SHENTONISTA

“I’m studying Culinary and Business Management in Republic Polytechnic, which used to be something I was passionate about. Sadly, due to the stressful environment, I’ve lost interest in pursuing it professionally. Maybe I’ll try something related to food science, or even enrol in fashion school next.”

“My love for musical theatre started from movie adaptations of musicals. I was also exposed to lesser known classics in my school band and found a deep appreciation for orchestral music. To me, musicals are the full package of performative arts. There’s singing, dancing, acting, live instrumentals—what more can I ask for?”

“I was a hairstylist for 10 years back in Tokyo where I’m from, but I’ve wanted to work overseas since I was a student. When my boss offered me a chance to cut hair in Singapore, I had to say yes.”

“Since moving out, I’ve learnt that it takes a lot of intentional effort to maintain a home. When I lived with my parents, everything ran so smoothly and I never noticed the consistency needed to keep the house running. Even when I was living in hall or abroad on exchange, it always felt temporary, plus I was only in charge of a much smaller space, so living independently in an actual home is quite a change.”

“In the barbering industry, there are still people who think that only men can cut men’s hair. But in spite of that, I started up a barbershop of my own, Dee Yonder. My dream is to have Dee Yonder be fully women-run, so I’m looking for new barbers to join me.”

“My photography studio, How Light Falls, combines three things I love—photography, sincere connections, and community service. More than just a name, it’s a life motto about slowing down enough to observe how light falls (literally), and feeling gratitude for life’s little moments.”

“I love art because it’s such a good way to learn about something or someone that you would have never otherwise thought or conversed about. Each work means different things to different people, so by talking about art with someone else, you could gain a very different perspective about a certain issue.”

“I’ve been with the museum for seven years now, and I still hear people asking “Where are the sculptures? Where are the paintings?” Well, art is definitely not just confined to these traditional mediums now—it can be an installation of lights, video works, or even found objects put together.”

“I love interactive art, because you never really know how people are going to interact with the work. You can touch means you can touch, so you start pulling, and I kind of like that—there’s no one right way of interacting with the work.”

Who is Natasha to you? Are they a loved one? Your favourite fictional character? Perhaps even yourself?

“I’m currently a voice actor, but I started off acting on camera when I was a little kid. I eventually got tired of being on camera, and realised that voice acting was something I could try since I have a unique voice, so I made the switch and it’s been great. I learn new things everyday, and freelancing in the industry has allowed me to travel and record from all around the world!”

“Being a mum of two is a challenging job! I’m learning to find a balance between the push and the pull as they grow older, and becoming more of a friend than a mum to my kids. But it’s also really rewarding, especially when I see my children happy. They have become my biggest motivation in life.”