African-Singaporean model, singer and dancer Keyana on racism in the Lion City, her internal battles and the N-word
- Half-Chinese, half-Ghanaian, Keyana recently released her debut song and music video and has modelled for fashion magazines including Icon and Glamour
- The 17-year-old says she faced a number of microaggressions growing up in Singapore and that it took a long time to embrace who she is
Keyana is a model, dancer and R&B artist who is on her way to becoming a breakout star in Singapore. At only 17 years old she released her debut song and music video, Save It, earlier this year.
“The initial inspiration for the song came from a place of heartache, rooted from lost love,” she says over the phone to the Post. “However, as I elaborated on the personal meaning of that pain, I came to realise that it had a more positive message – that when it comes to the end of any relationship, while it is normal to dwell on the pain, we actually tend to focus on self-improvement.”
Keyana is a poster child for all that Singapore promotes about its multiculturalism. Half-Chinese, half-Ghanaian, she was raised mainly by her mother and her family in Singapore, and has never truly had a chance to explore her Ghanaian ancestry.
“To be honest, I have never been immersed in any Ghanaian culture and only know a very bit of my Ghanaian heritage,” she says.