Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour generated US$1.04 billion in ticket and merch sales. Photo: TNS
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Arguably the biggest pop act of this generation, Taylor Swift’s music has been the soundtrack to many heartbroken teens – and probably a good number of adults – throughout the past decade.
Going from country princess to pop queen, Swift has proven time and again with her record sales and chart-topping songs that she’s here to stay.
The Eras Tour, which kicked off across the United States and around the world last year, could generate more revenue than the GDP of 50 countries, according to a report by global investment company Abrdn. She made US$1.04 billion from ticket and merchandise sales last year alone, AP reported last December.
Her impact on the economy is so significant that, when it was revealed the Singaporean government signed an exclusive deal with the singer to make the country her only stop in Southeast Asia, neighbouring nations expressed contempt towards the city state for how it stomped out competition and monopolised the pop star’s fame.
Swift’s six sold-out concerts at Singapore’s National Stadium attracted fans from around the region, leading to a spike in demand for the city’s hotels, restaurants and attractions, per Channel News Asia. It seems anywhere the singer goes, legions of fans follow.
Before heading to Singapore, the star performed in front of sold-out crowds in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.
The restaurants and attractions she visited around town instantly landed on Swiftes’ radars. Here, we look at the places she has been spotted at over the last few weeks.
Australia
Swift was in Australia in late February, where she stayed at the Crown Towers Sydney, as Crown Hotels is an official partner of the singer. According to Time Out Sydney, in the AU$38,000-a-night (around US$25,000) presidential villa. Located in Barangaroo, the villa spans two floors, offering unobstructed city centre views.
Swift and her group, of course, also managed to get a table at the cosy trattoria Pellegrino 2000. The Guardian spoke to a diner who was celebrating his birthday there one evening – when he noticed Swifties gathering outside. “We were about to leave, then the staff asked if we could wait a moment,” he told the publication. “Then we saw her bodyguards and then she [Swift] appeared.”
The restaurant, which serves homey, no-fuss Italian classics like arancini and prawn ravioli, has since landed on the radars of foodies and fans alike.
Taking a much-deserved break between her performances in Melbourne and Sydney, Swift visited the Sydney Zoo.
Singapore
Swift stays at the most luxurious addresses wherever she goes, and that goes for her time in Singapore as well. One of the most storied hotels in the country, Capella Hotel was Swift’s choice of home away from home. Singapore newspaper the Straits Times reported her team’s arrival at the resort, and other international media outlets appear to have swiftly picked up the story.
Located on Sentosa Island, the hotel’s most luxurious option, the Colonial Manor, has a private pool and can house six guests. Detached from the rest of the hotel, the Colonial Manor offers plenty of privacy at the price of SG$19,000 (around US$14,000) a night, per US media. No wonder there’s speculation the villa would be Swift’s base of choice.
Swift is constantly on the road, and it’s no surprise she might crave a bit of routine and structure whenever possible. Like the Sydney Zoo, she was spotted dining at Koma in Marina Bay Sands multiple times. She first visited the Japanese restaurant and sushi bar with her crew, with the Straits Times reporting on another diner’s video footage of her that went viral on TikTok.
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