Taylor Swift may help boost Singapore’s image as a cool place

But that’s exactly the point.

Swift’s performances have drawn thousands of people to Singapore, including fans from Southeast Asia and other regions. It’s not just the Queen of Pop. From Coldplay to Seinfeld to Ed Sheeran and even the Broadway musical Hamilton, it feels like every major artist is coming to the Lion City in the post-corona era.

Tourists flock to these events to the point where local residents, angry at missing out on tickets, have suggested that sales to the general public should be prioritized. The entertainment industry is gearing up for a bumper year. Tourist numbers have also recovered, reaching around 80% of pre-pandemic levels.

According to Singapore University of Social Sciences Associate Professor Lau Kong Cheng, the concert has reignited the reputation. “It makes us look like a modern, open-minded and vibrant place. It invites entertainment acts from around the world and creates an image that resonates with people from all walks of life.” he said to me.

This was not always the case.

In 2018, the island was named one of the world’s most uninspiring cities in the Time Out City Life Index, giving it the worst cultural rating.

Undaunted, the Singapore Tourism Board hit back with a clever and tongue-in-cheek video showcasing the island’s highlights. That reputation was dealt a further blow this month when a Malaysian actor disparaged tourists to stay no longer than a few nights there because it was “artificial” and “too boring”. This infuriated local netizens, and ultimately the perpetrator was forced to apologize.

The truth is, Singapore has always suffered from a lackluster reputation compared to its dirtier, more authentic neighbors in Southeast Asia, such as Indonesia’s Jakarta and Thailand’s Bangkok. Long hair was banned in the 1970s under a scheme called “Operation Snip Snip.” This meant bands like Led Zeppelin had to cancel gigs because they couldn’t enter Singapore without a haircut. It’s often described as safe and stable, a valuable virtue if you’re trying to attract investment flow, but less so if you want to have a little fun.

But Singapore is trying to become Asia’s capital of cool, by design, if not by organic means. The government’s “build it yourself” approach is often derided as over-produced, but for the most part it works well. This process began more than a decade before him, with the return of F1 racing and the introduction of casinos, both of which at the time significantly changed its staid image.

The gamble paid off. The casino brought in his record $649 million in revenue in the second quarter of last year, and F1 regularly attracts thousands of visitors and famous music artists each year, and that weekend in September. It has become an important event on the global entertainment calendar.

It has also entered the cinematic zeitgeist with the worldwide success of films like Crazy Rich Asians, which showcases the city-state’s most beautiful charms. Now, it’s a cooler party destination than New York, and its name has even appeared in hit series such as Succession.

So has the situation finally calmed down, as the Financial Times declared earlier this year?

Not so fast, says local producer and music artist Vijay Singh, who also goes by the name Swtlkr. “While we may have made progress in attracting more commercial artists, what is critically lacking is support for cultural development. What is happening now is not in the interest of local artists and musicians,” he said. told me.

In fact, there’s still plenty to do on your journey to cool Singapore. It has no connection to Tokyo’s cultural relevance or Seoul’s burgeoning film and music industries. Still, there’s a lot to celebrate, especially considering the options currently available. Having so many options makes the pain of not being able to get Taylor Swift tickets that much more bearable. Looks like it will be Hamilton instead. ©Bloomberg