Lady Gaga's gloomy concert in Singapore: Is the time of ticket fever like Taylor Swift over?

Lady Gaga's concert in Singapore was sluggish, not achieving the same explosion as Taylor Swift and Coldplay - Photo: AFP

The concert boom in Singapore appears to be cooling down, as resale ticket prices for Lady Gaga's shows have fallen short of expectations, according to the South China Morning Post .

While Taylor Swift and Coldplay once sent millions of fans rushing to get tickets, Lady Gaga's exclusive Mayhem shows in Asia saw cheap resale tickets and empty seats at the National Stadium.

Tourism experts say political instability and falling demand are causing Singapore to lose its status as an entertainment hub after welcoming big stars such as Taylor Swift and Coldplay last year.

Lady Gaga cannot create a "fever" like Taylor Swift, Coldplay

In March 2024, Taylor Swift's exclusive concerts in Singapore as part of The Eras Tour attracted millions of people "hunting tickets" to meet the singer. In just 8 hours of going on sale, 300,000 tickets for 6 shows were sold out.

Coldplay previously broke the record for tickets sold in a single day in Singapore, with more than 200,000 tickets sold for just four shows in January 2024. With huge demand from fans, the British rock band added two more shows, selling an additional 100,000 tickets.

Coldplay had to add 2 more concerts due to high demand for tickets - Photo: AFP

Unlike Taylor Swift and Coldplay, Lady Gaga's Asia-exclusive Mayhem concert in Singapore has been a slow seller, with some people selling tickets at or below their original price.

Initially, the news of Lady Gaga's return to Singapore after more than a decade created a strong fever, with 2 million people "lining up" online to buy tickets to meet their idol.

The concert was originally scheduled to take place on a single night on May 18 at the 55,000-capacity National Stadium. However, impressive sales prompted the organizers to add three more shows on May 19, 21, and 24.

Lady Gaga's concert initially caused a stir, but when three more shows were added, the audience ignored it - Photo: AFP

However, the reality was not as expected. On May 22, class 12 and 13 tickets were still available for sale at SGD 268 and SGD 218 respectively. Meanwhile, the price of "hand-me-down" tickets on the market was even lower than this figure - a sign of lack of demand.

Compared to the "crazy" moment before Taylor Swift's concert, the atmosphere this time was clearly more subdued.

Sharing with the South China Morning Post , some viewers said they were unable to buy tickets to see Taylor Swift, but it was quite easy for Lady Gaga, even though the system initially announced that there were hundreds of thousands of people in line ahead.

Singapore no longer monopolizes the regional music scene

Tourism analysts say the decline reflects changing consumer trends. “Most concert crazes tend to fade over time,” said Kevin Cheong, a lecturer at Singapore Management University.

Factors such as artist popularity, newness of songs, and fandom appeal all influence demand. In the current economic climate, many people are reconsidering spending on luxury activities such as concerts."

According to experts, the reason why Lady Gaga's concert was so disappointing was due to economic and geopolitical instability - Photo: AFP

Similarly, Benjamin Cassim - a lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic - emphasized that President Donald Trump's new tariff policies also worsened global economic sentiment, making consumers more cautious about spending on entertainment and travel.

Timing is also key. 2024 is considered a golden period for leisure tourism. This is the time when the world is recovering from the pandemic, creating an explosive consumer demand. Concerts by Taylor Swift and Coldplay make great use of this period.

But by 2025, when inflation and political instability continue to occur, cautious sentiment returns, and spending money on concert tickets, which is a high-end form of entertainment, is no longer the top choice for many people.

Taylor Swift's Singapore concert takes advantage of the post-pandemic moment and the heat of previous stages - Photo: AFP

Mr Joshua Loh, head of tourism and resort management at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, said the "momentum building" for Lady Gaga's show in the region was not as strong as The Eras Tour .

Even hotel room rates around Lady Gaga’s concerts are not as high as when Taylor Swift holds a show. Although ticket prices for the three major artists are quite similar, the tourist appeal that Lady Gaga brings is clearly incomparable.

Regional competition is also growing. Following Singapore’s huge success with Taylor Swift’s concert, countries like Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia have been actively calling for policies to attract international artists.

Regional consumers now have more choices and are gradually returning to domestic destinations such as Bali and Phuket - places that are lower cost but still offer equally attractive entertainment experiences.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/concert-lady-gaga-am-dam-o-singapore-da-het-thoi-sot-ve-nhu-taylor-swift-20250522210857698.htm