People

“I started @strandgal, a small jewellery business, three years ago to go back to my roots of creating tactile art. I really love what I make and seeing my pieces on others, but I don’t wear them myself because it's so paiseh to be a walking advertisement for my brand!”

“I’m 25 this year and the youngest of seven siblings, with two brothers and four sisters. We’re all pretty close, and have similar interests and tastes in fashion and music. In our free time back in Malaysia, we like to hang out, hunt for new cafés around KL, and go shopping.”

When asked what local dishes she liked best, Miyako whipped out her phone excitedly and, in true mum fashion, showed us pictures of all of the good food she’s eaten, from dim sum to masala dosa, which she described as being “spicy, but very delicious”.

“I have a two-year-old son and a baby on the way. Being a father means that life is no longer about what I want but what my children need. I really have to pay close attention to our finances now because everything is so expensive these days! But whatever it is, I’ll try to do what’s best for my children.”

“My brother, Adam, and I are three years apart but we’re just like twins! We like to do many things together like cafe hopping, shopping, and attending concerts. In the past year, we caught many of our favourite acts live, like Muse and Last Dinosaurs, which have all been really great!”

“My interest in filmmaking began when my dad gifted me one of his old cameras when I was in secondary school. I’d always been intrigued by photography and capturing still images, but I eventually found that I could be a lot more expressive with filmmaking. The rest, as they say, is history.”

“I’m visiting Singapore for the first time with my girlfriend who's here to attend a conference. I'm hoping to work here after I finish my studies—it’s a beautiful city, and the North Indian food in Little India is pretty authentic too!"

“I wish someone had told me how tough it would be to juggle between work and my two kids at the same time. It’s challenging, but being able to watch my children grow up well while carving out a career for myself is more than enough for me.”

“Working on my Final Year Project in university was a core memory for me as I stepped out of my comfort zone to try my hand at creative coding, which was scary yet so much fun! The coding realm is so multi-layered, and there’s so much potential to create experimental and interactive works.”

“My wife and I run a hair salon together and we’ve been married for 22 years! We’re also into fashion and inspire each other to constantly refresh our styles. Many couples become strangers with time simply because they don’t have anything in common, so it’s important that we share the same interests."

“When I was laid off from my full-time job, I decided to focus on the positives and pursue the arts as a freelance illustrator. Obviously it hasn’t been easy, but I’m trying my best to go with the flow, and I’ve learnt that it’s okay to ask for help. Having a great support system also really makes a difference too.”

“I’m the co-founder and CEO of a Web3 platform that empowers creators to leverage AI and gamification tools. As a female leader in the tech industry, I hope to continue advocating for gender equality in the field and inspire more women to recognise the significant role that technology has in our lives.”