ONE singer stripped to her sequinned bra top and hot pants, while another teased the audience as she pretended to strip.
Yesterday's weather was cold, but the atmosphere at getai shows around the island was certainly hot.
Crowds flocked to watch sexily dressed performers who wore bikinis or attire that showed their ample cleavage.
While skimpy acts have always been a feature at getai, this year's shows appear to have hit a new low.
Shows in the past have featured tight-fitting costumes, but this year's shows have featured bra tops and bikini bottoms.
At one getai show in Jurong Fishery Port Road last night, Taiwanese singer Ya Ya, 30, was fully clothed in a blue sequinned number for her first song.
But the emcees, Li Peifen, Zheng Yingying and Wang Lei, had hinted to the audience to expect more by introducing Ya Ya as 'the sexiest getai star'.
Things quickly got hot after Ya Ya's first song.
First, she took off her blue feathered head-dress.
Then her corset and frilly skirt came off too, revealing a short halter-neck dress that displayed much of her legs.
By the time she finished her second song, she was down to just a matching blue sequinned bra top and hot pants.
The reaction among the mostly male audience was telling.
Many who had been standing at the back began to move forward to get a ringside view of the singer.
As a nod to her audience's appreciation, Ya Ya gyrated and shook her torso vigorously, to much cheers and applause.
At another getai show in Jalan Leban off Upper Thomson Road, veteran singer Chen Meifeng, 40, was dressed in a tight-fitting silver costume that revealed her cleavage and parts of her butt.
After her first song, the audience tried to goad her into stripping.
Pretending to oblige, Meifeng said in Mandarin: 'Oh, I find it difficult to strip. Is there anyone out there who would help me?'
The audience, consisting of teenagers and middle-aged men and women, shouted: 'Wo yao! (Mandarin for I want)'
When Meifeng asked in Mandarin if her would-be helpers should be men or women, the audience shouted: 'Nan! (Mandarin for man)'
She continued singing and after the second song, there were again calls for her to strip.
In the end, however, she took off just the trimmings from her sleeves.
Reactions among audiences were mixed, with some saying the acts should be taken in the spirit of fun while others felt the shows were unsuitable for a residential area, where there will be children.
Retiree Ng Kai Wah, 72, said in English: 'Getai shows (come around) only once a year. One shouldn't be strait-laced all the time.
'Besides, nobody is forcing you to watch. If you think it's inappropriate for children, then don't bring them here.'
Mr Hong Yu, 32, a construction worker, said the shows were good entertainment for him.
He said in Mandarin: 'Men love seeing women with good figure.
'Obviously, these women have the figures and are flaunting it.
'Since the getai show is free, why not? It's better than staying in my dormitory.'
There were some parents who kept their children at home.
Mr Alvin Wong, 42, who runs a hair salon, watched the acts with his wife, leaving his two sons, aged 5 and 10, at home.
He said: 'Children are impressionable, so I think it's not good to expose them to such acts.
'Otherwise, they may adopt casual attitudes toward sex.
'I don't disapprove of the organisers' tactics to... help pull in the crowds. My wife still comes (to the getai show) as she likes the jokes and comic acts that are still being put up.'
The New Paper was unable to reach Ya Ya for comment. But her manager, Mr William Chong, said he wants her to be appreciated for her songs and dances, not her figure.
Mr Chong said in Mandarin: 'She's from Taiwan. There, getai singers are sexier and are known to strip to their G-strings.
'Ya Ya's singing can still be improved. She's first and foremost a singer. I'll be very disappointed if the crowds are only interested in her sexy attire.'
On Saturday night, Ya Ya did a striptease after singing two songs on stage, revealing a bra top and hot pants.
Her act brought wild cheers from the foreign workers who had gathered at the makeshift stage in Sungei Kadut Way, reported Shin Min Daily News.
Emcee Guo Min also joined Ya Ya on stage.
Guo Min wore a red attire comprising a drawstring skirt and initially, it did not appear provocative.
Then as the foreign workers rushed to get seats, GuoMin bent over and told them to be 'careful', revealing her cleavage in the process.
Too revealing
So how and where do getai organisers and performers draw the line?
Ya Ya told The New Paper in an earlier interview that she would not strip to the last outfit if she was in a residential area or if there were children in the audience.
Meifeng told The New Paper last night that she will only go as far as showing her cleavage and parts of her butt.
She said: 'I still maintain having a one-piece suit. Anything less than that is too revealing.'
Sisters Teresa Ong, 28, and Tracy Ong, 26, known as Bao Bei Jie Mei (Mandarin for precious sisters), also said in earlier interviews that they would not don anything too revealing.
Short skirts were all right, said Teresa, adding they would still wear tube tops under low-cut outfits.
Mr Aaron Tan, director of Lex(s) Entertainment Productions which organised the getai show in Jurong, said it was subjective as to whether Ya Ya's acts were considered provocative.
He said: 'Ya Ya actually wore underwear beneath her bra top and hot pants in case of accidents.
'We recce the venue before the show.
'If there're many children living in the area, we tell Ya Ya to strip to only her short dress.'
That was the case on Saturday when Ya Ya also performed in Bukit Ho Swee, a HDB estate near Tiong Bahru, said Mr Tan.
Mr Peter Loh, owner of Whirltones Entertainment Enterprise and the organiser of the Jalan Leban getai, said it was inevitable for the shows to become raunchy.
He said: 'Getai has to evolve with the times, especially when people are less conservative than before.
'I don't think the striptease is inappropriate as there're hardly children around.
'Besides, for getai to survive, we must think of ways to attract younger audiences.'
Yesterday's weather was cold, but the atmosphere at getai shows around the island was certainly hot.
Crowds flocked to watch sexily dressed performers who wore bikinis or attire that showed their ample cleavage.
While skimpy acts have always been a feature at getai, this year's shows appear to have hit a new low.
Shows in the past have featured tight-fitting costumes, but this year's shows have featured bra tops and bikini bottoms.
At one getai show in Jurong Fishery Port Road last night, Taiwanese singer Ya Ya, 30, was fully clothed in a blue sequinned number for her first song.
But the emcees, Li Peifen, Zheng Yingying and Wang Lei, had hinted to the audience to expect more by introducing Ya Ya as 'the sexiest getai star'.
Things quickly got hot after Ya Ya's first song.
First, she took off her blue feathered head-dress.
Then her corset and frilly skirt came off too, revealing a short halter-neck dress that displayed much of her legs.
By the time she finished her second song, she was down to just a matching blue sequinned bra top and hot pants.
The reaction among the mostly male audience was telling.
Many who had been standing at the back began to move forward to get a ringside view of the singer.
As a nod to her audience's appreciation, Ya Ya gyrated and shook her torso vigorously, to much cheers and applause.
At another getai show in Jalan Leban off Upper Thomson Road, veteran singer Chen Meifeng, 40, was dressed in a tight-fitting silver costume that revealed her cleavage and parts of her butt.
After her first song, the audience tried to goad her into stripping.
Pretending to oblige, Meifeng said in Mandarin: 'Oh, I find it difficult to strip. Is there anyone out there who would help me?'
The audience, consisting of teenagers and middle-aged men and women, shouted: 'Wo yao! (Mandarin for I want)'
When Meifeng asked in Mandarin if her would-be helpers should be men or women, the audience shouted: 'Nan! (Mandarin for man)'
She continued singing and after the second song, there were again calls for her to strip.
In the end, however, she took off just the trimmings from her sleeves.
Reactions among audiences were mixed, with some saying the acts should be taken in the spirit of fun while others felt the shows were unsuitable for a residential area, where there will be children.
Retiree Ng Kai Wah, 72, said in English: 'Getai shows (come around) only once a year. One shouldn't be strait-laced all the time.
'Besides, nobody is forcing you to watch. If you think it's inappropriate for children, then don't bring them here.'
Mr Hong Yu, 32, a construction worker, said the shows were good entertainment for him.
He said in Mandarin: 'Men love seeing women with good figure.
'Obviously, these women have the figures and are flaunting it.
'Since the getai show is free, why not? It's better than staying in my dormitory.'
There were some parents who kept their children at home.
Mr Alvin Wong, 42, who runs a hair salon, watched the acts with his wife, leaving his two sons, aged 5 and 10, at home.
He said: 'Children are impressionable, so I think it's not good to expose them to such acts.
'Otherwise, they may adopt casual attitudes toward sex.
'I don't disapprove of the organisers' tactics to... help pull in the crowds. My wife still comes (to the getai show) as she likes the jokes and comic acts that are still being put up.'
The New Paper was unable to reach Ya Ya for comment. But her manager, Mr William Chong, said he wants her to be appreciated for her songs and dances, not her figure.
Mr Chong said in Mandarin: 'She's from Taiwan. There, getai singers are sexier and are known to strip to their G-strings.
'Ya Ya's singing can still be improved. She's first and foremost a singer. I'll be very disappointed if the crowds are only interested in her sexy attire.'
On Saturday night, Ya Ya did a striptease after singing two songs on stage, revealing a bra top and hot pants.
Her act brought wild cheers from the foreign workers who had gathered at the makeshift stage in Sungei Kadut Way, reported Shin Min Daily News.
Emcee Guo Min also joined Ya Ya on stage.
Guo Min wore a red attire comprising a drawstring skirt and initially, it did not appear provocative.
Then as the foreign workers rushed to get seats, GuoMin bent over and told them to be 'careful', revealing her cleavage in the process.
Too revealing
So how and where do getai organisers and performers draw the line?
Ya Ya told The New Paper in an earlier interview that she would not strip to the last outfit if she was in a residential area or if there were children in the audience.
Meifeng told The New Paper last night that she will only go as far as showing her cleavage and parts of her butt.
She said: 'I still maintain having a one-piece suit. Anything less than that is too revealing.'
Sisters Teresa Ong, 28, and Tracy Ong, 26, known as Bao Bei Jie Mei (Mandarin for precious sisters), also said in earlier interviews that they would not don anything too revealing.
Short skirts were all right, said Teresa, adding they would still wear tube tops under low-cut outfits.
Mr Aaron Tan, director of Lex(s) Entertainment Productions which organised the getai show in Jurong, said it was subjective as to whether Ya Ya's acts were considered provocative.
He said: 'Ya Ya actually wore underwear beneath her bra top and hot pants in case of accidents.
'We recce the venue before the show.
'If there're many children living in the area, we tell Ya Ya to strip to only her short dress.'
That was the case on Saturday when Ya Ya also performed in Bukit Ho Swee, a HDB estate near Tiong Bahru, said Mr Tan.
Mr Peter Loh, owner of Whirltones Entertainment Enterprise and the organiser of the Jalan Leban getai, said it was inevitable for the shows to become raunchy.
He said: 'Getai has to evolve with the times, especially when people are less conservative than before.
'I don't think the striptease is inappropriate as there're hardly children around.
'Besides, for getai to survive, we must think of ways to attract younger audiences.'
