'Shiok sia': Celebrities Nick Jonas and Zhu Zhu attend Singapore Art Week 2026 opening and dive into art

Singapore Art Week 2026 (SAW 2026) has drawn artists, collectors, and art lovers from around the world this January, and among them is American singer-songwriter Nick Jonas, who is taking in Singapore’s buzzing art scene with the curiosity of a “student” and enthusiasm of a beginner art collector.

“I landed this morning and I can already feel the energy and the vibrance of the city,” the Jonas Brothers member and actor told CNA Lifestyle on the sidelines of the art event's opening gala held on Wednesday night (Jan 21) at the National Gallery Singapore (NGS). 

How's it been so far? The 33-year-old rated SAW 2026 a solid “shiok sia” on a scale of “okay lor” to “shiok sia”. “The city is buzzing, you can feel it in the air.”

Jonas is in Singapore alongside Chinese actress and art enthusiast Zhu Zhu and Korean actress Ha Ji-won for the annual art celebration, at the invitation of event co-organiser Singapore Tourism Board. The musician also held a listening session with fans for his upcoming album Sunday Best earlier that day. Jonas described himself as a relatively new collector and a “student”, “learning as much as (he) can and taking it all in, being inspired”.

In recent years, Jonas’ art interests have expanded towards South and Southeast Asian art – something he largely credits to his wife, Indian actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, an art lover herself. “My interest in Southeast Asian art is definitely because of my wife,” he shared, adding that he has come to admire works by artists he has encountered through her and his friends in India.

During his visit to NGS, Jonas said he was “blown away” by the works of Filipino artist Juan Luna, an experience that reinforced his desire to keep exploring Southeast Asian work. 

“Southeast Asian art is something I’ve come to know more recently in the last six, seven years for a number of reasons and I’ve really fallen in love with it. There’s so many pieces that caught my eye and really, kind of expanded my horizons of works that I love now and will definitely be following up on some more pieces and artists that I could see in my personal collection,” Jonas shared.

Jonas is no stranger to Singapore, having last visited in 2012 with the Jonas Brothers. However, the connection dates back even earlier. 

“This was after many summers of our father coming to visit Singapore when we were young, and coming back with lots of tasty treats and clothing that we loved.” He mentioned he and his brothers had “somewhat of a familiarity” when they were here in 2012, recalling that it “was a great trip” and that they “had some amazing food”.

Food, unsurprisingly, remains part of the appeal. “Yeah, I love food. Who doesn’t?” Jonas laughed, sharing that “spicy food is always a big one in our household.” He revealed he was about to have barbecue for his first dinner in Singapore.

Singapore in itself was and remains an “electric” and “vibrant” city in Jonas’ eyes. He shared that he loved “the confluence of the modernity with the heritage” and that it’s “honouring of the history, but also always pushing the envelope”.

Joining him for Singapore Art Week is Chinese actress Zhu Zhu, who spoke about her long-standing relationship with art. She shared that she enjoys museums and traditional exhibitions, but has recently been drawn to more unexpected encounters with art, particularly those unfolding organically throughout the city during Singapore Art Week.

She revealed she had visited one of the ongoing shows, the Wan Hai Hotel: Singapore Strait, where the lobby of restored heritage property, The Warehouse Hotel, was transformed into an immersive exhibition space. She admired the art as she sipped on a cocktail curated by the artist, an experience with art she really enjoyed.

For Zhu Zhu, art has always played a deeply personal role in her life. Earlier this year, she filmed a TV serial with an intense production of 960 scenes over four months, which meant filming 10 scenes a day with just one day off. The experience left her feeling “hollow and empty”, prompting her to curate an art exhibition, which “recharged” her completely.

Zhu Zhu currently has an ongoing exhibition in an intimate art salon in Beijing, held in her former apartment she once lived in before she got married. Curated with Italian curator Milovan Farronato, it is open to visitors.

Singapore Art Week also marks a milestone for South Korean actress Ha Ji-won, who will make her debut as a contemporary artist. 

Ha, who also posted a video on Instagram of herself having a bit of fun at New Bahru, is presenting her works exclusively in Southeast Asia for the first time at K-Art: Contemporary Inner Scapes – Moment & Face. It will be held at Resorts World Sentosa from Jan 22 to 30, following the sold-out debut of her works at the global art fair Kiaf Seoul in 2024. 

As Jonas prepares to spend the next few days in Singapore immersed in the happenings of Singapore Art Week 2026, his aim remains simple as he shared, “I came to see some incredible pieces to leave inspired.”

Nick Jonas’ upcoming album, Sunday Best, is slated to be released on Feb 6. The album contains 11 tracks and the latest single off the album, Gut Punch, is out now.