Busking in Singapore

On the Little Red Dot, the fanfare whenever a concert rolls around never fails to hit a fever pitch.  The Taylormania was in full force earlier this year, while Olivia Rodrigo had fans screeching their hearts out to deja vu during her recent stop in Singapore. But, we needn’t necessarily contend with scalpers to snag tickets to appreciate live music from our favourite artistes.

That’s right, we’ve got buskers all around the country who’re equally as dedicated to putting on a good show too. It’s by no means a cushy hustle, but you’d be hard-pressed to find another group who’re as committed to enthralling the pacey commuters and mall-goers all around the island.

To learn more about these roving acts, we went down to catch one of AMK Hub’s resident buskers, Gerard Luke Peters, 26, in action. The singer/keyboardist, who also goes by escapeartistsg, started his busking journey back in 2020; here’s how he turned his passion for performing into a side hustle which he absolutely loves clocking in for.

1. Hone your craft until performing it live becomes second nature

Of course, you can’t expect to draw crowds in with sub-par performances that even you yourself wouldn’t give the time of day. The attention economy is fickle, so buskers have to be skilled enough in their niche to stand out. In case you didn’t know, they even have to pass an audition in order to be bestowed with a Letter of Endorsement (LOE), which allows them to conduct street performances.

“It’s not really a beginner kind of thing, I think you should practise your craft first, and if you think it’s good enough to show other people, then you can look at busking as a potential option,” said Gerard. To him, performing has already become second nature, and so he allocates more of his attention to interacting with the crowd.

If you’d like to try your hand at entertaining a live audience, there is one location in particular where you’re free to hold performances before attaining your busking credentials. BUSK STOP by *SCAPE is a space where aspiring buskers can practise pulling off actual street acts; it’s located right outside 111 Somerset.

You don’t have to pass any auditions to sign up for a busking slot at BUSK STOP by *SCAPE; you just have to fill up an online form and wait for a reply. Before beginning his busking career, Gerard had a chance to perform at *SCAPE as part of a different programme, where he got to simulate a realistic busking performance in front of a public space.

Gerard performing at *SCAPE in 2022.
Image credit: @escapeartistg via Instagram

“Busking is not only about the performance itself, but also about other stuff like setting up your equipment and interacting with the crowd,” remarked Gerard. “While I have experience performing in front of a crowd, I’ve not done those kinds of things before, so busking at *SCAPE gave me the opportunity to really figure out that side of the trade.”

2. Rent equipment if you don’t own any & register early for auditions

When it comes to busking auditions, there are 4 audition cycles each year, at which you can have your shot at obtaining your LOE. As of writing, registration for the next audition cycle begins on 25th November 2024, 12pm, but you won’t want to dally too long on signing up on the National Arts Council’s website if you’re interested.

Signing up is free, and Gerard notes that audition slots get completely filled out within 1 or 2 days once registration opens, so securing your slot ASAP is key. He also recommends renting your equipment like speakers and instruments first if you don’t own any, and then pour some money into getting some of your own after passing the auditions.

As for the audition itself, you have 5 minutes to present your act to a panel of judges, who consist of veterans from various performing industries in Singapore. You’ll be judged based on criteria such as competency and skill in performance, engagement with the audience, and expressiveness and confidence.

What an LOE looks like.

There also isn’t a quota for the amount of buskers the council awards with LOEs each cycle, so you’ll be solely judged on your skill and professionalism.

3. Equipment costs rack up, especially when you’re just starting out

If your act requires the use of electronics, Gerard recommends getting ones that are battery-operated, as most locations do not have a power outlet for you to plug into. 

Apart from ensuring that you’re skilled enough to wow a live audience, you’ve also got to have the right equipment for a proper performance. The initial cost of an entire busking set-up varies from act to act; for Gerard, he had to sink about $1,000 into his equipment.

He already had his keyboard to begin with which costs about $300, but by far his most expensive investment was the amp for his speakers, and that set him back $700. Add his $200 mic and miscellaneous wires and stands, and his total start-up cost amounts to roughly a grand.

Gerard’s nifty banner displays all his social media handles, along with a QR code for contactless PayNow tips.

“Nowadays, publicity and marketing is very important, which is why I made a banner too that cost another $50 plus,” added Gerard. “It also helps when you go for the audition, they get to see how committed you are because you have these kinds of extra publicity materials to go along with your performance.”

4. Busking as a full-time job is definitely viable

Thankfully, the weather soon cleared up and Gerard was back in business. Throughout his 2-hour long busking session, we saw quite a number of satisfied onlookers who dropped coins and notes into his tip box to show their appreciation and support.

Although Gerard no longer busks full-time, he did so from late 2022 to early 2024, and he believes that it’s a viable source of income. “I would say that it is worthwhile, it wasn’t bad or anything, definitely enough to sustain as a full-time thing,” he recalled. “If not, there was no way I could have been doing it for a whole year.”

However, he had to take a short hiatus from busking full-time, as it took a toll on his body. He was doing 4-5 hour sessions a day, for 4 or 5 days a week, and lugging his gear to and from his busking locations that frequently was getting a little too cumbersome. “I got tired and experienced a bit of a burn-out, but after that, I’m back on it again,” said Gerard.

Gerard is currently not pursuing busking as a full-time occupation, as he now gives English tuition classes instead. But, during lull periods such as the end of school examinations, he’ll make his way down to AMK Hub to serenade the people, as “these are the pockets of time that busking can help to make up for the income loss.”

By the way, you can view Gerard’s busking schedule by checking out his profile on the National Arts Council website.

5. Positive encounters outnumber the nasty ones

Having been part of the busking community in Singapore for a few years now, it’d be odd if Gerard didn’t have a brush with a couple of bad apples at least once.

@escapeartistg?refer=embed

Gerard Peters's Creator Profile

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Gerard’s vivid re-telling of the robbery incident on his TikTok page.

Gerard recounts the time he almost got robbed while busking, on the very spot he performs at today. “It was a whole Mediacorp drama thing going on,” he chuckled. “The guy stuck his hand into my tip box, thought I wouldn’t notice, and tried to run off with my money, but a man and his wife grabbed this guy and I called the police.”

Eventually, no charges were pressed, but Gerard was pleasantly surprised that the onlooker was willing to get involved, and made sure the crook did not escape before the police arrived. “I think for every negative encounter, there’s maybe 50 positive ones,” he rebutted.

When asked what was the most uplifting encounter Gerard had experienced because of busking, he detailed an instance where he was busking at Admiralty. He was performing the song Love, Me by Collin Raye, which was about the singer’s grandfather reminiscing about the good ol’ days with his deceased grandmother.

“This guy then came up to me, and said that song I just sang gave him a lot of fond memories of his own grandma, and that made his day,” Gerard beamed.

A small crowd was clapping and singing along to Gerard’s tunes.

He also went on to tell us about the times that members of the public showed concern for him as he was performing, asking if he was okay, if he needed food and drinks, or simply asking about his day. These were not one-off moments, as we witnessed an auntie handing Gerard some bread to have for lunch. On top of that, he got a total of 3 drinks throughout his session, which he is very thankful for.

6. Do your homework when planning for busking sessions

Much like many of life’s ordeals, having a solid plan before even heading down for your busking sessions will set you up for success. “People might not know the amount of planning which goes into my sessions, like my schedule, setlist and everything,” Gerard proclaimed. “I carefully think my plan through depending on location, when’s the best time to go down, and when will people be there.”

He then gave the example of his game plan for the day we observed him at work. He decided to open with a medley of newer songs early on, as he knew school was ending around that time so a younger crowd would be passing by. Around lunchtime, he then queued up more classics – think The Beatles and Michael Learns to Rock – to resonate with the aunties and uncles having their meals at the nearby coffee shop.

You’ll also want to be wary of the elements too. Apart from monitoring weather forecasts, it helps to prepare ahead for unpredictable downpours. It was drizzling slightly when Gerard started performing that morning, but he was ready for the wet weather as he quickly protected his keyboard with plastic bags, and shielded his precious amp and speaker with an umbrella.

Get your side hustles off the ground with GXS Bank’s FlexiCard

Should you be looking to follow in Gerard’s footsteps to start a lil’ something on the side like busking to rake in extra moolah, you might run into financial woes when trying to get it off the ground. For some much-needed helping hand, look no further than GXS Bank’s GXS FlexiCard.

You’ll also enjoy a waiver on your first year’s annual fee when you sign up for a GXS FlexiCard.
Image credit: GXS Bank

The GXS FlexiCard is a great entry-level credit card for folks like gig economy workers and students who may not have a fixed stream of income, to help them get used to managing a credit card and building their credit scores.

With the GXS FlexiCard, you get access to $500 credit monthly, and get to use the card with no interest charges. You get to enjoy unlimited, instant cashback of up to $3 when you spend a minimum of $10 in a single eligible transaction. For even more savings, you’ll receive a $20 cashback when you apply for a GXS FlexiCard and spend $200 within your first month.

The card also facilitates flexible repayments, which is especially handy for when you run into an unforeseen rough patch. When you are not able to make repayments in full, you can opt to make a minimum payment which starts from $15, by paying a $5 fee per month to bring over your outstanding balance to the next month. Plus, there’ll be no interest charged.

Of course, this beginner-friendly credit card is not just for those who’re interested in the business of busking, but also for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own side hustles. Whether you’re a fresh grad, or a fledgling in your craft who lacks the funds to get the ball rolling, you can count on the GXS FlexiCard to help you ease into new beginnings.

Learn more about GXS Bank’s FlexiCard credit card

This post was brought to you by GXS Bank.
Photography by Jaslyn Tan.
GXS Bank is a digital bank proudly owned by Grab and Singtel. GXS FlexiCard is provided by GXS Bank. GXS Bank holds a banking licence and is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. GXS Bank is a separate entity and is not associated with the businesses of Grab Holdings, Singtel, and their entities, or Money Digest.
Terms and conditions apply. For the full terms and conditions on GXS FlexiCard, visit www.gxs.com.sg/flexicard