Indonesian pop singer dies after continuing to perform despite being bitten by king cobra on stage

An Indonesian pop singer has reportedly died after she was bitten by a king cobra during a performance and refused treatment, instead continuing to sing and dance.

Irma Bule was bitten on Sunday during one of her regular snake-dancing performances, local news website Merdeka reported.

A witness told the news site that she had accidentally stepped on the snake, which had not had its poisonous fangs removed.

The snake charmer offered Ms Bule treatment, but she refused and instead continued to perform for about 45 minutes, the witness said.

Ms Bule’s condition worsened and she was rushed to hospital, but she could not be revived, Merdeka reported.

Youtube videos purportedly show the performer dancing with snakes during previous shows, with her dance moves incorporating swinging the reptiles around and dropping them from waist height and higher.

Ms Bule’s music falls within the dangdut genre, which is a cross between traditional Indonesian folk and modern pop music.

Dangdut performances are highly competitive and popular, with many performers reportedly turning to ‘gimmicks’ including featuring snakes in an attempt to make their shows unique.