From content creator to host—and now singer? Ceddy Ang, also known as ceddyornot, is stepping into the music industry with the release of his debut single, “Selangkah”, a song about his life’s journey. After two years of professional vocal training, the public figure is ready to take the next step and showcase his musical abilities.
We had the opportunity to speak with Ceddy about this new chapter in his career. He opened up about discovering his voice, the recording process, and the story behind the song. Here is what he had to say:
1. Let’s talk about this whole journey of you stepping into the music industry. You mentioned that you discovered this deeper connection to music and singing after taking vocal lessons to improve your hosting skills. Could you walk us through the process & the decision to finally give this a try?
Music was never part of my original plan. I actually started taking vocal lessons for hosting purposes, and if you look at the Malaysian hosting scene, almost everyone on the main stage can sing. In my mind, I thought, “If they ever put me on the main stage and make me sing, I don’t want to embarrass myself.” But somewhere along the way, I realised that singing was not just a technical skill; it became a very emotional outlet for me. Cikgu Shafi had been planting that seed in my head to try and release something, and here we are.
2. Taking vocal lessons for the first time can be very intimidating, even for naturally gifted singers. Could you share with us the experience of your first vocal class?
It was terrifying, honestly. Walking into my first vocal class, I had all the usual fears: “Am I tone-deaf?” (apparently I was—severely), “Will I be embarrassing myself?” “Do I even belong here?” What surprised me was how exposed singing makes you feel. When you sing, you can’t really hide. But that experience taught me something important: growth doesn’t come from being comfortable. It comes from showing up anyway, even when you feel unsure.
3. What was going through your mind throughout the entire process of discovering your true voice and getting over insecurities that you may have had before?
There were a lot of internal conversations. I had to unlearn the idea that my voice needed to sound a certain way to be ‘worthy’. Many of my insecurities came from comparing myself to others or feeling like I was starting too late. Over time, I learned to focus less on perfection and more on authenticity. Discovering my voice wasn’t just about singing; it was about accepting myself as I am, flaws and all. While experimenting with my voice, we explored different genres, and surprisingly, as someone who usually listens to pop dance music, acoustic and ‘chill’ songs turned out to be my thing. What a surprise!
4. Now, let’s get into this single. It was said that “Selangkah” came about after you opened up to Amir Jahari about your life’s journey and struggles. During that time, was there already a plan to release a song, or was it more of an in-the-moment kind of conversation?
There was no plan at all. The conversation with Amir Jahari was very organic. I bounced the idea of making a song with Cikgu; she called him up, and he said yes. Honestly, I would NEVER have approached Amir Jahari to make a song for me—why? Because he is an award-winning singer-songwriter, and I was afraid of embarrassing him!
5. What was it about Amir Jahari that made you want to work with him for your first song?
Amir has a very rare quality—he listens. When he came to the studio, the first thing he did was ask me really personal questions, to the point that I broke down. He asked what I wanted my first song to be about, and I said, “It’s about my journey that many people can relate to.” And bam! He wrote the song in less than two days. He doesn’t just hear words; he understands emotions. As a songwriter, he knows how to translate real experiences into music without forcing them into clichés.
6. Could you walk us through the recording process for “Selangkah”?
OK, this is the TEA! Selangkah was recorded twice at two different studios. The first time I did the recording, it was a very nerve-wracking experience; they just asked me to go into the studio and start singing. Maybe it was fear or nerves, the first outcome wasn’t that good according to cikgu and she said it didn’t capture the right feel and all, and she wouldn’t want my first single to sound bad, so she went with me for the second recording.
7. You are a very creative person, so it is safe to assume that you were involved in the creative process of coming up with the visualiser? How much creative input did you have into the visual aspect of the project?
To be honest, I did not have much creative output visually; I had help from Joey and Zulvanny as my creative director. They heard the song, and they came up with how the single cover and visualizer should be.
8. Did you have a moment where you just stopped to process and take in that this is all coming to life?
Yes, of course, especially when I first heard the final version of the song. It hit me that this wasn’t just a concept anymore. It was real. I had a moment of gratitude, disbelief, and a bit of fear, too. But mostly, it was pride, not because it was perfect, but because I dared to try. This is when I said to myself, “s**t is getting real! I, Ceddy Ang, have my own debut single, and it’s a proper track?!”
9. You’ve teased that you will be releasing a second single as well, and you described it as being upbeat. Will this one show a completely different side of Ceddy the singer?
OH the second song is way more upbeat than this. It is playful, cheeky, and I got to experiment vocally. If “Selangkah” makes you vibe while walking along the beach step by step, my second song takes you to a stadium. That is all I can share for now.
10. Now that you have two songs under your belt, do you have an idea of what kind of artist you wanna be? Or are you in the more experimental phase – try anything and everything?
For now, I am into city pop vibes, but let’s just pop in general, but I am always down to experiment with different styles, genres, etc. If not now, when?
11. Part of promoting a song includes live performances. Will you be performing your song soon? An acoustic version, maybe? How are you feeling?
I definitely want to perform! In fact, “Selangkah” feels very much like an anthem—a farewell to your past. I can already imagine singing it to students. It’s just a question of whether people will be keen to have me perform it… We’ll see!
12. Being a newbie in the music industry yourself, what advice would you give to others who have the same dreams as you of putting their music out there?
Don’t wait for permission. You don’t have to feel ‘ready’ to start. Allow yourself to be a beginner. Be patient, be curious, and don’t let fear convince you that it’s too late. Sometimes, all you need is just one step. Selangkah demi selangkah.
Listen to “Selangkah” below:
