Raybe Oh, 32, sings getai in surprise concert at Boon Lay Place Food Village

Diners at Boon Lay Place Food Village were surprised with a live music performance on Jun. 27 and 28.

The pop-up concert, held by ground-up youth organisation 13th Mile Collective, was headlined by getai singer Raybe Oh, who performed there both nights.

The show also featured performances by Jeff Ng, Arya Yunata, Muhammad Firdaus, Jason Yu, and Yiting Ong.

On a makeshift stage with a sound system set up, the singers treated residents to various classic tunes sometimes accompanied by the guitar or keyboard.

According to the organisation's Facebook post, the series, dubbed Table 808, is about "turning everyday heartland spaces into places where people come together".

Previously, they held a similar concert at Jurong West Hawker Centre in March.

Supporting hawkers

Oh made her getai comeback in late February after she suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body while attempting to rescue her fiancé and friends from a car crash in 2021.

The Retro Runway Concert was her first performance at a hawker centre.

In April, a volunteer at 13th Mile Collective reached out and asked if she was available to be a part of the concert, which sought to promote Singapore’s hawker culture and spirit, Oh told Mothership.

"It’s my pleasure to contribute in my own way by bringing music, joy, and a lively atmosphere to the hawkers and everyone there," she said.

Very different from getai

Oh described the evening as a completely new experience that she "absolutely loved".

"Since I was so close to the audience, I could interact with them throughout the performance, which made it feel very engaging and personal," she said.

The intimate setting made it feel very different from getai shows, which Oh said are more focused on putting on a polished show on a beautiful stage.

To Oh, performing at a hawker centre was "much more relaxed, interactive, and all about having fun with the diners and audience".

"I really enjoyed that close connection with everyone," she added.

"[The hawkers] work long hours in the same environment every day, so seeing them smile, sing along, and even dance while I was performing really made my day.

Moments like that remind me how music can bring people together."

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