Music and politics: How Taylor Swift sparked a scandal in Southeast Asia

Singapore is attracting fans from across Southeast Asia and beyond for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, causing dissatisfaction among the city-state’s regional neighbours. The discontent is not aimed at the pop sensation herself but rather at the Singaporean government for securing an exclusive agreement with concert organizers, ensuring that the country is the sole Southeast Asian destination for her performance.

Swift’s presence has notably boosted Singapore’s economy, with fans spending on flights, accommodations, and souvenirs in the city-state. However, neighbouring countries have voiced their displeasure, with Filipinas criticizing exclusive deals as not aligning with good neighbourly conduct.

Singapore’s PM defended the deal

In response to the criticism, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong defended Singapore’s actions during a press conference in Melbourne while on a state visit to Australia. He clarified that Singapore wasn’t being unfriendly to its neighbours by entering into an agreement with the global superstar. According to Lee, negotiations were conducted with Swift’s team to have her perform exclusively in Singapore, with certain incentives provided. He deemed the arrangement a success and emphasized that it shouldn’t be viewed as unfriendly, suggesting that without such a deal, Swift might not have chosen to perform in more Southeast Asian locations.

Singaporean officials had previously acknowledged providing Taylor Swift with a grant, with Culture Minister Edward Tong downplaying the grant’s size. On Monday, Tong stated that the grant’s speculated amount was inaccurate and not as high as suggested.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had claimed at a business forum in Bangkok on February 16 that Singapore paid Taylor Swift up to $3 million per show under the condition of exclusivity for her performances in the country.

Swift’s team has not commented on the controversy. Recent international music acts, including Coldplay, have performed in both Thailand and the Philippines. The Eras Tour, spanning multiple continents, has become the highest-grossing tour of all time, bringing substantial revenue to Singapore.

Swift will perform 6 sold-out concerts in Singapore

Swift is set to perform 6 sold-out nights to a crowd of 300,000 fans in Singapore, with 70% of concertgoers flying in from overseas and estimated spending reaching up to $370 million in the city-state, according to economists. During Swift’s stay from March 1 to 9, inbound flights to Singapore increased by 186%, and accommodation bookings nearly quintupled, as reported byTrip.com.

These large-scale global music events prove advantageous for Singapore’s travel-related services, contributing significantly, potentially up to 10%, to the country’s GDP.

Tens of thousands of Asian fans are flying to Singapore

Fans from countries like the Philippines, Thailand, and China have invested heavily in concert and plane tickets to witness Taylor Swift’s performances, going the extra mile to enhance the experience with decorated dresses and themed costumes.

For Filipino fans, the journey to Singapore represents a significant financial commitment. With a GDP per capita of around $3,500 per year in the Philippines, compared to Singapore’s affluent status where the average person earns over 23 times as much, with a GDP per capita of $83,000, the economic contrast is stark. Singapore’s strong currency adds to the overall expense for travellers from emerging markets in the region.