Singapore is defending a deal that ensured Taylor Swift would not perform in neighboring countries.
Ashok Kumar/tas24 | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
- Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday that a contract in place for Taylor Swift's performance in the city-state ensured that she would not perform in other Southeast Asian countries during her Eras tour.
- The statement is the city-state's first confirmation that the agreement for Swift's performances in Singapore included exclusivity terms that prevented her from performing in other countries.
- “It was certainly a bold, smart strategic move for Singapore,” said Selena Oh, a Singapore-based communications director.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Tuesday that a contract in place for Taylor Swift's performance in the city-state ensured that she would not perform in other Southeast Asian countries during her Eras tour.
“(Our) agencies have negotiated an agreement with her to come and perform in Singapore and make Singapore their only stop in Southeast Asia,” he said at a news conference at a regional summit in Melbourne, according to Portal.
The statement is the city-state's first confirmation that the agreement for Swift's performances in Singapore included exclusivity terms that prevented her from performing in other countries.
On Monday, Edwin Tong, Singapore's Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, twice refused to answer the question during a parliamentary session.
He also did not disclose the size of the grant to Swift, but explained that the amount was “nowhere near as large as speculated.”
“For commercial confidentiality reasons, we cannot disclose the specific amount of the grant or the terms of the grant,” he said.
According to The Bangkok Post, the issue gained greater attention on February 16 when Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin alleged that Singapore gave Swift's team between $2 million and $3 million per show in exchange for them not performing in other regional cities .
Paying a subsidy to Swift promoters has become a diplomatic thorn in Singapore's side and is sparking criticism from neighboring countries for negotiating a deal that excludes them from the highest-grossing tour of all time.
Joey Salceda, a member of the Philippine House of Representatives, said this was “not what good neighbors do,” adding that such agreements were contrary to ASEAN principles, according to local media.
Lee on Tuesday disputed that characterization, saying: “It turned out to be a very successful agreement. I don’t think that’s unkind.”
Taylor Swift performs at the National Stadium in Singapore on March 2, 2024. Singapore and Tokyo are the only stops Swift is making in Asia during her global Eras tour.
Ashok Kumar/tas24 | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
Swift's six concerts in Singapore are expected to pump between $260 million and $372 million into the island's economy, assuming 70% of concertgoers come from overseas.
At her first three concerts in Singapore, Swift invited applause from her audience – first the locals, then those who had traveled from overseas to come to the show. In any case, the applause from the travelers was much louder.
Average daily rates at hotels in Singapore rose from $256 to $400 this week, with bookings from travelers from Malaysia up 92%, Thailand up 111% and Indonesia up 189%, according to travel software company RateGain.
Swift's pre-Eras tour, her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018, only included one stop in Asia – Tokyo.
But her previous tours – Speak Now, Red and 1989 Tours – included stops in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.
Singapore's deal has sparked a debate about whether it was just smart business or greed.
“It was certainly a bold, smart strategic move for Singapore,” said Selena Oh, a Singapore-based communications director.
But others say an all-win mentality is hurting the regional tourism industry, which is still recovering from the pandemic, as well as fans who can't afford the high travel prices to see Swift in person.
“A bit selfish if you ONLY have Singapore in mind and not the wider region. Clearly.” [Singapore authorities] don't particularly care about others [than] ” said Christian de Boer, a Cambodia-based hotel executive.
You need to do your calculations and figure out what is in the best interest of Singapore and Singaporeans.
Edwin Tong
Singapore's Minister for Culture, Community and Youth
Some liken the deal to cities vying to host major sporting events like the Olympics, the Super Bowl and the World Cup.
“Did anyone protest when Formula 1 decided to come to Singapore? “Is anyone saying there were no financial or other material considerations?” said Irene Hoe, a Singapore-based editorial consultant.
Concerts, where artists travel from city to city to reach their fans, have not always been so competitive.
But that could be changing as experiential tourism turns concerts into profitable giants and fans are willing to travel across continents to see their favorite artists.
During Monday's parliamentary session, Singaporean politician Gerald Giam Tong asked whether the Singapore government had negotiated to make the island Taylor Swift's only “blank spot” in Southeast Asia, referring to her hit song of the same name.
“And was he aware that this might be perceived as mean by some of our neighbors?” he asked.
Tong replied: “You need to do your calculations and find out what's in Singapore and Singaporeans.”' best interest.”