Under One Roof with Kamini Ramachandran of StoryFest SG

Tale as old as time

Every city has its storytellers, the ones who capture its heartbeat and pass it on. For Singapore, Kamini Ramachandran has long been one of those voices.

As the creative producer of StoryFest Singapore and the founder of The Storytelling Centre Limited and MoonShadow Stories, Kamini has spent over two decades nurturing a tradition that predates books and screens — oral storytelling.

The Singapore Story

Amid viral trends and digital storytelling, Kamini’s work brings audiences back to something timeless: the intimacy of a story told in person.

“Storytelling is one of the oldest ways we connect as humans,” she says. “It reminds us that while our cultures may differ, our hopes and struggles are often the same.”

Through platforms like StoryFest, StoryWalk, and ArtWalk Little India, Kamini curates and performs tales that reflect Singapore’s multicultural roots with stories of migration, family, resilience, and belonging. Whether it’s a folk tale from Java, a myth from India, or a story about life in old Chinatown, each narrative becomes a thread in the larger fabric of Singapore’s identity.

Nurturing a new generation of Storytellers

Beyond performing, Kamini dedicates a significant portion of her time to mentorship and education, guiding young storytellers, educators, and community leaders. She believes that storytelling is a living practice, and that the voices carrying it forward must continue to evolve.

Her workshops often blend heritage and modernity, teaching oral traditions while exploring how stories can be shared through new media and community programs. “Every storyteller adds their own lens to the story,” Kamini says. “That’s how culture stays alive, through reinterpretation and retelling.”

The power of listening

Kamini’s work also reminds audiences of something often forgotten: the power of listening. In a multicultural society like Singapore, stories are not just about expression, but about empathy. They help us see ourselves in others and others in ourselves.

Her collaborations with international storytellers from Japan, Indonesia, and Korea reveal that human experiences: love, courage, loss, are universal, even when told in different tongues. It’s a reminder that diversity is not something to overcome, but something to celebrate.

Through storytelling, Kamini bridges generations, communities, and cultures that preserve Singapore’s heritage while inspiring new voices to rise.

About Under One Roof by Peatix

Under One Roof by Peatix highlights the individuals shaping Singapore’s creative landscape, like Kamini, whose work reminds us that culture lives on when we listen and share.