“Music kept me company.” That’s how Shazuan Shiraj, known more famously by his moniker Abangsapau, described the force that carried him through some of his most challenging years. The 26-year-old Singaporean rapper recently released his first record—a sonic culmination of all the pieces of him, coming together as a musical portrait of all that he is. And despite everything he’s been through, his stage name carries a tongue-in-cheek spirit of the persona and strength that have been prominent throughout his artistic journey.
His entry into music began in school, where a classmate would pull him aside after class to rap freestyle. “That’s where the curiosity for hip-hop started,” he recalls. What began as casual after-hours fun soon became something he leaned on more deeply. “It kept me company on days I felt misunderstood. On days I wanted to scream, dance or cry. My relationship with music has always been deeply personal.” As that bond deepened, the shift into artistry came as a “happy accident”.
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His sound expanded over the years, shifting from pure boom bap to singing and musical experimentation as he found new ways to use his voice. “As I grew as a person, my music grew with me.” That evolution culminates in Abangsapau, his self-titled record. “I wanted to represent not just myself but the stories of my family, my friends, the people around me,” he elaborates, exploring a mix of genres and contrasting themes that ping-pong between hardship, love, loss and grit. “With as much grief as you hear, you also hear love. With sacrifice, you’ll hear hunger.”
Two songs from the record stand out to him: ‘Smiling Anyway’ and ‘Selamat, Sayang’. The first is, in his words, “the most bare I’ve been”, laid over harmonious strings and a beautiful chorus that “brings you out of the pain”. It also serves as an ode to his Punjabi roots, which he hasn’t had the chance to explore deeply, with region-specific instrumental elements recorded in India layered into the track. The latter, a folk Malay piece about letting someone go with grace, sits on the line he shares so plainly. “Love doesn’t mean ownership,” he reflects. “It’s about recognising that and learning how to grieve gently.”
“My relationship with music has always been deeply personal.”
Life as a musician in Singapore forms another layer of his story. “I don’t come from a lot,” he says, remembering the uncertainty that comes with pursuing something unconventional. Comments from relatives, friends and even taxi drivers lingered in the background, but taking a different path came with its own sense of purpose. “I hope more people from backgrounds like mine believe they can still dream. Even small steps count.”
That same desire to open doors for others led him to co-found New Mongrels in 2023, an effort to reinvigorate the homegrown scene with fresh energy and momentum. “One artist became five, then 10,” he remembers. It grew into a space where artists across genres shared stages and where he witnessed firsthand the creative ecosystem rebuilding itself, giving him a clearer understanding of the realities other talents faced without pulling him away from his own craft.
His identity came through sartorially as well, with the sarong passed down from his late grandfather serving as a constant in his story. What began as something sentimental gradually became part of his public identity, almost like his own Clark Kent moment. “It was my cape. Without it, I was just Shaz, ready to work.” Over time, it became his way of reminding others that style doesn’t need to be exclusive or inaccessible; for him, confidence matters the most.
“I hope more people from backgrounds like mine believe they can still dream. Even small steps count.”
Looking back on his journey, he reflects on how much there is still to uncover. “The more you learn, the more you realise you don’t know,” he shares. “Another thing is, I’ve learnt that I am blessed to have a group of people around me who deeply care and believe in me.” And when he imagines his younger self, the message he’d offer is soft. “Slow down and don’t stress too much, it’ll be all right. And I’d give him a tight hug.”
As for what comes next? With his debut album now out in the world, his focus is clearer, with narrative-led projects, short films and the possibility of a first tour on the horizon. Carrying that momentum, Shazuan continues shaping his life through music, letting art prove itself as a powerful medium that empowers him and those around him.
Photography Taufiq Rahman
Styling Lance Aeron
Hair and make-up Nicole Ang/Suburbs Studio using Dior Beauty and Goldwell
Photographer’s assistant Zilhanz Affendi
Special thanks to Tiger Muay Thai Singapore
Vogue Singapore’s January/February ‘Art’ issue is out on newsstands and available to order online now.
