Busker gets a surprise after spotting SM Lee watching his performance at Rainforest Wild Asia

Singapore street performer Bryan Wong (not to be confused with this writer or the local host) may have performed all around the world, but few gigs can compare to the one where Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong randomly turned up in the audience.

The 29-year-old acrobatics artist was performing his Circles In Circus act at Rainforest Wild Asia when he spotted SM Lee and his wife, Ho Ching, watching from the crowd.  

In a video later posted to Instagram, Wong zoomed in to Mr Lee's face, joking: “Sir, I’m sorry, I’m going to zoom in to your face, thank you very much!” and a smiling SM Lee was seen waving back.

“Stunned like a vegetable,” Wong captioned the clip, helpfully reminding followers that the Senior Minister was also Singapore’s former Prime Minister. 

And, no, he wasn't performing at an event where he'd expected SM Lee to show up. 

Wong shared that when he spotted SM Lee in the audience, he was internally debating whether he should acknowledge him.

“I didn’t know if he [wanted] to be low-key or not, but then, my face [was] already stunned, and the audience saw it. So I said: 'Um, sir, I don’t know if I should have acknowledged you, but I’m sorry, it’s a bit too late now, so everyone, that’s our ex-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong!' and everyone just cheered,” he said.

Wong added that after the initial shock, he tried to treat SM Lee like any other audience member. “Sir, you are really cool, but this is still my show,” he quipped.

It's not surprising to spot SM Lee at the park, as he often shares photos of his visits to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve (which includes the Zoo, River Wonders, and Bird Paradise). 

Ironically, Wong said it wasn’t his most ideal performance, especially to have such a distinguished guest watching.

He had decided to use a larger performance wheel; one he hadn’t touched in two years. The new prop is 3kg heavier, and midway through the routine, fatigue kicked in.

“I was so tired and made so many mistakes,” he confessed.

Unfortunately, Wong told 8days.sg that he didn’t manage to score a selfie with SM Lee as he was busy collecting money from the crowd post-show. 

Still, he has no regrets and told 8days.g that if given the chance, he said he would simply thank SM Lee personally. 

“[I'd tell him] 'Thank you for taking the time to watch and appreciate a more niche part of Singapore’s arts scene, and for giving me the time to entertain you,'” he said. 

This isn't Wong's first brush with viral fame, though it's much more favourable than the last. In July 2024, a clip of Wong getting punched by a stranger while busking at London’s Covent Garden went viral, and Wong, who kept calm and collected throughout the incident, was praised for his reaction.

This story was originally published in 8Days.

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