Man harasses Clementi Mall busker with song demands, refuses to leave: 'I paid for my song'
A busker performing at The Clementi Mall was left shaken after a passer-by who tipped him later returned with a list of song requests — insisting he had "paid for it".
The man then lingered around the area and complained while the busker performed, even after police officers intervened.
The busker, Evan Goh, is no stranger to performing under pressure.
He had appeared in Battle of the Buskers, a 2023 Mediacorp reality competition for street performers in Singapore, where he finished in the top three among 16 acts.
But the incident on Dec 6 was unlike anything he had dealt with before.
'I dedicate my song'
Mr Goh, a 37-year-old full-time sales trainer who busks three to four times a week, told Stomp the encounter took place between 6pm and 7pm.
A man in a white shirt had initially requested a Christmas song, dropping a coin into the tip box as the performance began.
Later, the man returned with a list of songs and asked for a song he wasn't familiar with, standing close to him. Mr Goh recounted that he was "a bit too close for comfort".
"I offered to do another one (which was also on this list), and he started to raise his voice at me," Mr Goh said.
In a TikTok video about the incident, which has gained more than 108,300 views and 1,600 likes at press time, the man can be heard repeating: "I dedicate my song. I paid for my song."
The man is also seen filming the busker and claiming: "He wants to be paid."
Police intervene
Police officers patrolling the mall approach to check on the busker and speak to the man. He demands to retrieve the money he donated, claiming he had given the busker $2.
"You don't get paid, you know," the man says. "You do busking."
"Thankfully, police were already on site due to complaints from mall security. Otherwise, I wouldn't know how else to deal with this kind of behaviour," the busker wrote in his caption.
An elderly man on a personal mobility device notices the commotion as well, asking the busker to take care.
Although officers left after checking in on the busker, the man did not. He was seen filming Mr Goh, complaining while gesturing in his direction, and taking photos of the busker's personal particulars.
"I'm handling it best I can. This time, I won't ask for respect, since the last time I did, people told me I didn't deserve any respect and I should find a real job," Mr Goh wrote in another caption, referring to a previous incident where a woman had shouted at him during the performance.
"How about some common courtesy?"
According to the National Arts Council, there are currently about 400 endorsed buskers in Singapore, with one in two buskers below 35 years old. All buskers are required to pass an audition before receiving approval to perform in public.
Stomp has reached out to the police and The Clementi Mall for comment.
Netizens call out bad behaviour
Many commenters rallied behind Mr Goh, praising him for remaining "calm" and "composed".
"I can understand your passion for performing and singing. Don't give up. Wish you the best always," one wrote.
"Just keep doing u [sic], a lot of people like myself appreciate the live music as we walk around," said another.
Others condemned the man's behaviour as "toxic" and "sickening", with some urging Mr Goh to reveal his face.
"His level of confidence and sense of entitlement is next level," one user commented.
A few highlighted the need for more recognition of local street performers.
"Some Singaporeans so stress [sic] cannot appreciate local talent or arts, that one person can really spoil someone's day. Just continue your busking bro…" one netizen mused.
Despite the unpleasant encounter, Mr Goh told Stomp that the "positive experiences outweigh the negative", recalling passers-by who encouraged him along the way.
"Its just that these incidences don't attract as much as attention as the negative," he said. "I hope this doesn't discourage any aspiring buskers from joining our busking community!"
