Known by the stage name AKA Sounds, Amanda Keisha Ang is no ordinary DJ. From frequently spinning at the genre-agnostic Kampong Boogie at the Projector X, to playing at luxury brand events and an upcoming stint at the Singapore Grand Prix, she’s as much of a multi-hyphenated talent as they come. Ang is also the co-founder of all-girl music collective Attagirl! and part of the bass collective Baowbaow, focusing on music genres such as vogue, UK garage, grime, footwork jungle, and UK dubstep. The 37-year-old opens up about music, her deepest desires, and why that quiet confidence in a man, is the way to her heart.
When and how did you pick up deejaying?
I first started when I was 19, at a deejay studio called Frontallabs, but lost touch with it until 2012 during the FFF Girl DJ Bootcamp held at the old Zouk at Jiak Kim. I started practising with records and turntables first, then with digital music on CDJs (digital music players). Being a part of the FFF group allowed me to meet other like-minded girls and that gave me a lot of motivation to continue, as they became friends I could practice with.
Was music a big part of your childhood?
My dad was an avid music lover and record collector, so I grew up with the habit of collecting music. He always supported my musical pursuits and bought me my first cassette tape, CD, and guitar setup. I really got into the riot grrrl/punk/metal/ alt-rock scene and a lot of my musical influences come from classic rock ‘n’ roll. Hip-hop and dub came into my life around the same time, simply through associations with subcultures like skateboarding and street art.
What’re the challenges of being a deejay in Singapore?
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Esquire Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Esquire Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE MILD HANGOVER
Hangovers get a bad rap. We know. If you’ve gotten this far in the magazine, you’ve surely divined that we’re mildly hungover most of the time.
AN ELECTRIC FUTURE
Polestar, the minimalist electric Swedish car brand, turns the voltage up on its competition.
LET'S GET REAL (ESTATE): LUXURIOUS LONDON
Royalty, shopping, the best tea and scones the world has to offer, and a lifestyle worthy of what you're working for. Here's why London is ripe for your next investment
NEXT UP....ZARAN VACHHA
As Co-founder of the events and talent agency Collective Minds and Managing Director of the Mandala Masters, Zaran Vachha is definitely not new to the culture scene, but he's certainly shaping what comes next.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED...
I DON’T WEAR SOCKS except in January.
The Body Is a Language
A bad handshake is such a turnoff; we feel irked when someone rolls their eyes at us; we can't stop pacing when we're nervous-ever wondered how certain body language has the power to change how we feel instantly? We explore why.
EYE OF THE TIGER
Hailing from Singapore, Japan and Brazil respectively, Evolve Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes Darren Goh, Hiroki Akimoto and Alex Silva are proof that the ring demands as much from mind as it does from matter.
THE ADONIS COMPLEX
With the rise of superhero culture making a return and bringing with it the celebration of the classically ‘masculine’ body type, can men really overcome the pressure to conform when culture keeps getting in the way?
FUNNY BUT TRUE
A comedian, an iconic Singaporean, and now a man much evolved. After overcoming two years of pandemic limbo, unlocking career milestones one after another and undergoing a life-defining physical transformation, Rishi Budhrani is ready to emerge into the world renewed-and anew.
LIKE NO OTHER
With its horological triumphs, Hermès has truly come into its own as a watchmaking maison. In this exclusive interview with Esquire Singapore, CEO of Hermès Horloger, Laurent Dordet sheds some light on his timepieces' rising stardom and the importance of being different.
