Week 7: Meet Jonathan Goh - One Half of the Annoying Brothers

It was our first time interviewing a circus act and we didn’t know what to expect. Luckily, Jonathan is no rookie - in fact, this 20-year-old has already chalked up years of training and performing experience after his 5-year long scholarship with local circus organization, Bornfire.

Dressed in a black tank top and laid-back shorts, Jonathan lugged his many props and equipment to our meeting spot with a smile on his face. “The last time I did an interview, it lasted for at least 2-3 hours”, he chuckled. With such an attitude, it was clear why Jonathan has managed to tickle the hearts (and tummies) of the Singapore audience.

The perfect Annoying expression

Early Days

Jonathan has always been interested in the performing arts. Circus, in particular, is way more than what people have come to expect. We see the bright stage and crazy outfits but fail to realize the preparation work that went behind it. After meeting his other half, Edwin Ong at the circus community, the pair kept in touch before deciding to perform together as a duo.

How did the name “Annoying Brothers” come about?

It’s actually because we are really annoying *laughs* The other performers have always complained how annoying we were because of all the loud noises we make to attract attention - and the name stuck.

Interestingly, the Annoying Brothers’ routine are not a product of meticulous planning but rather just a combination of what they both find works well with the audience. “We don’t actually rehearse but just meet up at a spot and start busking. I mean we definitely plan out certain things like the music and what to do at different stages but we don’t plan the tricks” he quipped. “If something appeals to the audience, we would keep it and maybe improvise the next time.”

Their secret? Good old-fashioned chemistry (or as we like to call it: bromance). Still, not everything was easy and fun as he shared their first and worst busking experience. “Edwin and I were very, very nervous but we managed to draw in a big crowd,” he explained. Five minutes into their performance, one person started to walk away, triggering others to do the same. “It’s like this effect where you follow what the others do….and it didn’t help that it then started to rain” he laughed.

Disheartened but motivated, the Annoying Brothers started on a new game plan. “People don’t like long shows since their attention span are usually 5-10 minutes, so we started performing at areas with seats since our shows would last 30 minutes,” he said. They also learned to better market themselves by printing place cards to introduce their show which he says have helped them to attract audiences.

Why Busking?

For Jonathan, busking is a hobby that feeds into his bigger dreams of becoming a circus performer. More than that - he sees busking is a carefree way of performing. “Busking is fun because the routine on stage is usually fixed. With busking, we get to improvise and mess around, so much so that we make each other laugh but the audience enjoys it. Depending on who is around, we’ll tailor the kind of performances that we do”.

Unlike the typical Singaporean stereotype, locals are actually quite willing to donate if they have enjoyed the performance. Money, however, isn’t what attracts Jonathan. “It’s definitely about the audience. Our shows have a lot of audience interaction which makes it fun”. Apart from the rare troublemakers, there hasn’t been many negative experiences which have fazed Jonathan. He finds Singapore a safe haven for buskers, with the public being mostly accepting of them.

On the other hand, he finds certain companies to be rather demanding since many expect buskers to perform for free in exchange for the exposure. The perception of busking as “low art”, he says, is what contributes to this misconstrued mindset. “Audience doesn't mind it but corporations are usually the ones making the distinction. But I don’t blame them since they need to make money”.

How was your family/friends reactions when you first started busking?

“Everyone around me knows that I am pursuing a different path and they’re very supportive of it. Some people couldn’t understand it as they don’t see art as a viable career. However, they were okay with it once I appeared on the news. Basically, people’s mindset about busking is slowly changing. They no longer see it as just silly stunts but actually an act that is part of a bigger story”

The Community

Buskers, in general, operate on a “first come, first serve” basis, which is often a double-edged sword. Certain buskers may face territorial issues whenever newcomers crash their spot but Jonathan shares that it is all about compromise. In some countries, buskers develop a timetable system with allocated time slots but he shares how this may not be suitable for Singapore’s context. “Some people just busk whenever they feel like it so having a timetable just ruins that”, he shares.

Overall, Jonathan is happy with the amount of attention buskers have been receiving. The Singapore National Art Council have recently taken positive steps towards developing the community, often requesting for feedback and inviting buskers to certain events.

The Annoying Brothers now have a steady following whom they reach out to on their Facebook and Instagram. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/TheAnnoyingBrothers/?fref=ts !

Once again, a HUGE thank you to Jonathan for this interview! He was nothing but open and honest with his experience and we definitely learnt a lot. Stay tuned next week for our next busker!