Κeyana On The Rise

At just 19 years old and with three singles to her name, this talented singer-songwriter is not allowing critics and her struggles with imposter syndrome to hold her back.

- Vanessa Tai

"There aren't many people who look like me in the local music scene, and with that comes its own set of struggles," says Singaporean singer-songwriter Keyana. "Not many people in Singapore naturally gravitate towards a performer like me, and it can be painful at times, but I also feel extremely fortunate to be the person carving the path [for other minority performers]. There is power that comes from that."

Insightful words from a person not old enough to legally vote. The multi-hyphenate who sings, dances, choreographs, models, and most recently, makes her own pottery, may only be 19, but she speaks with a certain gravitas. And as Keyana stands on the cusp of adulthood, she says she is slowly learning to not just accept her differences, but to celebrate them.

Stronger than yesterday

Keyana shares that she wasn’t always this self-assured. Born Melanie Sum Kasise to a Ghanaian dad and a Singaporean-Chinese mum, Keyana – who’s known as Mel to family and friends – has spoken out in previous interviews about her struggles with growing up mixed-race in Singapore.

After placing third in The New Paper New Face competition in 2017, the then 14-year-old scored a modelling contract with a Singapore modelling agency – but it wasn’t always smooth-sailing. In past media reports, Keyana has talked about the microaggressions she faced – such as being passed over for modelling assignments because clients weren’t open to models of colour.

Though she declines to elaborate on these experiences, Keyana has this to say: “I’m mixed-race and proud of it. I don’t necessarily want people to forget that I’m me.”