My Perfect Weekend with singer Jasmine Sokko

Who: Jasmine Sokko, 29, is a singer, songwriter and producer known for electronic pop songs like Tired (2019) and Hurt (2018), tunes that have racked up millions of plays on music streaming platforms.

She is one of the Singaporeans featured in Nothing Comes By Chance, a short film by Marina Bay Sands to celebrate Singapore’s 60th birthday.

It is scripted and narrated by Amanda Lee Koe, one of Sokko’s favourite authors, and directed by Kirsten Tan.

Being part of the film gave Sokko a new lens on Singapore, one that is tender and full of quiet power, she says. The film also stars other local personalities such as actor Pierre Png and actress Tan Kheng Hua.

Sokko, the first Singaporean to win MTV Europe Music Awards’ Best South-east Asia Act in 2019, released her first full-length album, Burnout Dynasty, in March. She describes it as a series of songs that captures the journey of moving through different phases of life growing up in Singapore.

“I usually wake up without an alarm whenever possible, even on workdays, because I function at the combined capacity of three people when I’m well rested. I’ll put on my playlist and take my time with my morning routine, such as washing up and eating breakfast.

I usually make my own oatmeal with blueberries and bananas, but my favourite breakfast is kaya toast, iced Milo and, in a bit of an unexpected twist, a hash brown.

I’m a homebody with mostly indoor interests. Besides producing music, I dabble in designing accessories using my 3D printer and I’m currently learning a visual coding program.

I tend to continue whatever I’m working on straight through lunch, so I either cook my own salmon, avocado and quinoa bowl or go for something that reduces decision fatigue but is still healthy and satisfying, like yong tau foo.

I’d likely squeeze in a run too, anywhere from 5km to 10km, depending on my mood.

I usually leave dinner open-ended. If I’m out with friends, they’re often the planners. Since I’m so hands-on at work, I tend to be the opposite when I’m off.

That said, I’ve been lucky to try dishes from countries I’ve never visited. I love learning about new cultures and different ways of living fascinate me, thanks to my friends’ choices. Kafe Utu (African cuisine) and Kapitan (Eastern European) come to mind.

Honestly, my weekends are extremely varied – I rarely commit to specific plans or people, and I really revel in that sense of open-endedness and spontaneity.

Some days, I might read for hours on end or reorganise my space; other days, I’m trekking through MacRitchie with friends and ending up at Ming Kee Chicken Rice in Bishan.

My friendships are low-maintenance but deeply nourishing. And while I’m definitely an introvert who guards her space, I find so much inspiration from the energy of these hangouts. They fill me up in quiet but powerful ways. I guess this is how I recharge in general.”