A Swiftie from Thailand we spoke to said she has spent around 50,000 baht (S$1,868) to watch Taylor Swift here.
That is a lot of money. So why do it? CNA Lifestyle reached out to a few fans from neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines to see why they’re willing to spend that much money to see Taylor Swift here.
For 20-year-old Filipino undergraduate Clarisse Rivera, learning that Singapore was the sole Southeast Asian stop for the Eras Tour “was a real gut punch”.
“Man, it was like someone broke the news with a sledgehammer… Filipinos are huge Swifties, so it hit us hard,” she shared.
Nevertheless, Rivera appears to have taken the news in stride. She and her friend have since secured VIP tickets and plan to “live it up in Singapore”.
She elaborated: “I might have gone a tad overboard, probably dropped around 80,000 pesos (S$1,914) for the whole trip: Flights, concert gear, hotel stay, the works.”
Rivera admitted that it was her first time going overseas for a concert as most of her favourite artistes “usually swing by the Philippines”.
“(Taylor Swift) has been the soundtrack of my life. Her music’s been there through thick and thin, inspiring me and countless others. Plus, she’s a powerhouse: A lyricist, songwriter and vocalist all in one. Flying out to see her live? Worth every mile.”