From the streets to ticketed shows: How buskers Jeff Ng, Soo Sheng Li made music breakthroughs

SINGAPORE – The next time you hear a busker crooning outside the MRT station, take a good look at the face.

One day, you might be paying for a concert ticket just to hear the same voice.

A handful of Singaporean buskers have not only used their free performances to develop their craft and win over fans, but also ventured into ticketed gigs and solo concerts.

According to figures from the National Arts Council (NAC), some 2 per cent of endorsed buskers in Singapore currently identify themselves as full-time performers.

More than 500 valid letters of endorsement (LOEs) have been issued as at January 2026. This figure has grown from over 300 in January 2024 and more than 400 in January 2025.

Of the valid LOEs, 95 per cent are classified as music acts, with about 5 per cent considered street theatre and movement acts. Less than 1 per cent are visual arts acts.

Ms Aruna Johnson, NAC’s director of arts ecosystem group (access and community engagement), tells The Straits Times: “We are seeing fresh and innovative acts such as dancing holograms and live typewritten poetry, and contemporary movement acts such as K-pop dancing, reflecting an evolving and more diverse busking scene as buskers seek to bring the arts to engage audiences in our everyday spaces.”

Viral ‘Cathay busker’ Jeff Ng to hold sixth concert

Come March 21, Jeff Ng, widely regarded as Singapore’s most successful busker, will put on his sixth and most visually complex ticketed show.

His 90-minute solo concert at the HaveFun Live Show entertainment venue at Bugis+ will feature a T-shaped stage surrounded by more than 8,000 lights, creating an immersive experience for some 400 fans.

The performance is expected to feature a full band and 20 songs such as original numbers Still Loving Wrong (2025) and Can You Hear Me? (2016)

It is a long way from Ng’s early days of busking in 2018, when the Montfort Secondary School and Nanyang Polytechnic alumnus performed at the now-defunct Chinatown Food Street. At one time, he was also a cafe waiter and bar singer.

It was during the Covid-19 pandemic, when travel and large-scale concerts were put on pause, that Ng’s star truly rose.

His singing style, said to resemble that of Mandopop superstars JJ Lin and Jay Chou, found an audience, and his viral weekend performances outside The Cathay mall in Handy Road attracted such large crowds in 2022 that the piano-playing vocalist earned the moniker “Cathay busker”.

Then came ticketed sets in larger venues, such as Golden Village VivoCity’s Hall 1 in 2022, Drama Centre Theatre in 2023 and Gateway Theatre in 2024 and 2025.

At his 2024 gig, exclusive lightsticks ($15), concert T-shirts ($28) and water bottles ($42) were sold, on top of his 2024 EP Together ($18), which contains three original songs.

For the upcoming show at HaveFun Live Show, the cheapest tickets cost $88 and come with general admission, a drink and an EP – either Together, 2016’s Can You Hear Me?, 2023’s After The Dawn or 2025’s Still Loving Wrong.

The priciest tickets cost $188 and include reserved seating, finger food, an event T-shirt, an EP, an exclusive light stick, a HaveFun Plushie and two HaveFun vouchers. They also include admission to a 30-minute rehearsal meet-and-greet and a mini birthday celebration. Ng turns 36 on March 25.

The merchandise is stored in Ng’s four-room HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio, where he lives with his wife, Ms Zona Tay, 29, an early childhood educator. They have a son, who turns one on March 11.

Looking back, Ng tells ST he has been very fortunate.

“I never imagined performing at such large venues. I feel very lucky and am truly grateful to the fans who have supported me all this while.”

He now busks on an ad hoc basis, such as at the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade on Feb 7 and One Holland Village on Feb 14 and 15, and performs more frequently at events where he is paid to take the stage, like River Hongbao 2026’s S-Pop Night on Feb 23 and Singapore Smash 2026 on Feb 26.

He also performs at private events, such as weddings, dinner-and-dance events and birthday parties. In addition, he teaches vocal and piano lessons to 30 to 40 students, conducting individual and group classes at his home studio.

In a good month, such as during the year-end festive period, Ng says he might bring in a five-figure sum. On months with fewer events, such as March and April, he might see his income fall to four figures.

Teaching music earns him $200 to $400 a student a month, while a live performance can net $1,000 to $2,500 an evening, depending on the number of sets.

So what is the secret to his success?

Consistency and hard work are paramount to winning an audience, says the self-professed workaholic.

“When I started out, I performed at every mall, school, restaurant and cafe that would have me. Even during reservist, I continued performing in the evenings whenever I could book out.”

The music lover is also constantly improving and increasing his repertoire and takes note of tunes gaining traction on TikTok. After numbers such as Crowd Lu’s Your Name Engraved Herein (2020), Zhang Yuan’s Guest (2020) and Weibird Wei’s Red Scarf (2021) started to become popular, Ng made it a point to master these hits.

Among the newer songs in his arsenal is Cheng Huan’s Seat (2025), which Ng performed at The Woodleigh Mall on Jan 17. He says: “Young people pick up music so quickly. Even though it was a new song, the audience already knew the lyrics. By singing the latest hits, you can see the fans smile and their eyes light up. You know something has clicked.”

And never underestimate the follow-up. For him, every performance should be an ad for the next show, which helps grow his audience. Ng – who has more than 153,000 followers on Instagram and 52,000 on TikTok – adds: “I also try to post something every few days, so I can stay connected with fans through social media.

“And for fans who send long and personalised direct messages, I do my best to give them a substantial reply.”

That said, more success means more attention, and not all of it has been positive. In 2022, Ng made headlines when a former girlfriend accused him of being controlling during their relationship, leading him to apologise publicly to her for his “young and reckless” behaviour in his 20s.

Despite the negative press, Ng survived online “cancellation” and eventually bounced back.

Looking back, he says: “It did affect me. At one point, I considered quitting show business. But after a month of reflection and speaking with my family, I realised how those events were in the past, and I had already grown to be a different person.

“I was also glad my fans stood by me and encouraged me to do good through my music. Their love and support motivated me to keep going, even today.”

To date, Ng has released 15 original songs on Spotify, with his newest, the ballad Laugh Again, dropping in December 2025.

Although covers will make up at least 40 per cent of his ticketed shows, most of his own work will be showcased too.

Ng says: “As a singer-songwriter, of course you should sing your original material, because it represents you.

“But it is through cover songs that people first came to know me, and I will not lose this part of myself that my fans love.”

Book It/ Jeff Ng Are You Doing Well? Live Music Showcase

Where: HaveFun Live Show, 07-01 Bugis+, 201 Victoria Street
When: March 21, 7pm
Admission: $88 to $188 via BookMyShow (go to

bookmyshow.sg

or call 6591-8871)

Busker Soo Sheng Li quits six-figure day job, becomes full-time musician

For Soo Sheng Li, busking has opened many doors.

It helped the 37-year-old gain confidence in singing while playing the guitar. It led him to win a busking competition and appearing as a frequent guest on radio shows. And it pushed him to eventually quit his day job and pursue music full time.

Looking back on his journey from 2016, when he first got his busking licence, Soo tells ST he has been quite blessed.

The Temasek Junior College alumnus graduated from the National University of Singapore with an engineering degree in 2013. At the time, he was also giving guitar lessons on the side.

He recalls: “Even then, I felt there was something missing. I loved to sing, but lacked the confidence and courage to perform in front of a crowd.”

That was when Soo turned to busking – his first session in 2017 was in Marine Parade. At times, he was busking up to three times a week, for three hours an evening, while holding a full-time position at a multinational pharmaceutical company.

He says: “To me, busking uses a different muscle from working. So even after a full work day, I still had the energy to busk, and turn up for work refreshed the next day. In fact, I would say busking invigorated me and helped me perform better at work.”

He adds: “Busking was a safe space for me to grow as a performer, and I slowly got better. If I were to sing in a pub, I might feel constrained by the songs customers want to hear.

“But when I busk, I don’t owe the audience anything. I am free to play whatever song I like and try things out musically. It allowed me to figure out what sort of music I like and what suits me.”

Through trial and error, he discovered his penchant for performing feel-good pop music that “leaves you with a pep in your step”. Think Harlem Yu’s Can’t Help Falling In Love (2001) or The Voices Of Ordinary People, originally by xinyao singer Wu Jiaming in the 1980s.

Soo’s repertoire is 60 per cent in Mandarin. He does covers of songs by Mandopop stars Wang Leehom, Crowd Lu, Jay Chou and Li Ronghao, as well as Western artistes such as Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Jack Johnson. Soo has also released some original material on Spotify.

Busking eventually led to his first wedding gig in 2018.

He recalls: “An old army friend learnt I was busking and asked if I wanted to sing at his wedding. I felt so honoured that he was willing to take a gamble on me for his special day.”

What followed were more opportunities and collaborations. In 2020, he met another busker, Ms Karyn Wong, during an online music live stream event. She has since become his performing partner and good friend, and they regularly sing together as a duo.

In 2023, Soo emerged champion in local busking competition Busk King, organised by UFM100.3, bagging a cash prize of $500 and a guitar. This led to frequent guest appearances on the radio station.

In November 2025, he resigned from his job, which he says was then paying six figures annually.

The bachelor adds: “I had worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 12 years, but could not envision my career there for another 15. I wanted to try a different career path before I turned 40, and decided to take the plunge and make something out of music.

“Life is so short, and I want to pursue things that have meaning to me.”

While now a full-time musician with over 10,000 Instagram followers, 4,000 TikTok followers and 6,000 YouTube subscribers, he is still trying to figure out what success means to him.

“I am only four months in, so for now, my goals are just to build my smart guitar business, upload a YouTube video every three days, and reinvent myself as a performer.”

Soo’s main sources of income come from performing at weddings, dinner-and-dance events and other occasions. He will be taking the stage at Jurong West Hawker Centre on March 14 and 15, as part of a free gig titled From Boon Lay With Love.

He also conducts smart guitar workshops, involving a guitar-shaped, technology-enhanced instrument that makes playing and learning music significantly easier.

His busking has taken a backseat lately – with only two appearances in four months— but he expects the frequency to pick up from March.

He says: “I have grown a lot, but I still hold true to busking and believe in the value of buskers in our society. It is a great way for musicians to entertain, motivate and spread positivity to anyone who walks pass.

“I am not trying to be a star – maybe a well-regarded guitar personality promoting the craft to others, like Dutch guitarist Paul Davids. Music has brought such joy to my life, and I hope to share this joy with others.”