Many Southeast Asian fans said they were excited because they were about to enjoy American singer Taylor Swift performing “The Eras Tour” live.

The Eras Tour will take place from March 2 to 4 and March 7 to 9 at Singapore National Stadium, with a capacity of 55,000 seats, expected to attract more than 300,000 fans. Many international audiences flocked to Singapore – the exclusive country of The Eras Tour in Southeast Asia – to enjoy six shows.

Taylor Swift will perform 44 songs from her ten albums, and also have a performance that promises to surprise fans. The stadium opens at 4pm today to welcome fans. At 6:00 p.m., guest singer Sabrina Carpenter opens with a series of 10 songs to kick off the show before the main character – Taylor Swift – appears at 7:00 p.m., starting the music night expected to last three hours.

Many fans from countries in the region meticulously plan the stages of buying tickets and booking accommodation and transportation in advance to save money and limit overcrowding during the concert. According to Straits Times, many fans take buses, trains and spend the night in cities near Singapore such as Johor Bahru (Malaysia) or Batam (Indonesia) instead of flying directly to Singapore to optimize costs.

Interviewed with CNA on February 29, Malcolm – a 25-year-old Singaporean fan – spoke excitedly about the show, especially the information that Taylor Swift will sing some songs that are not on the list. At first, this audience had plans to fly to Australia to watch the concert but immediately changed their plans when they learned that the idol was coming to Singapore.

Spectators Malcolm (above), Rebecca (middle) and Nat Jaafar (pink shirt) at Singapore National Stadium where Taylor Swift’s “The Era Tours” is about to take place. Photo: CNA

“I’m very excited about the concert. I think this might be my only chance to see her perform live,” Awangku Hashrul, 35, a yoga studio manager in Malaysia, told Straits Times on March 1. . I definitely have to go see.”

In addition, many fans accept high costs to have the opportunity to attend one of the few major international concerts in Southeast Asia. Clarisse Rivera, 20 years old, a Philippine student told CNA, she spent 1,914 SGD (about 35 million VND) for the entire trip (not including tickets), including airfare, concert accessories, hotel, and souvenirs. “Taylor Swift and her music inspire me a lot. So I find it worth the money,” Rivera said.

CNN called the hunt for Taylor Swift tickets in Singapore a “tough battle”. The organizing committee noted that there were about one million people registered to “wait to buy tickets” before the opening date, while the tour only had 300,000 seats for six shows. Before that, many fans set up tents outside the sales place to wait for their turn to buy. The Eras Tour Singapore has nine price levels, ranging from 88 SGD (about 1.6 million VND) to 1,228 SGD (about 23 million VND). Before the night of March 2, the organizers opened another day of ticket sales.

 

Fans also pay attention to costumes and accessories to blend into the music festival atmosphere. Malcolm’s group of friends chooses to shop on Taobao, Shein and AliExpress to save money. Some fans recycle old items and design their own styles. An X account shared a funny video with a suitcase full of hoodies and T-shirts with Taylor Swift’s image on them. Several others rushed to complete hundreds of friendship bracelets in time for the show on March 2.

Before the concert, the Marina Bay Sand entertainment complex organized a Taylor Swift exhibition and light shows accompanied by the singer’s music from February 28 to March 7, attracting many fans to check-in. Changi International Airport changed the banner to welcome fans, accompanied by a travel schedule in this country.

Sound and light show under the background of the song “Shake It Off” organized by Marina Bay Sand. Video: X The Eras Tour Singapore

According to account X of The Eras Tour Singapore, before the show day, concertgoers lined up at souvenir stalls related to the show. This activity is indispensable for Swifties when watching the show, and is also an opportunity for people to buy merch (idol-related goods) directly.

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People lining up to buy souvenirs at Singapore National Stadium. Photo: X The Eras Tour Singapore

Taylor Swift, 35 years old, was once known as the “country music princess” of the American music industry. She debuted in 2006 and soon reaped many achievements, receiving 12 Grammy awards, 29 Billboard awards and success with many international tours. In December 2023, the Guinness organization recognized the artist’s Eras Tour as the highest-grossing tour of all time, reaching more than one billion USD. After Singapore, France is the next stop for the American artist.