Singapore Defends Taylor Swift Concert Deal, Says Its Economic Gains Outweigh Speculated $3M Incentive

The Singaporean government informed that the economic benefits of hosting Taylor Swift‘s concert outweigh the incentives provided to the singer. This statement comes in response to the widespread speculation about the amount Singapore paid Swift for the Southeast Asia-exclusive performance.

What Happened: The Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Edwin Tong, addressed the parliament on Monday, dismissing the online rumors about the grant’s size. He stated that the grant was not as substantial as speculated but refrained from disclosing the exact amount due to business confidentiality, reported Bloomberg on Monday.

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Online speculation about the grant’s size gained traction after Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin claimed that Singapore offered up to $3 million in subsidies for each concert. This was in exchange for Swift’s agreement not to perform elsewhere in the region during her Eras tour.

Bilahari Kausikan, Singapore's former permanent secretary for foreign affairs, called Thailand’s comments “Sour grapes.”

“Whenever I hear calls for Singapore to be more ‘sensitive' to others in Southeast Asia, it really means be as inefficient as they are,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Why It Matters: The controversy around the grant and the economic benefits of the concert has drawn attention to the broader impact of celebrity performances on Southeast Asian economies. This issue is particularly relevant in light of Indonesia’s consideration of adopting a ‘Swiftonomics’ strategy to boost its tourism sector. The Indonesian government is pondering offering more incentives for hosting music, sports, and cultural events, taking the example of Singapore’s Taylor Swift concert as a model to emulate.

Furthermore, the controversy is also linked to Thailand’s interest in attracting high-profile artists. This was evident when the leader of Thailand’s Move Forward Party, Pita Limjaroenrat, invited Swift to perform in Bangkok, reportedly to compensate for her 2014 concert cancellation due to a military coup.

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