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© 2024 AFPSingapore PM defends exclusive deal to lure Taylor Swift
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© 2024 AFP
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funkseoul
Coldplay actually came and played in a few countries (covered the usual major ones) in Southeast Asia for their 2023 tour. Which was very fair & pretty much standard for other artist or big names.
So what happened with Taylor Swift's concert in Singapore is unfair to her fans from other countries.
opheliajadefeldt
I do not really understand why she and her team made this decision, it appears extremely selfish and will probably lose her many fans in the countries she boycotted.
USNinJapan2
theFu
You went to Singapore for English? As in their English language? Now that's funny.
theFu
If he didn't do anything illegal, fine. Whether it is illegal would completely depend on Singapore law.
I would be asking how many "free tickets" were provided to the SG govt to give to their families. That's why this happened. On the surface, they claimed it was for encouraging visitors and a bump in the economy, but 1 act isn't likely to do that.
Using taxpayer money to bring entertainment acts to a location seems a little slimy, but it has been happening for decades. Now that this is out, it will happen more often.
We visited Singapore for 3 reasons. Shopping, English, and because we'd never been before. The shopping only makes sense if you don't have the high-end stores found elsewhere like Paris, NY, London and Tokyo, but want to blow some money there. We shopped in at least 5 different "malls", visited a resort island, ate some great food, looked at the skyline, went up in both their Ferris Wheel and the ship at the top of the hotel/casino.
For us, it was expensive. Everything costs more than was comfortable, so we didn't stay too long before continuing out trip. The flight out of Singapore was cheap! It was so cheap, we flew business class.
We wouldn't visit again unless work was paying.
Singapore is hot and muggy, it is just 3° north of the equator. The people were nice for the most part. I was always sweating - worse than South Houston on the bay. Don't remember any troubles or worries, beyond how expensive everything seemed and that my feet were always wet. Certain climates aren't for everyone. I wouldn't want to live there due to govt spying, cost of living and the climate.
Singapore likes to be exclusive. This was just 1 more way.
USNinJapan2
リッチ
Couldn't agree more. Singapore is soulless and its allure is skin deep, like Dubai. Not surprised to hear that Singapore prevented people in its neighboring countries from enjoying the biggest entertainment event in recent years and a bit disappointed that Swift was complicit.
リッチ
Back room meetings and deals are the staple of singapore business. Nothing changes. It’s just a country seeking money without actually investing in culture. Lived there 5 years and just worked and home. Good place to visit for like a week max but it’s a sterile fake wrath accumulating country vested in over priced real estate artificially enhanced by the government to line their own pockets. Very little freedom of speech and those who speak out are bankrupted with lawsuits and confiscations.
HopeSpringsEternal
Simply being great fiduciary, economics and happiness of Singapore. Nice if more politicians were so logical and competitive to help their societies, rather than corrupt behavior that helps only their special interest donors.
Wesley
There's a difference between paying someone to play in your country and paying someone to NOT play in other countries.
That's like I pay your boss to hire only me and not hire you or anyone else. And I use MILLIONS of taxpayer money to pay him.
ClippetyClop
Like @Tei said, it's a bit more than just singing.
It is however illegal to spit, feed pigeons, not flush the loo or fly a kite.
I spent some months in Singapore and I hated it. It's like a giant hospital with extra tedium.
Swift should have gone to Hanoi, far more fun.
John-San
She got paid for NOT preforming anywhere else in South East Asia. Not for her performance in Singapore alone. She got paid heaps and that the reason the Singapore performance had such a high price tag.
Fighto!
Nations and cities compete fiercely for these events - they mean huge $$$ in tourism revenue. Singapore outbid the rest. Nothing to apologize for here.
Tei Uka
That is a common myth but in this generality incorrect. It is only illegal if it involves "obscene words" to the "annoyance of others" and is part of the "Obscene Acts" law (Penal Code Chapter 14, 294):
mrtinjp
That Singapore is run like a business conglomerate, no surprises here.
Jay
Not surprising in a country where it's whatever the opposite of freedom is that reigns supreme, according to Singapore Statutes Online, singing, reciting or uttering any ballad or song in public is illegal.
Question is, how will Taylor avoid being caught breaking this Singapore law, and not land a 3 months’ prison sentence, a fine, or both?
Redtail Swift
Singapore's PM is correct. Quite often people get upset at others who come up with ideas that they, themselves, never considered.
If you can't come up with an idea, it's because it was not of any interest to you to begin with. You never would have imagined hosting a superstar like Taylor Swift because A: You are just not into T. Swift, B: You don't want your people to have such experiences.
It doesn't have to be Taylor Swift. It can be anything in life. If you don't have Pablo Picasso or Cezanne at your museums, it's probably because your government doesn't care about Art.
You can't get mad at your neighbors for planning a BBQ on a beautiful day while you didn't think of anything to do with your family.
Yubaru
Well I will bet her "billionaire" tour has probably surpassed the "multi-billionaire" level after this.
She really is a "Legend"
Ricky Kaminski13
Click bait article. There was plenty newsworthy being said by the Singaporean PM Lee this morning in a joint news conference with the Aussie PM and Tailor Swift wasn’t one of them! Standards be slipping JT!