THE WOULD-BE LAWYER WHO BECAME A PIERCING ARTIST

Do you like your job? Or wonder what it would be like if you'd gone against your parents' advice and pursued your dream career? Her World's Career Confessions column spotlights the professional journeys of individuals, revealing how their career path and choices impact their personal finances, psychological health, and interpersonal relationships.

- CHELSIA TAN 

"Coming from a traditional Nepalese family, there was a great emphasis on obtaining a university but I was always education, passionate about art and design."

For the vast majority, pursuing a career as a piercing artist is still a niche speciality, despite the fact that multiple ear piercings aren’t seen as anything out of the ordinary these days. Rinku Sherpa, however, is not one to conform to societal norms.

The professional piercer and former tattoo artist, who has about 25 years of experience in the industry, runs Mantra Collective, a popular piercing studio located in Kampong Glam that specialises in earscaping, which involves personalising multiple ear piercings based on one’s ear anatomy.

Her business is booming – customers of all ages and gender identities flock to her to get their ears or body parts pierced, and you’ll need to book an appointment at least a month in advance to get a slot.

Taking the path less travelled has not been easy for Rinku, who is in her 40s and has a youthful sense of style with highlighted hair, artfully curated piercings, and a botanical tattoo on her forearm. Originally from Nepal, Rinku grew up in India and was studying for a political science degree at an Indian university during the late ’90s, when she discovered an interest in body art.

"I met my Singaporean husband through mutual friends and relatives, and I was fascinated by a tattooed portrait of a Native American on his arm. He had a strong presence in the Singapore tattoo industry – while he wasn’t in the tattoo business himself, many of his family members were owners of tattoo studios here.