketing and branding perspective too, it was one that I felt would allow me to exercise my creativity as well. Traditionally, people shy away from talking about underwear. However, just as how people wear different fashion pieces for different occasions/events, for different moods, underwear is the same too. There’s definitely a piece for everybody, whether you’re a David Beckham or Russell Crowe.
N: You look great in the photos! How did it feel doing an underwear shoot with co-star Jae?
M: It was actually lots of fun! Jae and I see each other almost every other day on set, so she’s someone I feel very comfortable with. She’s also very game to try new things and had no qualms prancing around in boy boxers. She’s very professional.
M: Where was the photoshoot held?
N: We were very thankful that PARKROYAL on Pickering sponsored the location for this photoshoot. They even went a step further and gave us the PRESIDENTIAL SUITE. It was an amazing experience. Everything was tastefully designed – from the sofa, to the dressing room, to the marble bathroom.
M: Are we going to see more of you in underwear or are you just going to take a back seat in the company?
N: I’ll definitely be wearing more underwear from The Jock Shop for sure. Whether we shoot it or not… let’s save that for another interview. Haha.
M: Sure thing. Moving on, we heard you were going to release a new EP. What inspired this EP?
N: I’ve always loved doing music. This year, being back in Singapore and being back with my own management, I’m finally able to have greater control over the creative material I release. It’s not quite done yet, but we have currently recorded two songs, and I’ve also just finished shooting the music video. It’s going to be very exciting and fresh, I think. Basically this EP is about some of my experiences and thoughts and philosophies I’ve had these past few years, and I’m just turning these things into music material. The first song is called “Snakes and Ladders”, and it’s kind of an EDM ballad.
M: 9We wish you all the best for your new EP and we really look forward to it. Last question. Boxers or briefs?
My personal preference are briefs. More freedom of movement when dancing, hahaha.
Great stuff. Thank you again for sharing with all of us here at Metropolitant. We look forward to your new EP, season 2 of Tanglin, and your involvement with The Jock Shop. There’s a lot going for you, and we wish you all the best!
The Jock Shop Instagram: @Thejockshop
Website: www.thejockshop.com.sg