GENERATION Z

Zamaera talks music, representation and her new-found freedom.

- NIKITA NAWAWI

It has only been a handful of years since she first came barrelling down the local rap scene but Zamaera has proven time and again that she’s here to stay. Consistently dropping bars to hard-hitting beats and firecracker lyrics, she has carved out a unique space for herself in the male-dominated field. Not only an entertainment force to be reckoned with, she is also one who empowers—her acerbic wit splattered all over Wanita, one of her earliest output, is especially transcendental as it cuts through cultural norms and gender roles with aplomb.

But why rap? Don’t expect her to romanticise her story for clicks. There wasn’t a light-bulb moment or anything of that sort. That being said, the Subang Jaya-born, exposed to an array of music genres from a very young age, was particularly intrigued by the manipulation and interpretation of rhythm and wordplay in rap music—how one could say one thing and mean another and place them in different pockets of a beat. Missy Elliot’s third studio album Miss E... So Addictive and Ruffedge’s decade-defining bop Tipah Tertipu were among those that made a lasting impression on her.

Over time, that intrigue grew into something bigger. Before she knew it, she started putting pen to paper and put together the rowdy party girl anthem Helly Kelly—the breakout track that marked her grand debut inspired by her younger, juvenile self—and the rest is, as they say, herstory.

What does your creative process look like these days?

As of late, it’s a lot more organised. I was listening to the The