Not a dying trade: Young people still 'closely involved' with getai, say artistes

While it's quite uncommon to find younger audience members at a local getai show, that doesn't mean that they're disinterested in the scene. 

Rather, they show their support for the performers in a "different manner", said veteran getai singer Lee Peifen. 

This could be in the form of giving the performers likes on social media including TikTok and Instagram, sharing their content and their schedules online. 

Lee, 36, has 12,200 followers on Instagram, and even has a fan club which is run by one of her supporters who is in her 30s. 

"They are still closely involved in getai, but it might not be through coming to the physical shows, which are still targeted for older audiences," she told AsiaOne after a show at Block 637 Hougang Avenue 8 on Sunday (Aug 18). 

She also credits the Covid-19 pandemic for helping to bring getai into the online sphere, which increased its exposure to the younger generation. 

Back then, getai shows were held in studios and were livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. 

When her younger fans do come to shows, it's usually to take pictures or chat with her after the shows. 

"They have different interests, as compared to the older generation who are happy to sit and enjoy a three-hour performance." 

She added that one of the reasons why the young seldom attend shows is because of the language barrier. 

"At getai shows we use a lot of dialect, especially when there's banter between the emcee and the singers, which the younger audiences might not understand." 

To make the show a bit more relevant to the young, some singers try to perform songs from JJ Lin and A-Mei. 

"But there's still a need to strike a balance between having more pop elements and traditional songs, as most of the audience members are uncles and aunties." 

Getai performer Yangguang Kele, 27, also told AsiaOne that she has seen an increase in the number of young adults at her shows. 

"It depends on which area [we perform at]. Actually, I've seen many young adults accompanying their elder family members to shows this year." 

She's also received her fair share of support from younger fans: "I usually post my performance schedule online, so in Hougang especially, I've had many young fans approach me for photos. It makes me very happy when they come.

"I'm not sure if they can appreciate getai culture entirely, but at least they come to shows and observe what it's like." 

When AsiaOne attended a getai show held at Block 637 Hougang Avenue 8 on Sunday evening, nearly 200 people were seen gathered at the car park to watch the performances by various artistes. 

While most of the audience members were elderly men and women, some young faces were spotted among the crowd. 

One of them was Yueling, who lives in the vicinity. Having grown up watching getai, the 28-year-old told AsiaOne that she's seen a number of younger singers on stage in recent years. 

"[The younger performers] will sing trendier songs, such as those you hear on TikTok, and I think that helps to get younger people to start watching." 

When asked about the prevalence of young getai singers, Lee shared that many of them hail from Malaysia. 

In the past, getai performers used to be child stars who started singing at the age of six or seven. Lee herself started performing on stage when she was six. 

"We are still encouraging our homegrown talents to try getai, but they don't consider it their first option," said Lee. 

"There might be a loss of supply, but there's definitely still a demand for singers."

Is getai a dying trade?

Finding new talents aside, getai organisers sometimes have trouble getting permits for shows in residential areas, according to Lee. 

They end up holding shows in industrial areas, with fewer audience members. 

Despite these challenges, Lee remains optimistic about the future of her craft. 

"Perhaps there will be fewer getai shows during the seventh month, but I'm confident that we'll go a long way because of the relationship with religion.

"As long as people still practice Taoism, there will still be a demand for getai." 

Lee also acknowledged that getai has also transcended beyond just having performances in the heartlands. 

For instance, Lee, alongside other industry veterans Liu Lingling and Wang Lei, performed at the Chingay parade back in 2014. 

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During the pandemic, getai stars were also engaged to film a music video to encourage the elderly to get vaccinated. 

To continue spreading the culture of getai, veteran performer Marcus Chin also published a book about the performing art's history in July this year. 

"I don't think it's a dying trade... but I hope to see more new blood join the industry. And I hope that our local singers will continue to upgrade themselves so that we can be known for our talent," said Lee.

READ ALSO: 'My parents said it'll be a tough road': Getai singer an NUS grad who quit engineering job to pursue music dream

claudiatan@asiaone.com