Who?
“To say that Deborah Emmanuel is a woman of many facets is hardly an exaggeration.”
– Gary Lim, City Nomads
ArunDitha (born Deborah Arunditha Emmanuel, 19th September 1988) is a Singaporean artist, most recognised for her work as a poet, singer and theatre-maker. ArunDitha’s gifts have taken her across oceans, from the spiritual settings of Bali and Kathmandu to the vibrant cities of Berlin, London and New York. Her powerful performances have been at select events like TEDx Singapore and The Performance Theatre, and have toured alongside performance poetry sensation Sarah Kay.
Her writing has featured at festivals like the Barcelona International Poetry Festival and the Queensland Writers Festival and has even won competitions in Singapore, Germany and Australia. The quality and versatility of her craft has also seen her invited as a resident artist to established spaces such as Literarisches Colloquium Berlin and The Watermill Center New York.
ArunDitha’s first poetry collection, When I Giggle In My Sleep, was published by Red Wheelbarrow Books early 2015. Her creative non-fiction work Rebel Rites, was self-published with a Pozible campaign in 2016. After that success, ArunDitha decided to release her third book Genesis: Visual Poetry Collection in 2018 with the same independence. Her poetry and prose has been published by the likes of The Straits Times, Math Paper Press, Ethos Books and Penguin Random House. She has also released multiple music albums as a lead vocalist and collaborated on many sound works. This of course includes her current biggest projects Mantravine and Polymorphism.
In the last few years, ArunDitha’s work has been heavily influenced by political and feminist discourse, and a commitment to spiritual practice as the key to her personal revolution. This has led her to also work as an Expression Coach and Medicine Woman, tapping into an ancient lineage and travelling within Energetic inner Realms to facilitate truer and freer Expression for her clients.
You can find out more at Be. Your. Self.
Written Word
“Deborah is undoubtedly one of the greatest natural talents I have seen in the world of poetry. She can turn up and burn the place down in a few short breaths. Some poets need to practice, rehearse, run through lines and warm up before getting onto a stage. Deborah is always a poet, always sincere, always heartbreakingly truthful and effortlessly powerful.”
– LUKA LESSON
Poetry
Published Works
2016
Rebel Rites
This is my acclaimed and out-of-print work of creative non-fiction about the year I spent in the Singapore Prison System for casual drug use (marijuana and MDMA) when I was just 19-years-old.
2018
Genesis
This is spoken word. This will make you feel things. This is a poet illustrating her own book. This is in alien language. This is an angry bedtime story. This contains occasional confessional explosions. This is a bit of sexy feminism. This is hipster monologue. This is angst that will not fester. This is a spiritual quest. This is sometimes grammatically incorrect. This is don’t let anyone say you can’t draw. Not even your own mind.
2016
Twisted Roots
As long as I have been alive, I have felt alien. Outside collective identity, outside my own identity. In this poem, I am capturing two stories which I have lived simultaneously.
2020
Spiritual Lit and the Singapore Dream
My experience and thoughts about being a spiritual human being who grew up in Singapore. An opinion about what it means to be a creative person in the time of capitalism.
Videos
“Deborah Emmanuel is one of the most exciting, challenging voices to have emerged in the Singaporean scene. To listen to her work is to listen to an artist who wears vulnerability like an armour, who uses poetry like courage. Her writing is both tender and tough, both lyrical and unapologetic. She’s one of the most important writers we have for young people who are confronting issues of true diversity, identity and experience.”
– POOJA NANSI
Music
“Anchored by the profoundly heady lyricism of Singaporean poet-performer Deborah Emmanuel, Australian outfit The Ditha Project’s moody and groovy confluence of jazz, funk, folk and electronic soul is heaven-sent.”
– HIDIZIR JUNAINI, BANDWAGON ASIA
Projects
My father had this mammoth CD collection as I was growing up. There were hundreds of discs in stacks and stacks. They made alphabetized walls on either side of the television.
From the formative times, life had a soundtrack. From Black Metal to Trance to German Reggae. Whole eras have passed with a small selection of albums on repeat.
These days I have opportunities to contribute my words and voice to songs and albums on multiple projects with many different musicians and instruments. For this I am so grateful.
Press
Shop
“Inspirational and transformational, Deborah resonates with the strength of her convictions. After participating in Deborah’s workshops, our writers and performers will never look at poetry the same way again.”
– ADAM DAVY, HOD ENGLISH, KELVIN GROVE STATE COLLEGE
WORKSHOPS
Experience a workshop with me, privately or in a group. I’ve worked with curious adults looking to expand their understanding of multidisciplinary creation. I’ve worked with seniors who have emotional disorders. I’ve worked with young people of all ages in classroom and auditorium settings. I’ve worked personally to help individuals break out of inhibiting patterns, so that they can be the best performers they can be. Let me know what knowledge you are seeking. Perhaps I can help you.
COMMISSIONS
As an artist, I have been commissioned by the Singapore Writers Festival, Lisa Von Tang, The Incubation Network, S&P Global, the Goethe Institut and many more. In a commission circumstance I can work individually or collaborate with other artists to create a piece designed to meet your or your organization’s needs. My modalities are: Poetry, Prose, Non-Fiction, Song, Illustration and Visual Art, Theatre, Movement.
HEALING OFFERINGS
Have a look at my website for transformational services www.speakitintolight.love
Contact Me
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