RAMENGVRL and Yung Raja's New Track is a Powerful Ode to Southeast Asia
In an exclusive interview with L’Officiel Singapore, the collaborators share their visions for Southeast Asian representation through their work.
We celebrate Southeast Asian representation with RAMENGVRL's latest track MING LING featuring Yung Raja. The pair come together for an empowering, confidence-boosting song that's dressed heavily in Asian references that all of us here from this corner of the world can surely appreciate. RAMENGVRL taps into her Indonesian upbringing and culture, and Yung Raja takes from his identity as an Indian Singaporean, to showcase different facets of Southeast Asia from their perspectives.
Ahead, L'Officiel Singapore chats with the two artists to find out more about MING LING and their aspirations for the music industry in Southeast Asia.
Tell us a bit about your new track MING LING.
RAMENGVRL: I’ve been wanting to do a track that represents Asia in a fun way. It’s a fun, bouncy track with some slang and funny references from each of the languages we speak. Raja has been doing it for some time, but for me, it is something new that I tried with MING LING. I do want to incorporate more of the language and culture that I grew up in my work, and I think people really vibe with it!
Yung Raja: MING LING is about not being typical. It’s about being the true version of your individualistic self.
This was a long-awaited collaboration, and the song really captures both of your distinct energies and styles. How was it to collaborate with each other?
RAMENGVRL: When I finished the demo, I left the second verse empty on purpose, because I knew it needed a dope feature that could elevate what this song is about. I immediately thought of Raja, I think he’s done a perfect job of representing Southeast Asia in his music, which I feel has been somewhat left out for a while in the big discourse of “Asia’s rising music” in hip hop.
Yung Raja: Our process of working together was so seamless. I always knew we’d be a perfect match in terms of style, energy and sound. I don’t think there’s another artist in Southeast Asia that I feel that way about. The way everything came together was just really smooth. Like magic!
The music video directed by Andrea Wijaya for MING LING has a Y2K meets vintage Asian cinema vibe. What was the inspiration behind it?
RAMENGVRL: We had the idea of doing something with noodles since I feel like it’s a central part of our shared culture. Drea (short for Andrea) has a crazy mind, and she turned it into this noodle mafia storyline where Raja and I are being chased for bringing the “goods”.
Yung Raja: It was my first time working with Drea. When I first walked on set, I knew that the shoot would be amazing. She captured the vibe so perfectly! I think the main inspiration is the fact that Ramen and I love doing music videos that push boundaries in the realm of hip-hop – cheeky, absurdly funny and bold. This is definitely in my top three favourite music videos that I’ve done.
Confidence seems to be a key message in MING LING. Why was this idea something you both felt was important to put out there?
RAMENGVRL: Because we Asians are so used to growing up with more conservative “Asian values” and sometimes that involves being submissive, apologetic, and reserved. I think Raja and I are both always trying to push the limits on what’s out there for us, and I think people are inspired by the message behind our work which is awesome. We are just trying to spread positivity.
Yung Raja: As we are both from Southeast Asia, we are somewhat bound by Asian traditions and values. Being a hip-hop artist in Asia has truly been a blessing for me. We get to push the boundaries of what’s considered “the norm”. We are constantly challenging the status quo on what it truly means to embrace yourself; by being confident in your own skin and hopefully to inspire and lift others in the process.
Of the many catchy lines in MING LING, there are plenty of Asian references. Talk to us about the importance of Asian representation through both of your music.
RAMENGVRL: Asian hip-hop is rising, everybody knows it. But as I said there’s still a lot to be explored and I think the world needs to know that. I am proud of my culture and that’s why I tried to slip in some Indonesian slang in the track (the words ani-ani and kuaci). So even though some people might not have previously known, through the song they’re aware of them and their meaning. It’s not just us – there are lots of other rappers from Southeast Asia doing this too, and this in the long run will create bigger waves and put more spotlight on Asian (and especially Southeast Asian) hip-hop.
Yung Raja: Hip-hop in Asia is big right now. It has successfully touched and dominated every part of Asia. What the rest of the world may not be aware of, is truly how many cultures make up this part of the world. I rap in Tamil and English (Tanglish) because that’s my culture. I have had the honour and pleasure of meeting rappers from all parts of Southeast Asia who rep and rap in their own languages. The vast diversity in the different languages and ethnicities does not stop us from connecting through our music and championing hip-hop. People need to know just how rich in culture Southeast Asia is as a whole. It’s very important for us to shine a light on our roots and we hope to send that representation through the music that we make.
Since you guys are from Indonesia and Singapore, how do you think your music allows for greater representation of Southeast Asia?
RAMENGVRL: I am very grateful that my music can be heard by people around the world, not just from Southeast Asia. To know even someone out there can listen to my music and be like, “Yo this is dope! She’s from Indonesia?” Or listen to Raja’s music and say, “Yo he’s from Singapore?” is a big deal and we are just going to keep pushing forward. The world will know in time, especially with all the other amazing artists in Asia.
Yung Raja: Even though Ramen’s from Indonesia and I’m from Singapore; we are connected by the fact that we are both hip-hop artists from the region. It has been a constant goal to bring our art to the world stage. There are so many amazing artists here in this part of the world for more cross-regional collaborations to happen. This opportunity will most definitely be a great representation of all the talented artists in the region.
As young creatives, what vision do you have for yourselves in the music industry in the future?
RAMENGVRL: When I first started, all I wanted to do was to express myself, and let those minds out. Along the way, I realized that my music did something far greater: it inspires people to be themselves, to do what they wanna do, to get out of those ‘boxes’, and of course, it also helps to put Asia, especially my lovely country Indonesia, on the map. Coming from a fairly conservative country, I’ve always been known as someone who challenges the status quo and I want to push it even further. My team and I have a lot of ideas to bring out to the world.
Yung Raja: The vision is for us to build empires with all that we do and to inspire generations to come. It’s no longer just purely about the music. It’s a melting pot of culture, fashion, and art. We have to broaden our vision and see what we are capable of achieving. The art and culture space here has a long way to go and a lot more space for growth. My goal is to put systems in place that enable creatives to reach their truest, deepest potential in the industry. We can only achieve that together, as a sort of movement. Regardless of whether you’re a musician, DJ or graffiti artist…as long as you’re in the creative space – it will be great to join forces and figure out how we can all work together. Through collaborations across different facets of arts, I believe we can truly grow the culture and support each other in the process. That’s my vision in the music industry and beyond!
Do you have any projects in the near future that your fans can look forward to?
RAMENGVRL: Me and the team, we’re working on some big thing that’ll hopefully bring forth young talents but also dope ideas too. Of course, with dope collaborations on the way as well. Still confidential. Wait for it!
Yung Raja: Got some exciting collaborations coming and I can’t wait to share my next single with you. Stay tuned!
