--- title: Taylor Swift’s Singapore-Only Shows Have Neighboring Governments Seeing Red description: Rumors of a multimillion-dollar regional exclusivity deal between Swift’s Eras Tour promoter and Singapore have prompted anger and a reckoning across Southeast Asia. canonical: https://time.com/6836711/taylor-swift-eras-tour-exclusive-singapore-southeast-asia-governments-reactions/ author: Koh Ewe article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-03-01T03:30:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:50:32.486Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Sparks Fly in Southeast Asia Over Taylor Swift Only Performing in Singapore og:description: Rumors of a multimillion-dollar regional exclusivity deal between Swift’s Eras Tour promoter and Singapore have prompted anger and a reckoning across Southeast Asia. og:url: https://time.com/6836711/taylor-swift-eras-tour-exclusive-singapore-southeast-asia-governments-reactions/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc2ec949c9ace970b/698a490516d8847cd4c3d41a/Taylor-Swift-Singapore-Eras-Tour.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: TOPSHOT-SINGAPORE-ENTERTAINMENT-LIFESTYLE-MUSIC-SWIFT og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Sparks Fly in Southeast Asia Over Taylor Swift Only Performing in Singapore twitter:description: Rumors of a multimillion-dollar regional exclusivity deal between Swift’s Eras Tour promoter and Singapore have prompted anger and a reckoning across Southeast Asia. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc2ec949c9ace970b/698a490516d8847cd4c3d41a/Taylor-Swift-Singapore-Eras-Tour.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Look What Taylor Swift’s Exclusive Singapore Shows Made Its Southeast Asian Neighbors Do > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with Ally. Ally is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: July 2026. ## Ally: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Ally is a digital financial services company offering online-only banking, including checking and savings accounts, through Ally.com and its mobile apps. Launched in 2009 as an original disruptor in financial services, Ally was built to challenge outdated banking norms with a simpler, more convenient way to bank. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: TIME Person of the Year 2023 | Taylor Swift [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Person of the Year 2023 | Taylor Swift](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ZNHPu9Wg.m3u8) (7:27)  _Published 2023-12-06. Since 1927, TIME has chosen a Person of the Year, the editors’ assessment of the individual who most shaped the headlines over the previous 12 months, for better or for worse._ by [Koh Ewe](https://time.com/author/koh-ewe/) ## Koh Ewe Koh Ewe (Koyu) was a reporter for TIME based in Singapore. Mar 1, 2024 3:30 AM UTC  A Taylor Swift-themed installation at the Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore on Feb. 28, 2024. A Taylor Swift-themed installation at the Marina Bay Sands complex in Singapore on Feb. 28, 2024. Roslan Rahman—AFP/Getty Images by [Koh Ewe](https://time.com/author/koh-ewe/) ## Koh Ewe Koh Ewe (Koyu) was a reporter for TIME based in Singapore. Mar 1, 2024 3:30 AM UTC Fans across Southeast Asia were [seeing Red](https://time.com/6289198/taylor-swift-coldplay-singapore-concerts-southeast-asia-fans/) when news broke last year that Singapore would be the only regional stop for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. But as concertgoers swarm to Singapore for the pop star’s six sold-out shows starting this weekend, it seems like Bad Blood is also brewing among neighboring government officials, amid allegations that Singaporean authorities specifically brokered a deal for [TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year](https://time.com/6342806/person-of-the-year-2023-taylor-swift/) to Stay Stay Stay in the city-state. On Wednesday, Philippine lawmaker Joey Salceda [called](https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/898944/salceda-wants-explanation-for-singapore-s-alleged-deal-with-taylor-swift/story/) on the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs to pressure its Singaporean counterpart agency for an explanation on the Delicate situation, local media reported. “If true, \[this\] isn’t what good neighbors do,” said Salceda, adding that while the grant gave a significant boost to Singapore’s economy, “it was at the expense of neighboring countries, which could not attract their own foreign concert goers, and whose fans had to go to Singapore.” “It also runs contrary to the principle of consensus-based relations and solidarity on which the ASEAN was founded,” he said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a body that helps to coordinate cooperation in the region. ## How You Get the Girl Speculations of an exclusivity deal between Singapore and Taylor Swift’s were first brought up by Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who told a Bangkok business forum on Feb. 16 that he had heard from Swift’s concert promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) that the Singapore government had offered up to $3 million to Swift’s team for each of the shows she would put on in Singapore, in exchange for a promise not to perform anywhere else in Southeast Asia during her Eras Tour. AEG did not immediately respond to TIME’s request for comment, while Singapore’s tourism and youth authorities confirmed to TIME in a joint statement that the tourism board had “supported the event through a grant” without specifying the sum or details of any restrictive clause. “If I had known this, I would have brought the shows to Thailand,” Srettha [said](https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/2743369) at the forum, describing the Singapore government as “clever” for allegedly brokering an exclusive deal with the organizers. There’s little wonder why governments are desperate to have Swift grace their stadiums. The [Grammy-winning](https://time.com/6661792/grammys-taylor-swift-celine-dion-award-disrespect/) singer is known to [revitalize local economies wherever she goes](https://time.com/6307420/taylor-swift-eras-tour-money-economy/). More than 300,000 tickets have been sold for Swift’s Singapore shows, and buzz surrounding the concert is giving the city-state a phenomenal economic boost. Tourists traveling in to catch Swift’s performance have [driven up local hotel and flight prices by up to 30%](https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/taylor-swift-singapore-concerts-stb-grant-economic-benefits-4141056), and experts [estimate](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/beyond-a-swift-lift-to-singapore-s-q1-economy-taylor-s-concerts-can-deliver-long-term-dividends) that Swift’s concerts could generate up to $500 million in tourism revenue—along with the cascading economic impact of the city solidifying its reputation as a massive events hub. The youth ministry, its statement to TIME said, “recognized that there will be significant demand from Singaporeans as well as fans across the region for her to perform in Singapore, and worked directly with AEG Presents for Taylor Swift to perform in Singapore.” ## You Belong With Me While some are decrying Singapore’s maneuver, others see opportunity in trying to replicate its success. Indonesia’s tourism minister [told Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-19/indonesia-will-turn-to-swiftonomics-to-boost-tourism-spending) earlier this month that they “need ‘Swiftonomics’ for Indonesian tourism” and were introducing policies to entice more tourists to visit the country, including a [seed fund](https://en.antaranews.com/news/305361/ministry-expects-issuance-of-tourism-fund-regulation-in-march-2024) of up to 2 trillion rupiah (about $127 million) per year to support music, sports, and cultural events. And last week, when asked if Hong Kong would consider “similar arrangements” when trying to attract pop concerts to revive the city’s post-pandemic economy—in reference to Swift’s alleged deal in Singapore—the Chinese enclave’s leader John Lee [said](https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3252530/exclusive-taylor-swift-deal-hong-kong-must-be-relentless-luring-music-stars-john-lee-says-amid): “Amid Hong Kong’s fierce competition with other cities that have been striving to improve themselves, we have to be relentless in our efforts to lure mega events including matches, sports events and cultural events.” Hong Kong authorities recently dedicated nearly $2 million in grants to welcome [TIME’s 2023 Athlete of the Year](https://time.com/6342417/athlete-of-the-year-2023-lionel-messi/) Lionel Messi and his team Inter Miami to the city for a friendly match—though that [ended in a PR disaster](https://time.com/6693153/messi-hong-kong-reactions-backlash-international-appeal/). ## Transcript She's been this for the light in the world this year. She brought to so many people together like a community to it's not even just hurt. It just made me feel like I wasn't alone and I wasn't crazy for feeling the way that it was feeling we grew up together. We all went through the same things together the stadium and it feels like you're with her one-on-one. Friendship bracelets are a huge part of the areas for these bracelets are so important exchanging special handmade friendship bracelet all goes back to Taylor song. You're on your own kid. So my friends and I got tickets to the arrows toward we had about two hundred bracelets made. We just couldn't stop you really just had a good time doing it. You realize 200 very slick was way too many for us to all bring in trade can actually came up with the idea to put them on at Sea until then. I went to bed. I woke up the next morning and we had over three hundred bracelets on order. It's like five six seven. I'm going to have to make sure you got done with so many we weren't expecting to get much money a couple hundred dollars at the most this morning. I ran the numbers and we're at $19,000 in sales The Heirs to his my Roman Empire, I think about it all the time every day. I hear a song. That's a great price that song. That's a good thing to put on a bracelet this business definitely keep us in touch two of us over Massachusetts the other two live in Connecticut. Now, we have to meet up and trade bracelets drop off talking with every single day. Keep making more songs Taylors. I went to the reputation tour. I was right next to a security guard. So we struck up a conversation and he told me about the gig they have a couple years later. I found some free time. So I picked up that job ultimately to try and work the Taylor Swift concert with working on the floor kind of right along the edge of her stage after night one. I made little pieces of paper that asked the audience if they could take photos of me with Taylor Swift in the background and text it to me. When she came right behind me, there were a ton of fans and I had to look at the fans by saw all of their faces light up when she gets near them and it was just a sight even if I wasn't looking at her on that date. I think the squeal is Mom. They had me Neil up on the stage and I see Taylor Swift coming to a nice Knights worth fixing Young Band to give that hat tube during the song 22. I was already working with Taylor's water up team and they approached me to do the classical order for the video for 22. The connection could she have with her fan in the moment? You are so emotional for me to see it was so beautiful. Baylor's name power so many women with her music and to me and be part of the always. I'm trying to empower women with my Craftsman and be together is so beautiful to me. I always loved you from the moment. I want to propose I wanted to do it at Taylor Swift concert. I just never thought I would you do I water the logistics of that. How long wait at the once-in-a-lifetime set the thing I was like, okay, I've got to figure out how is it going with the ring one? I need to see where exactly in the lyrics I have to kneel down to Nelly. All I could think of is what is the line? I need to go down one. Two to three weeks before the actual date of the score. Yeah. I never told him I would play the song whenever I would go to work and whenever I would come back just to make sure it's okay. This is the part that I have to mail them. You got so many different angles of the proposal and I have some of those saved as like Swifty section 326 never seen so much brightness and glitter up around all at once, but I've never been a part of such a supportive Community like that. I just knew that when I proposed to Nick I needed a letter to be a part of it because she's been such momenta simpactful person predict his whole life and as much as I love her too, it just felt like this is something I don't want Nick to remember forever. I want everything. He loves to be a part of the experience from She's been there on the hardest days of my life and she's been there for the best day of my life. Bird be able to successfully relate to so many people in the way that she has amazing. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6836711/taylor-swift-eras-tour-exclusive-singapore-southeast-asia-governments-reactions/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6836711/taylor-swift-eras-tour-exclusive-singapore-southeast-asia-governments-reactions/"},"headline":"Look What Taylor Swift’s Exclusive Singapore Shows Made Its Southeast Asian Neighbors Do","datePublished":"2024-03-01T03:30:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:50:32.486Z","description":"Rumors of a multimillion-dollar regional exclusivity deal between Swift’s Eras Tour promoter and Singapore have prompted anger and a reckoning across Southeast Asia.","url":"https://time.com/6836711/taylor-swift-eras-tour-exclusive-singapore-southeast-asia-governments-reactions/","keywords":["Economy","overnight","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc2ec949c9ace970b/698a490516d8847cd4c3d41a/Taylor-Swift-Singapore-Eras-Tour.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Koh Ewe","jobTitle":"Koh Ewe (Koyu) was a reporter for TIME based in Singapore.","url":"https://time.com/author/koh-ewe/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc2ec949c9ace970b/698a490516d8847cd4c3d41a/Taylor-Swift-Singapore-Eras-Tour.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"TOPSHOT-SINGAPORE-ENTERTAINMENT-LIFESTYLE-MUSIC-SWIFT","caption":"TOPSHOT-SINGAPORE-ENTERTAINMENT-LIFESTYLE-MUSIC-SWIFT","creditText":"Roslan Rahman—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/economy/","name":"Economy"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6836711/taylor-swift-eras-tour-exclusive-singapore-southeast-asia-governments-reactions/","name":"Look What Taylor Swift’s Exclusive Singapore Shows Made Its Southeast Asian Neighbors Do"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"TIME Person of the Year 2023 | Taylor Swift","description":"Since 1927, TIME has chosen a Person of the Year, the editors’ assessment of the individual who most shaped the headlines over the previous 12 months, for better or for worse.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/ZNHPu9Wg/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2023-12-06T12:25:00.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ZNHPu9Wg.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/6836711/taylor-swift-eras-tour-exclusive-singapore-southeast-asia-governments-reactions/","duration":"PT7M27S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/6836711/taylor-swift-eras-tour-exclusive-singapore-southeast-asia-governments-reactions/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```