aarika lee female magazine

It could be a long shot to call Lee Singapore’s answer to Beyonce, but it’s also hard to ignore the similarities. There’s the dyed blonde hair (not intentional), exotic good looks (also not intentional), rapper husband Kevin Lester and button-cute daughter Zola Mae (definitely not intentional; baby number two Ari Jon just popped at point of writing).

The 31-year-old is also a beloved name in Singapore’s independent music circle – she co-founded the now-defunct group Sixx with Lester in 2006, mixing up hip hop, funk and rock way before Bey did. While she now only sings on records of her musician friends (“it’s a small scene so we all help each other out”), she still performs solo every Tuesday at The Mad Men Attic Bar, belting out charming covers in her kittenish drawl.

View this post on Instagram

🌵

A post shared by Aarika Lee (@aarikalee) on

But what she shares most in common with Queen Bey is how, despite a clear dedication to domestic life – the words “wife” and “mama” appear in her Instagram profile @aarikalee – she’s never lost her creative mojo. On her list of feats in the past year: co-founding branding agency Elementary Co (she’s marketing director and copywriter) and dress rental company Rmbrthedress (both with bestie and fellow F-Collective member Charmaine Seah). Next on the cards at press time: producing an SG50 Youtube video series with Lester on local personalities – all this while keeping her street-meets-gypsy-chic style in check.

In other words, she’s the perfect role model for the modern multi-hyphenate mother. Says Lee: “I just do everything that I love to do, and always keep an open heart and mind. It never fails me… that, and parenting can be a very creative job.”


An adapted version first appeared in
Female‘s September issue, out on newsstands now.

Like this? Read more about Aarika’s BFF and fellow F-Collective member Charmaine Seah-Ong.