Interview: Zamaera's Journey On The 'Road To FAM' Finale & Her Thoughts On The Malaysian Music Scene
Known for her bold beats and finesse, let's take a look at who Zamaera is at her core, where her music speaks when words cannot. In this exclusive interview with the rapper, we follow her thoughts on the Malaysian music scene and her thoughts on her musical journey. She also shares her thoughts on being in the finale of 'Road To FAM' in Bangkok. Here's what she had to say:
1. Your Road to FAM Show in KL recently ended, along with your Epiphany tour. How are you feeling about the energy of the Malaysian music scene?
Same energy, more driven, more focused and a lot more intentional with my craft. Although I have to correct you, as I didn't win the rap battle. I was 1st runner up against one of my long-time friends, ASHTIN (M.I.O), but I was the only female in the whole cypher, which really set the tone for my career from then onwards. At that time, female representation in hip hop was far from many, but I remember seeing Arabyrd, Kayda Aziz, Hunny Madu, Shikara, Mizz Nina, YUNOHOO (formerly known as Rubba Bend), Supamojo and sharing a stage with a few of them at Raising The Bar, a hip hop platform founded by Jin Hackman and Dan Shiv. I loved being put together with these other strong and creative female figures. And that goes hand in hand with my involvement with Road To FAM. Representing my country, alongside other independent Asian artists, is exactly where I belong.
2. Your Epiphany tour included cities that are rarely visited by artists. Could you explain the process of choosing these cities, and what did you think about the crowd there?
Yes, well, it was quite easy actually. I picked the cities like Alor Setar, Kedah and Ipoh, Perak, because firstly I knew I had a following in those cities and secondly because I hadn't performed in cities like Malacca or Kedah or Sabah. I'm planning a bigger show with more local artists, so the best way to test the market is to actually go on the ground and see what works and what doesn't. I am a huge fan of Nipsey Hussle, and he has these 5 prolific principles which he elaborates on. One of them is fan segmentation.
As an independent artist, it's important to identify who your superfans are, those who come out for your show no matter what, purchase tickets and merch as a way of supporting your career, so this is also my way of giving back to the fans who aren't based in Kuala Lumpur. I'm really glad I picked all these 'uncommon' cities because not only was the hospitality from the venues amazing, but I really got to build a strong connection with my fans from each state, as the show was very intimate, ranging from 50 – 100 pax capacity venues. I believe all artists should try planning their national tour with their team because it's extremely doable! And it's very wholesome, plus a huge learning opportunity.
3. Based on your latest song, 'Jumper,' you're leaning towards the UK Rap and Baile Funk genre. Could you tell us a bit more about this artistic direction?
I had always been a fan of electronic music, particularly techno and house, ever since I went for a student exchange program in Germany. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of music that I wasn't acquainted with at 17 years old. But I never tried including the love for electronic music into my own. So, jumper was an amalgamation of discovering Miami bass and baile funk, which allowed me to naturally progress in my sound direction. Jumper has all the elements of my artistic qualities, rapping with witty punchlines and singing pre-chorus and chorus. I want that to stand out in all my upcoming music. The duality of both being a singer and rapper, because I am tired of being put into a box. You know that internet saying…..'let her cook'…
4. Being a Malaysian of Arab and Indian descent, and promoting yourself as a homegrown artist, are there any plans to add any cultural aspects to future music projects?
For sure! I've always wanted to make Tamil / Hindi music because I grew up in a household which loved Bollywood. And of course, my love for languages is the real reason why I will eventually collaborate with more South Asian creatives.
5. You have some vocal-oriented tracks, such as 'Jaga Diri', 'Glow' and your early song, 'Wanita'. Are there any plans to dive into more vocal-oriented tracks? Or can fans expect a full vocal-oriented album in the future?
Yes! I have a big grand master plan for this. I hope my fans are patient with me because I have some of the best music that I've ever made in the vault and about to be released, and I truly can't wait to share it with the world.
6. What does being part of the Future Asia Music x Levi's Collaboration with 88rising mean to you, personally and professionally?
You've got to trust your team. I've been independent for such a long time that I'm so used to working on my own, but I've been building a great team, and I had to learn how to let go and just focus on being creative and just being the artist. Oh, and another thing is, you have to not panic in a crisis! We had a wardrobe malfunction, about the 3rd song into my live performance and I could feel my top kind of slipping off but as the saying goes, 'The show must go on', and I just kept singing and rapping into the microphone while being completely myself and announcing that we were going through a wardrobe malfunction and the crowd was still so supportive. There's something about being completely your own true self that I believe people enjoy and respect.
7. How do you see this collaboration uplifting Southeast Asian artists on a global stage?
You know, I had never worked with Darren, the designer of Ugly Pretty, until this collaboration came along. He is most definitely someone I consider a visionary. Someone who can see the complete idea of something, before it's even done, which I resonate with completely as an artist myself. When I met him for the first time at Levis in Suria KLCC, he whipped out his sketch book that had these 4 gorgeous illustrations of how he envisioned my performance outfit, and it screamed my name across every single one.
I felt like he studied me and my body through socials and maybe live performances to get a better understanding of my personality and the way that I move during performances, and then with his amazing, creative Einstein brain, just started sketching an idea that only he had seen in his head. We then tried on different existing in-store and archival pieces from Levi's, ranging from the jeans to skirts and jackets, etc, which he deconstructed every single piece to make the most authentic and gag-worthy 3-piece performance outfit. I mean, you must have seen it! I loved it, it's so me and him at the same time.
8. Do you have anything you want to say to aspiring artists who want to follow in your steps?
Be unconditionally your most authentic self. When you are in a certain room with certain people, know that there is no one to impress but your 5-year-old self. Which is why it is also so important to be in touch with your inner child. Having a carefree spirit, an unlimited sense of wonder and no fear of rejection turns one into an undeniable force. Hone in on your strengths and trust your intuition. And if you are an artist, fall in love with the work, the dedication, the sacrifices, the poetry, because in the end, you are writing the story of who you are.
Tickets to Future Asian Music x Levi's® Road to FAM, The Finale in Bangkok featuring Zamaera are available via MegaTix. Admission is free but RSVP required. The event is only open to ages 20+.
Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article
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