Will the real Uncle Raymond please stand up? Viral audio track has Singaporeans 'seeing' TikTok star everywhere

After going viral for dancing at various MRT stations and bus stations in Singapore, it seems that Uncle Raymond is experiencing another surge in popularity — all thanks to another TikTok user. 

It all started when a user who goes by the name Muhamad Shaqil uploaded a video of viral sensation Uncle Raymond, as many of his fans call him, speaking to some SMRT staff on July 1. 

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@muhamadshaqil/video/7115265561969446145?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7115265561969446145[/embed]

"Musibot, Uncle Raymond siol," the user remarked, as he tried to sing the Chinese song that Uncle Raymond is known to dance to, with made-up lyrics. 

Shaqil added in a comment that the SMRT staff were inviting Uncle Raymond to dance at the opening of the Thomson-East Coast Line at Woodlands Station. 

However, it wasn't long before other TikTok users caught on and began using Shaqil's audio whenever they think they'd spotted Uncle Raymond — in all shapes, sizes and forms. 

These 'Uncle Raymond' sightings ranged from bald middle-aged men in polo T-shirts going about their day, bald babies, and even a poor pigeon with a bald spot. 

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@xavchew/video/7127168000179981569?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1[/embed]

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@sucrose.ml/video/7131379431611845889?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1[/embed]

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@iggynatiuss/video/7130954408078183681?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1[/embed]

And as if that wasn't enough, one TikTok user Hidayat Shariff even found a shop in Toa Payoh selling a similar red polo tee that Uncle Raymond is often seen in.  

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@he_diet/video/7131713986743012609?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1[/embed] 

Of course, shortly after Hidayat's video was posted, another user Lil Syahrul apparently visited the shop to purchase the polo tee which had a $50.90 price tag on it. 

Donning the polo tee, Lil Syahrul posted a video of himself cosplaying Uncle Raymond on Tuesday (Aug 16). 

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@lilsyahrul/video/7132420244563397890?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1[/embed]

Uncle Raymond, or Raymond Lim, had previously shared that he started his dance trend earlier this year "out of boredom" where he can be seen dancing with fans ranging from giggly primary school kids to popular social media influencers who actively seek him out to dance with him. 

He became so popular that he was even invited to be a special guest in Health Minister Ong Ye Kung's TikTok video in June.

More recently, Uncle Raymond also led a dance at the National Stadium for national sport volunteerism movement Team Nila's National Day celebration. 

Last November, a soundbite from local English docudrama series Crimewatch — the woman was too stunned to speak — also exploded in popularity. 

The clip even caught on with TikTok users overseas, who created a variety of scenarios where the phrase could be applied. 

ALSO READ: Not everybody loves Raymond: Security halts TikTok star's performance at ITE

claudiatan@asiaone.com