Amanda Keisha Ang, DJ Extraordinaire And Musical Siren For All Seasons

An ode to the sexy, brilliant and talented women who inspire us. This month, meet Amanda Keisha Ang, DJ extraordinaire and musical siren for all seasons.

- Adora Wong

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?