Busking Chase

Soo Sheng Li - 28 / 30 Boat Quay - 9 May 2025

Sheng Li goes solo at a new busking location.

Soo Sheng Li busking at 28 / 30 Boat Quay on 9 May 2025.

It's Sheng Li going solo at a new location this time, where restaurants and pubs line the Singapore River.

Welcome to Boat Quay, a street near the bustling Central Business District (CBD) that has been transformed from a centre of trading activites in the heyday to a hangout for food, entertainment and late-night activities. This was where a lot of trading took place during the 1800s till the early 1980s, where various goods were transferred. But with rapid urbanization and expanding trade comes water pollution, and in 1977, a Clean Rivers Project was initiated, which cleaned up the Singapore River and the Kallang River and moved quayside activities to a new quay in Pasir Panjang. In 1989, Boat Quay was designated a conservation area and the historic shophouses now re-used for restaurants, bars and cafés. The busking location is located in between Harry's and Pasta Fresca Da Salvatore - both homegrown F&B outlets - with one being a Western restaurant chain with 18 outlets islandwide, and the other one of the best Italian restaurants in Singapore.

Sheng Li is doing a collaboration with Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa Herbal Candy for a couple of his busking sessions - and yes, you might see posts on social media with Sheng Li and local singer-songwriter Ben Hum endorsing the herbal candy. We're talking about a popular, natural herbal lozenge derived from the traditional Pei Pa Koa cough syrup, and it contains natural herbal extracts to moisten the throat, relieve throat discomfort and protect your voice. The candy comes in six flavours, and you can find this herbal candy at many retailers. (this post is not sponsored, guys, but I highly recommend you get one.)

Two songs picked from this busking session:

How Would You Feel (Paean) (originally performed by Ed Sheeran)
- This is the first promotional single from Ed Sheeran's third studio album ÷. It was written while his girlfriend (later wide) was on her way to the airport to fly back home after a visit.
彩虹 [originally performed by Jay Chou (周杰伦)]
- This song uses a metaphor of a rainbow to describe the sorrow of letting go of a romantic relationship, using a simple and soothing melody to remind listeners of the sweet feelings when they are in love.