TikTok Busker Goes Viral After Shutting Down Man Accusing Her of Lip-Syncing

A street performer gained widespread attention on TikTok after confronting a man who was harassing her and falsely accusing her of lip-syncing.

Taylor Iman, a content creator and busker known as misstayloriman, used TikTok to document a disturbing encounter with a stranger who harassed her on the street, doubting her ability to sing.

In the video, Taylor can be seen singing Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ on a street in New York City. She had set up a speaker and microphone and was approached by someone in an oversized brown coat while belting out the hook.

Despite his unimpressed expression, he began accusing her of lip-syncing. In response, Taylor silenced the music and delivered an a cappella performance to demonstrate that she was indeed singing live.

The man instructed her to do it a cappella, and she complied by singing into the microphone while he spoke into it. However, he still remained skeptical, causing the exasperated street performer to demand that he leave her alone.

@misstayloriman
How would you have handled this situation?? #busking #buskinglife #streetperformer #streeperformance #streetsinging #NYC #whitneyhouston #manhattan #newyork #newyorkcity

♬ original sound – Taylor Iman

Despite the random man’s continued interruptions, she resumed singing into the microphone. The TikToker ultimately chose to completely ignore him, causing him to eventually stomp off.

In the caption of her viral video, Taylor asked, “How would you have handled this situation?”The video has received over 295,000 views.

Despite some negativity, the busker received a lot of praise from TikTok users in the comments for her conduct. One person wrote, “It’s sad that people want to bring others down, but you handled it with grace. Your talent and professionalism are truly amazing.”

One person complimented, “You handled it well when he pointed his finger in your face and touched the mic- not cool. You are a beautiful singer!”Another individual added, “Great job on both the singing and the social interaction.”

This is not the initial instance in which a TikTok street performer has faced harassment. In a previous incident in 2024, a harpist gained attention for her composed response to a bystander who threatened to report her.