Taylor Swift is regarded as one of the world's most popular singer-songwriters and has a massive fan base in India. Yet when she announced the dates for her global Eras Tour, there were 6 concerts planned in Singapore and none in India. The reason: A deal between the Singapore government and the concert promoter.
The revelation was recently made by Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin who revealed that the concert promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) told him that Taylor Swift could not perform anywhere in Southeast Asia during the tour.
According to Mr Thavisin, AEG informed him that the Singapore government had secured an exclusive deal with Taylor Swift, offering a substantial sum of $2 million to $3 million per show in exchange for the sole right to host the tour in Southeast Asia.
Swift's Eras Tour, currently her most expansive yet, boasts 151 shows across five continents, making it the highest-grossing tour of all time, surpassing an impressive $1 billion in revenue. With six sold-out shows scheduled at Singapore's National Stadium in March, it seems the island state has strategically positioned itself as the sole Southeast Asian stop for the global pop sensation.
Prime Minister Thavisin expressed disappointment on behalf of Thai fans, highlighting that hosting the concert in Thailand would have been more cost-effective and could have attracted additional sponsors and tourists to the country.
"The Singapore government is astute," Prime Minister Thavisin remarked, acknowledging the strategic move made by Singapore to secure the high-profile tour. He mentioned that AEG helped him understand why Taylor Swift had not previously performed in Thailand, stating that if he had known earlier, efforts would have been made to bring the Eras Tour to the country.
Indian fans will have to wait a while longer to witness the global pop sensation in action and are currently left with no option but to consider making the journey to Singapore to witness Taylor Swift's iconic performances.
