He's back: 'Cathay busker' Jeff Ng plays to estimated crowd of over 1,000 at Punggol Waterway Point

After making headlines two years ago for less-than-favourable reasons, local celebrity busker Jeff Ng appears to be back with a bang.

In videos shared on his Instagram page on May 3 and 4, the singer, popularly known as the 'Cathay busker', was once again seen performing at Punggol Waterway Point to large crowds — possibly even larger than during the height of his popularity in 2022.

"Thank you to everyone who showed up and supported us tonight! It's great, the atmosphere was high!" he wrote cheerily in the caption to one of the posts. 

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/C6gpTqeSCQE/?hl=en&img_index=1[/embed]

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News published on May 8, Jeff explained that his performances happened to coincide with the ongoing Taiwan Night Market event held outside the mall, so the place was more crowded than usual. 

Even then, his shows drew an estimated crowd of over 1,000 people based on footage captured, Shin Min reported. Throngs of people also watched him from the outdoor area on the second floor of Punggol Waterway Point. 

"It was like going back to the heyday of my busking career," Jeff told the Chinese publication in the interview.

Called out for being abusive 

Things weren't always this way, however.

Jeff had gained online fame a few years back after going viral on TikTok for his vocals.

But his fall from grace was just as swift, with the 34-year-old street performer accused of being an abusive partner by a former girlfriend. He was also called out for having an "entitled attitude" while on livestreams.

The scandal reportedly cost him brand partnerships and he was also forced to cancel several gigs due to the backlash.

The singer appears to have shaken off the controversy, however.

Following the scandal, he held a few performances, with one at imPAct@Hong Lim Park and a musical showcase at VivoCity in August 2022. 

According to recent posts on his Instagram account, he still busks and has performed numerous times at his usual spot outside The Cathay. 

He has also held live shows at Chinese hotpot chain Haidilao to a rapturous audience.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/C5NzELrSZev/?hl=en&img_index=1[/embed]

A recent performance where Jeff sang Suddenly Missing You So Bad by Mayday in particular, caught the attention of Chinese netizens on social media platform Xiaohongshu, with several remarking on his popularity.

Jeff told Shin Min that he's heartened his supporters have never give up on him. 

"Whenever I sing, I see many people in the audience switching on their mobile phone flashlights and singing along, which is really touching," he said.

Looking back on his journey, Jeff recalled that his first-ever performance at The Cathay had attracted a small audience of just 30 people, before the numbers gradually swelled.

As for the future, Jeff expressed that he intends to simply "go where life leads". 

AsiaOne has reached out to Jeff for more details. 

ALSO READ: Crowd gathers at Cathay despite busker Jeff Ng cancelling show

melissateo@asiaone.com