So the internet went in to overdrive recently when Mandopop kings JJ Lin and Jay Chou visited Sim Lim Square.

But did you know Sim Lim Square was also graced by another singing sensation way back in 1996?

Take a look at this picture that surfaced on Tumblr a few months ago:

That's right — the King of Pop himself came to Singapore in 1996 as part of his HIStory tour.

(We're not sure where this picture originally came from, but we did see a similar one taken from a different angle attributed to The New Paper here, so we wouldn't be surprised if more local media — and in all likelihood, his own publicity folks — were present that historic day.)

According to The Straits Times, the late Michael Jackson arrived in Singapore on Wednesday (October 23, 1996) "at around 4pm on Wednesday afternoon with an entourage of 180 people and five private aircrafts".

Jackson also apparently brought his personal chefs along too.

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The New Paper, Jackson went shopping at Sim Lim Square the next day (October 24, 1996) and "virtually brought all other business to a halt". According to the paper, the stores that Jackson visited were first cleared of other customers by his security detail. 

Jackson's 1996 HIStory concert in Singapore saw 26,000 concertgoers.

Here's are some snippets from his HIStory Tour:

If you're interested, here's his HIStory Singapore setlist on October 25, 1996:

Part 1 (Following "Gates of Kiev" introduction)

1. Scream / They Don't Care About Us / In the Closet
2. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
3. Stranger in Moscow
4. Smooth Criminal

Part 2 (Following "The Wind" interlude)

1. You Are Not Alone
2. The Way You Make Me Feel
3. I Want You Back / The Love You Save / I'll Be There (The Jackson 5 song)
4. Rock With You / Off the Wall / Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

Part 3 (Following "Remember the Time" interlude)

1. Billie Jean
2. Thriller
3. Beat It
4. Come Together / D.S.

Part 4 (Following Black or White "Panther" interlude)

1. Dangerous
2. Black or White
3. Earth Song

Part 5 (Following "We Are the World" interlude)

1. Heal the World
2. HIStory

Jackson's 1996's concert saw fewer concertgoers in attendance compared with his 1993 Dangerous World Tour concert, which saw some 80,000 concertgoers. 

During his stay here in 1993, Jackson stayed at the Raffles Hotel. While it was supposed to be a low-profile stay, his fans got wind of where he was and camped outside the hotel. Jackson had to enter via the service entrance.

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Here he is waving from one of the hotel windows:

According to Leslie Danker, the hotel's resident historian, Jackson was soft-spoken and pleasant, though he hardly stepped out of his suite aside for rehearsals and performances.

Jackson had the privilege of having the late Ah Meng brought to him so that he could meet the primate. According to The Straits Times report of that day, Jackson initially asked to have the zoo to himself for a day, but his request was rejected.

The zoo then drove Ah Meng to Raffles Hotel where Jackson had some private time with the animal by the poolside.

Here is his setlist from September 1, 1993:

1. Jam
2. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
3. Human Nature
4. Smooth Criminal
5. I Just Can't Stop Loving You (with Siedah Garrett)
6. She's Out of My Life
7. I Want You Back / The Love You Save / I'll Be There (The Jackson 5 song)
8. Thriller
9. Billie Jean
10. "Black Panther" Video
11. Someone Put Your Hand Out (instrumental)
12. Will You Be There
13. Dangerous
14. Black or White
15. We Are the World (USA for Africa song)
16. Heal the World
17. Man in the Mirror

If you're interested, here are a couple more videos that show Jackson interacting with Ah Meng, and being mobbed by fans as his car left the hotel.

Fascinating.

Top images via Tumblr and Raffles Hotel.