Nathania Ong, the first-ever Singaporean to grace the renowned West End stage as Eponine in the universally acclaimed musical, Les Misérables, recently shared her remarkable journey on our Be Yourself Podcast hosted by Viaano Spruyt.

In this enlightening episode, Nathania recounted her challenging path after facing rejection from all five drama schools she auditioned for in the UK. This setback became a pivotal moment, driving her back to Singapore where, driven by unwavering determination, she balanced three part-time jobs to finance one final attempt at auditioning for the prestigious Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London.

Against staggering odds, Nathania’s tenacity paid off, securing her a coveted spot among the elite 38 out of more than 2,000 hopefuls.

During our podcast, Nathania bared her soul, discussing the emotional impact of her rejection, moments of stage fright following viral attention online, and the profound significance of embodying Eponine. She also shared invaluable advice for aspiring artists drawn from her personal experiences, navigated the challenges of COVID’s isolation, compared the contrasting landscapes of the arts in the United Kingdom and Singapore, and many more.

🎧 Dive into Nathania’s inspiring story by tuning in to the full episode on our YouTube channel!

Full episode: https://youtu.be/35J1GV1PqIQ?si=H_C0riPVBdpmtkdO

📸: Johan Persson