Word on the Street: Fariqqin (Creator of Do Not Clique Podcast)

“I’ve been podcasting for almost a year now. When I first launched Do Not Clique in 2017, I simply wanted a personal project that I could sink my teeth into.

I was working full-time at a boxing gym and producing videos for them back then, but it came to a point where it just felt like I was going through the motion. I was doing the same thing over and over again, and I decided to start my own podcast channel to flex my creative muscles.

The purpose of the podcast has definitely changed over time. Right now, I really want to inspire my listeners, and I do that by interviewing local celebrities and successful people. I want my listeners to relate to them and look beyond their celebrity status and get to know them through me getting to know them.

I know there are many influencers out there with very large followings because of their good looks, but it’s very important for me to interview guests who actually have something meaningful to offer. They must be recognised for their talents and passion for their craft.

At the end of the day, they’re human too, and they have their own struggles and insecurities. Everything looks glamorous on social media, but by getting them to share their journey, I hope to showcase a different layer of depth to them that others don’t normally get to see.

I’ve gotten the opportunity to talk to many inspiring people. Interviewing Jean Danker for example was a great experience because I got to pick her brain. She’s been in radio for over two decades, and I was able to get great tips that I could use when recording my own podcast.

I also got to talk to legendary local rapper Sheikh Haikel. He invites me to the openings of his burger joints Fat Papas, and during the podcast with him, his wife Anabelle Francis served me drinks. That felt surreal because she was almost everyone’s teenage crush on her when she acted on the show Triple 9.

Doing this podcast has definitely made me more confident. I’ve always thought of myself as a Jimmy Kimmel or Conan, but i’m not charismatic by nature and initially I had a duplicitous nature where I wanted to host but at the same time I didn’t want to be seen.

If you pointed a camera at me, I wouldn’t know what to do. That’s why interviewing celebs without actually showing my face is great.

I wouldn’t say I have a concrete fanbase as of yet. To me, podcasting in Singapore is still a growing industry, and most of the people who follow me on social media are people who idolise the celebrities I’ve interviewed.

But I feel like the more I do it, the more genuine followers I have. I’m still scratching the surface with this podcast. It’s not easy trying to grow it because this isn’t my full-time job, but I am improving and evolving as a podcaster. I’m just less nervous now and more prepared for each episode.

Many people have told me that they’ve always wanted to do a podcast as well, but they never got around to doing it. I myself put it off for a long time until I bought all of the equipment I needed and had no choice but to wing it.

Taking the first step is always the hardest because it involves having to take a lot of risks. You’ll have a million worries – what if people don’t respond to it, or what if it doesn’t get the recognition you had hoped for?

I believe that as long as you do it for the right reasons and you do it for yourself, you’ll be content no matter how your product is received. Work hard, spare no expense on quality, and start trailblazing!” – Fariqqin, 28