"WE pride ourselves as a multicultural and multiracial country, but how come at that point in my life, I could not understand a word of Tamil?" It was a question that began to weigh on a young Blake Yap when, in secondary school, he found himself forming friendships with a new and more diverse circle of classmates.
With his almond-shaped eyes and softly angular features, Yap's appearance offers little clue to the Tamil language and culture that would eventually become such a significant part of his life.
Fondly known as Chinepaiyen (small Chinese boy), the Selangor-born content creator has carved out a distinctive space for himself in the crowded world of social media.
For the past 16 years, Yap has built a following through dancing and lip-syncing to Kollywood songs, as well as reenacting memorable lines from Tamil films.
His work spans music video parodies, comedy sketches, lifestyle vlogs and other Tamil-inspired content, connecting him with audiences in Malaysia, Singapore and India.
LOVE OF THE SPOTLIGHT
But long before Tamil entertainment became his calling card, Yap's fascination with music videos began in a much simpler setting — the family living room, with MTV playing on the television.
Now seated at his cosy studio in Subang Jaya, Yap takes me back to his childhood and teenage years, when watching MTV was almost a daily ritual.
"I would watch music videos from Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. I would be so mesmerised by them, learning how they made their music videos," recalls Yap, eyes alight at the memory.
As he speaks, he suddenly notices the MTV top he is wearing — a coincidence, he insists, and entirely accidental.
Those hours spent watching MTV may have seemed like an ordinary part of growing up, but they quietly planted the seeds of Yap's desire to entertain. The former prefect soon found himself taking part in school performances and local competitions, putting those early inspirations into practice.
His first foray into making music videos came in 2010, when he entered a Digi competition with his own creation. For the contest, Yap remembers rewriting the lyrics to Lady Gaga's hit Telephone and recording a parody track, complete with a music video.
To his surprise, the entry made it into the competition's top 10. It was a small but meaningful win, giving Yap the encouragement to keep creating and showing him there could be an audience for the kind of content he enjoyed making.
That experience eventually nudged him towards YouTube, where he began putting more of his ideas and concepts out into the world.
EMERGING FROM THE BUBBLE
It was around this time that things took a pivotal turn for the affable Yap. As he began discovering his creative potential, his world was also quietly expanding beyond the familiar faces he had grown up with.
Like many Malaysian students, he had to choose a stream after completing his Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) in Form Three. Influenced by his mother, he opted for the science stream. It was a decision that she hoped would open the door to better opportunities after he graduated.
"My mother was like, 'You do something you do not like now, so that hopefully, when you get good results, you can possibly get a good scholarship,'" he recalls with a chuckle.
As it turned out, his new class was a melting pot of Malays, Chinese and Indians, bringing Yap into a social circle far more diverse than the one he had known before.
Until then, most of his friends had been Chinese. But as he began spending more time with his Indian classmates, his curiosity got the better of him.
He began wondering how he could grow up in a country as multicultural as Malaysia and yet not understand a word of Tamil.
The question stayed with him long enough for him to act on it. He began learning the language through Tamil films, music and other forms of entertainment, gradually discovering a culture that would eventually become a defining part of his creative journey.
BEST OF THREE WORLDS
The process began with just a few words a day.
Noticing my surprise, Yap explains that learning Tamil through Kollywood felt almost natural to him, bringing together three things he loved most: dance, acting and singing.
"That was the perfect way for me to pick up a language," he says cheerfully.
But not everyone took kindly to his newfound passion. Some of his old friends began to distance themselves, feeling that he had "changed" too much.
The scepticism did not end there. Some of his classmates of Indian descent were also doubtful of his intentions, questioning why a Chinese student was suddenly so interested in their language and culture.
Yet Yap refused to let the reactions dampen his enthusiasm.
"I wanted to get to know my friends. Get to know them on a deeper level, which is what I usually do when making friends," he says simply.
PROFESSIONAL STAMP OF APPROVAL
What started as a personal quest to learn Tamil soon became a significant part of who Yap was. Before long, he found his growing passion for the language naturally intertwining with his love for content creation.
Together with a friend, he decided to make his first music video cover of Ethir Neechal, with little thought of where it might lead.
Unexpectedly, the video began gaining traction on YouTube and even caught the attention of composer and singer Anirudh Ravichander, a moment Yap admits he never saw coming.
"It felt very validating to know people, especially the original artist himself, responded to the video. It was like a stamp of approval to continue what I do," says Yap.
What began as a way to connect with a language and culture he had grown curious about has since evolved into a full-time career.
SYSTEMIC STRUGGLES
Yap's achievements speak for themselves. With two million followers on TikTok and a role alongside South Indian superstar Nayanthara, the 33-year-old has plenty to be proud of. Yet, despite the size of his online following, commercial opportunities have not always come as readily.
Yap says Malaysian Indian creators can often find themselves overlooked in the local content market. The irony, he believes, lies partly in the makeup of his audience. A large proportion of his followers are Malaysian Indians and audiences from India — demographics that do not necessarily fall within the primary target markets of local brands.
So, while the numbers on his social media platforms may look impressive, they do not always translate into the kind of commercial value brands are looking for.
"You would assume that a person with two million followers on TikTok and 400,000 followers on Instagram would be earning well. But they see my audience as of lesser value," he says.
The financial uncertainty worries him, but Yap is conscious that his struggles are part of something bigger. If anything, they offer a glimpse into a much broader challenge facing Malaysian Indian creators, many of whom are navigating an industry where reach does not always translate into recognition or opportunity.
Conversations with friends and followers have also given Yap a closer look at the challenges the community faces in their daily lives.
CHAMPIONING CHANGE
It is a topic that clearly strikes a nerve with Yap.
Perhaps that is why he has come to see his platform as more than a means of building his own career. He also uses it to shine a light on issues affecting the community that, in turn, has helped build his following.
A quick scroll through his social media pages reveals a history of advocacy — from calling out shopping malls over their lack of Deepavali decorations to speaking up when members of the community are publicly mocked.
His frustration is palpable when he talks about these issues, so much so that he catches himself mid-sentence when a "fish" slips out in place of an expletive.
For Yap, these may seem like individual incidents, but together they point to a larger question of visibility — and who gets to feel seen in Malaysia.
As the Tamil cinephile continues to celebrate the entertainment and culture he once discovered as a teenager, he also wants to keep speaking up for the community that welcomed him. "I have a responsibility as a creator. I will always continue to support, speak up and entertain my audience as such," exclaims Yap.
Perhaps that is what it means to truly embrace another culture — not simply to celebrate what makes it beautiful, but to understand its people, stand alongside them and speak up when they are not being seen.
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