ABANGSAPAU: “Instead of supporting local, support good, regardless of where it’s from”

Singapore’s local music scene is as diverse as its population. In this series, four homegrown musicians open up about their personal journeys, revealing their inspirations, challenges, and the unique cultural fusion that shapes their music.

For Abangsapau, whose real name is Shazuan Shiraj, venturing into music was a complete accident. What began with casual freestyling sessions among friends in ITE and polytechnic eventually led to viral success after posting rap videos online, propelling the Malay-Sikh rapper into collaborations and performances within Singapore’s rap community.

What inspired you to start venturing into music?

I never intended to venture into music – it was a complete accident. My friends in ITE and Polytechnic would be freestyling after class for fun, and I joined in. We then started writing raps for fun, and I would post them on my private account to a small group of friends. They encouraged me to post publicly, and I finally decided to for one of them.

The video I posted publicly went viral amongst the rap community here and I was invited to do shows and collaborate with others in the scene. That’s honestly how it happened, and one thing just constantly led to another from there. And here I am five years later.

What’s the first song you ever wrote, and what was it about?

Wow, I don’t even know if I can remember the first song I wrote. But the earliest one I can recall is called Through A Different Lens, where I wrote from the perspective of an ex-convict’s difficulties trying to reintegrate into society upon release from incarceration. The song is now no longer public, but it is a really special song to me and one I hold dear.

What’s a personal goal you’ve set for yourself this year?

To dedicate more time to social life. I think I became quite addicted to my own energy after Covid, and I often found myself retreating for days or weeks at a time after hangouts with friends. This year, I’ve made it a point to go out a lot more, and spend more time initiating conversations and hangouts with friends – it’s been really great for my mental health.

What’s your favourite song to perform live and why?

Damn, that’s not an easy question. If I had to choose, it would be Mama. The keys immediately cut through the noise, and it’s a song that means a lot to me and my listeners. It’s also a really nice song to sing along to with the crowd.

How do you handle creative differences when working with other musicians or producers?

At the end of the day, it all comes down to intention. Why are we collaborating? What is the desired outcome, and do we have the same end goal? If we share the same intention, but simply have different perspectives on how to get there, it’s all about listening, making space for our ideas, and learning to embrace through compromise if necessary.

As long as we share the same intentions, we can work it out. If we don’t, I call it off – and it’s happened more than a few times.

Do you think there’s still a stigma against local music in Singapore? If so, why do you think that is?

I personally don’t feel there’s any stigma against local music in Singapore. I just feel that Singaporeans have lifestyles that leave very little room to explore the arts from here, resulting in them sticking to what’s familiar. Plus, the petty side of me sometimes feels that the whack artists – for lack of a better word – are a lot more confident in marketing themselves and networking, resulting in a lot of [us] being at the forefront of local music, which can turn a lot of regular listeners away.

But in recent times especially, a lot of my peers, myself included, have been getting a lot of love from everyday Singaporeans, so I think it’s all about getting the music to the right ears. To me, they just don’t know.

What more do you hope to see in terms of support for local musicians in Singapore?

Of course, I hope to see a day where local artists have massive fan bases from here – who eagerly await new music, buy tickets for shows, for example. I also hope to see the music from here placed in the same conversation as music in general – to me, there is no need to separate local music from other music.

I’m tired of the ‘support local’ conversation for music here, it feels like we are cheapening ourselves and reducing ourselves to tokens. Instead of supporting local, support good, regardless of where it’s from – and there is more than enough good music from here for everyone’s tastes.

Are there any initiatives or changes you think would significantly benefit the local music scene?

I can talk about this ‘til the cows come home, but I think I’ve come to a point where all I can do is focus on what’s in my control – which is why I started New Mongrels, a Singapore music movement focused on contributing to Singapore’s music industry as we all work towards establishing ourselves as a global hub. It consists of artists across genres, and we focus on building bridges and instilling the importance of self-directedness and the do-it-yourself mentality.

My hope is for more artists, collectives and movements to sprout from the work that we do, so that New Mongrels no longer needs to exist one day.

If you had to describe your music style as a type of food, what would it be and why?

Nasi sambal goreng. It’s a comfort food, and it feels like home.

A local artist that you think people should know more about, and why?

There’s too many man, and it wouldn’t be right for me to just choose one. Everyone has different tastes anyway. Go check out the New Mongrels page as a start to find an artist that suits your taste.

I can tell you my personal favourite though. It’s Mary Sue. His music has gotten me through some dark periods in my life, and he’s such a potent lyricist.

If your life had a soundtrack, what song would be playing during your most epic moments?

Who Want Smoke?? By Nardo Wick feat. G Herbo, Lil Durk & 21 Savage

The top song on your playlist most recently?

I See You I Need You by Mark Boulle & The Haba Dudes

What do you think is unique about the Singapore music scene compared to other countries?

The unrivalled Singaporean work ethic. A lot of artistes bring this trait to their craft, and you can just tell from the attention to detail. We are also in a very good position to become the global hub for music in the region, and we’ve seen so many artistes across genres become successful exports worldwide.

PHOTOGRAPHY CLEMENT GOH
ART DIRECTION RAY TICSAY
STYLING NEO LIRONG, ASSISTED BY SABRINA KONG
HAIR & MAKEUP NICOLE ANG/THE SUBURBS STUDIO, USING NARS