Is Govt spending on exclusive Swift concerts a pre-election boost?

In a Parliament session on Monday (4 Mar), Edwin Tong, the Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth, addressed the swirling rumours about the cost of securing Taylor Swift’s exclusive concerts for Southeast Asia in Singapore.

The controversy was ignited by Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, as reported by the Bangkok Post, who claimed that Singapore had secured exclusive rights for Taylor Swift to perform at the National Stadium, effectively sidelining other Southeast Asian countries from hosting the global pop star.

According to Srettha, the global event organizer Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) revealed that the Singapore government had pledged US$2 million to US$3 million per show for Swift’s exclusive performances in Singapore, amounting to a hefty US$12 to US$18 million in total.

Acknowledging the exclusive deal, Tong reassured that the speculated figures were exaggerated and not as steep as rumoured.

However, Tong maintained secrecy over the exact financial details, citing business confidentiality. He refuted the speculated grant size, emphasizing that the economic benefits for Singapore would far outweigh the investment, barring any POFMA correction direction issued to the alleged perpetrators of falsehoods.

“I can assure members of the house that the economic benefits to Singapore are significant and outweigh the size of the grant,” Tong confidently stated.

Tong shared in Parliament that he and his team visited the US in February 2023 to explore the sports and entertainment industry. This visit paved the way for discussions about hosting a Taylor Swift concert in Singapore, which eventually led to an agreement making Singapore one of the stops on Taylor Swift’s tour.

It is unknown when exactly the deal was signed, but the Singapore dates were announced in June 2023.

Had it not been for Srettha’s exposé, voters in Singapore would be no wiser regarding the government’s expenditure on Swift’s exclusivity.

Despite parliamentary pressure, Tong remained tight-lipped about the expenditure, only noting that the government was evaluating the contract’s terms and would take “appropriate measures under advisement.”

Following the revelation, Singapore’s mainstream media rallied to highlight the potential economic windfall from hosting the concert, despite the UK media, BBC, noting the unclear net gain and how the tourism board refused to release foreign visitor estimates or other projections.

This unfolding saga also casts a spotlight on the political undercurrents, especially given the highly anticipated general election is expected to be held this year — particularly in light of the “generous” Forward Singapore Budget. Elections in Singapore are held at the discretion of the Prime Minister.

Without the revelation by the Thai Prime Minister about the government’s significant investment to secure Taylor Swift’s exclusive performances in Singapore, it’s plausible to imagine politicians from the People’s Action Party (PAP) attending the concert in a bid to gain visibility and connect with younger voters, even amidst the backdrop of the Iswaran corruption scandal involving free tickets.

This plausible strategy, aiming to showcase the ruling party’s alignment with popular culture and youth interests, might have unfolded quietly if not for the unexpected disclosure. Nevertheless, PAP politicians are showcasing their talents outside of the stadium, playing songs or doing stuff connecting to the pop diva.

But with many Singaporeans in support of the exclusive deal with Taylor Swift, asking its neighbours not to be sour over it, and disregarding the feelings of disappointed Swifties from neighbouring countries who couldn’t afford to travel to Singapore, the ruling party might have played their cards well.

Nevertheless, if the general election is indeed held this year, we must ponder what else the ruling party has been spending on to increase its chances at the polls without our knowledge.