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Last Night A DJ Saved My Life

Fancy spinning for a living? Three local female DJs talk about the business of beats.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel
byKaren Fong

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Fancy spinning for a living? Three local female DJs talk about the business of beats.

My Reading Room
Electrokat (Kendra Liew)

This lawyer-turned-DJ is also the founder of skincare brand Katfood and clearly has her hands in every pie.

When did you first decide this was going to be your career path?

I started DJing for fun when I was in Law School at NUS, and basically never stopped. I fell in love with it instantly and even when I graduated and started work as a lawyer, I did not stop spinning. I would work long hours five days a week, then do two or three gigs on Friday and Saturday.

What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened at a gig?

I was hired by an international events agency to spin on a luxury yacht. I only found out when I got there that it was a party for high rollers of a secret gambling website! They had hired sexy dancers dressed as Greek goddesses to entertain and accompany the guests. The entire time, I was like, “What am I doing here?!” It turned out to be harmless, but it was initially beyond strange being there!

What’s the most annoying song anyone’s ever requested?

Hands down, “Gangnam Style”. I also get strange requests for like, Eric Clapton. It gets annoying when the guests are aggressive about it.

My Reading Room
DJ Rah (Farah Azizan)
Having played gigs at Laneway Festival and It’s The Ship, Rah is a fan of funk, soul and hip-hop, and is part of the globallyrecognised label and music collective Darker Than Wax.
How do you explain your job to relatives at family events?
Do they understand what you do? They don’t ask, I don’t tell! My immediate family is supportive and that’s all that matters. I went record shopping with my dad at Jalan Surabaya in Jakarta a few years ago, and it was thanks to the physical medium of vinyl that he finally understood what I did. I think he always thought I was a radio DJ.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about your job?
When I say I play hip-hop, people get excited and assume I play the more accessible stuff like Kanye circa College Dropout, Flo Rida, and the like. “Underground hip-hop” sounds too douchey, so now I just say “beats”.
What do you think of the DJing scene in Singapore?
Is it a pretty gender-equal industry? I think the subculture is growing, and people are looking to discover newer sounds that the new generation of artists are putting out, so that’s a good thing – the support for the scene is there. Equality begins when the perception of “male vs female” ends and I don’t see myself as any different from my male counterparts.
My Reading Room
A/K/A Sounds (Amanda Keisha Ang)

Amanda’s interest in music started when her dad introduced her to his immense vinyl collection and bought her her first guitar. She’s also the co-founder of ATTAGIRL!, a local music and art collective for women in Asia.

What’s the biggest misconception people have about your job?

That I get free entry to any party or any show all the time, or have the ability to cop free drinks. Eh, you think I’m Zoe Tay is it? I’m just a regular girl trying to get by and just because I’ve played at some venues doesn’t mean I get instant VIP access. Also, if you care about supporting the party then just pay for entry and buy your own drinks because I pay for mine.

What’s the most annoying song anyone’s ever requested?

One guy (and his three friends) asked me to play Taylor Swift at an underground party and acted like divas when I said it was not the place for such a request.

What song would you use to describe yourself?

“You Don’t Know” by Reel Big Fish. Ska Punk always has a place in my heart. 

Photography Marisse Caine, Ungku Ibrahim.

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