Country Profile: Singapore

As a major centre of commerce for Asia across multiple industries, it’s no surprise that Singapore continues to maintain its standing as a central player in the
continent’s live entertainment sector.

“Whether it’s Taylor Swift performing an unprecedented six National Stadium shows, Jacky Cheung doing 11 nights at the same venue, or Formula One doing their annual race, there is a strong demand for entertainment across all sectors in Singapore,” says AEG Asia’s Bryan Mosko, whose firm has overseen successful 2023 tour legs by Jackson Wang, Phoebe Bridgers, Honne, and Fujii Kaze, with Sam Smith, Rex Orange County, and annual festivals such as the K-pop showcase HallyuPopFest, and EDM spectacle ZoukOut to round off the rest of the year.

Furthermore, the aforementioned Taylor Swift Eras Tour — also promoted by AEG Asia and the first of its kind set to gross more than $1bn — will have its only Southeast Asian stop in Singapore next March. “Over the next two to three years, we see a huge opportunity to expand the country’s entertainment offerings. It’s been a great year coming out of Covid, and we’re excited to keep this run going,” says Mosko.

“Over the next two to three years, we see a huge opportunity to expand the country’s entertainment offerings. It’s been a great year coming out of Covid, and we’re excited to keep this run going.”

After bringing over Harry Styles, The 1975, Blackpink, and The Strokes, Live Nation will have a mammoth six dates of Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres Tour at the National Stadium to look forward to next January. With over 200,000 tickets sold, the group also broke Singapore’s record for the most tickets sold by an artist in a single day. Alongside Swift’s Eras Tour, the sold-out Coldplay shows have added credence to the argument that live music heavily contributed towards the revival of the country’s tourism industry (6.3m international visitors recorded since borders were reopened in February).

While the Singaporean market looks increasingly healthier in the post-pandemic climate, some concerns remain. “A common challenge for promoters across most of Asia is the limited venue selection between the 1,000-to-5,000 capacity range,” says Mosko. “If there were more plug-and-play-style venues of that ilk, you would see more artists in the sub-arena- level touring here.”

“Up until five years ago, you were fairly confident that you’d find one or two days available in any given month, but that’s all gone now. Venues are booked solid through 2024.”

“There’s a dearth of suitable venues in Singapore at the moment,” says Michael Hosking of Midas Promotions – which booked Michael Learns to Rock, Simple Plan, and A1 for this year’s calendar. “Up until five years ago, you were fairly confident that you’d find one or two days available in any given month, but that’s all gone now. Venues are booked solid through 2024.”

Other promoters to highlight in 2023 include the recently launched Eventim Live Asia (whose headquarters are based in Singapore), which promoted shows by Yungblud, Bebe Rexha, and Yuna; UnUsUaL Entertainment, which booked Westlife, Air Supply, and Jacky Cheung; and Lushington Entertainments, which brought in Arctic Monkeys and Damien Rice earlier this year. Additionally, several national promoters to note are IMC, Symmetry Entertainment, Now/Live, Base, and LAMC.