MUSIC IN SINGAPORE: SSO, POP AND TAYLOR SWIFT

MUSIC IN SINGAPORE

Yung Raja, Singapore's best known rapper

Traditional Indian dances such as the Bharatanatyam are juxtaposed against classical music that was played and performed by courtesans in the early days. Traditional Malay folk music in Singapore is divided into five groups – Asli, Ronggeng, Zapin, Masri and Joget, all different in terms of pace and influence. For example, Ronggeng is a Javanese-influenced “mating dance”, which features a couple exchanging poetic verses as they dance to the music of a rebab or gong. Chinese folk music, on the other hand, usually depicts experiences in China, with the dancers occasionally carrying props such as authentic rice sieves or gigantic paper fans. [Source: yoursingapore.com, Singapore Tourism Board]

Malay Music: The ronggeng originated from Java, Indonesia, and is similar to Thailand’s ramwong as it speaks of love between a man and woman through the use of poems in the lyrics. Zapin is frequently used in variety shows on Malay television today as it is most festive by nature, while the joget possesses strong Portuguese influences. Traditional Malay dancers occasionally also use props such as candle dishes, rice sieves and paper umbrellas in their dance to illustrate the traditions associated with the music.

Indian Music: What sets Indian classical music apart from most other genres is its emphasis on melody and the staccato nature of its notes. Although it has been divided into Hindusthani (Northern Indian) and Carnatic (Southern Indian), the origins and fundamental concepts of both types of music remain the same. The one thing to watch out for is how these two types of classical music vary in terms of presentation and musical invocation.

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

A full-time professional orchestra with 96 members, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is well-regarded worldwide for bridging the musical traditions of Asian and Western influences. Since its inception in 1979, the SSO has produced and performed about 50 symphonic programmes a year to the tune of sell-out audiences. And with such an awe-inspiring line-up, it’s perfectly fitting that the majestic Esplanade Concert Hall is its current home performance venue. [Source: yoursingapore.com, Singapore Tourism Board]

Singapore's Monks of Mellonwah playing in Australia in 2013

Beyond mesmerising audiences with their performances, the SSO has also recorded a number of internationally acclaimed albums. These include the recently released Seascapes, the music of Chen Yi, Bright Sheng and Richard Yardumian, as well as collaborations with great artists like Gil Shaham and Martin Frost. See what’s on during your visit to Singapore and attend a concert to be soothed by the soulful orchestra.

Being the only professional Chinese orchestra in Singapore, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) is accorded iconic status. Since its inauguration in 1997, the 75-strong orchestra has established its performing home in the Singapore Conference Hall, even having enjoyed the patronage of the Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Recognised for its high performing standards, the SCO has been invited to perform at various major occasions such as the World Economic Forum and the International Summit of Arts Council in 2003, as well as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meeting in 2006, which saw visitors from all over the world. With regular performances being held, catch a concert if you can during your visit to Singapore.

Bangsawan – Malay Opera

Bangsawan is a form of Malay opera that is now considered a rarity in the Asian region. Like most western plays, bangsawan performances often depict classic tales of love and treachery. The most traditional types of bangsawan however, surround Malay myths. [Source: yoursingapore.com, Singapore Tourism Board]

Other popular children’s tales that inspire bangsawan plots include Bawang Putih Bawang Merah and Sang Nila Utama. Sang Nila Utama is a popular character from local history books, known for his discovery of the lion on the island of Temasek (Singapore’s original name before it was christened by Sir Stamford Raffles).

Bangsawan performances in Singapore are now typically performed on televised variety shows by the Sri Warisan dance troupe as well as during traditional Malay weddings that are held in the heartlands of Singapore.

Pop Music in Singapore

South Korean pop music (K-Pop) has a big following in Singapore as it does elsewhere in Asia. The largest Asian market for Japanese pop-music is Taiwan, followed by Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.

In Singapore rap groups sing about courtesy and filial piety. The Singaporean hip hop group Urban Exchange is popular throughout Southeast Asia. They have a recording deal with the EMI Group’s Positive Tone label. The Zouk nightclub traditionally featured Asia’s hip hop artists. In 2004, two Singaporean universities began imposing fines on students caught illegally sharing music on the Internet.

Top name acts such a Rihanna, Maria Carey and Justin Berber have played at the Singapore Grand Prix. At the 2013 race, Justin Bieber headlined on Monday, Rihanna headlined on Sunday and The Killers headlined on Saturday. Tom Jones, Bob Geldof and others also performed.

The Rolling Stones and Moby have performed in Singapore. In 2002, Singapore hosted its first ever blues festival. Thrash-metal bands in Singapore include Force Vomit, The Lizard's Convention and The Boredpucks (they used to have a "h" in their name after the "p").

Punk Rock in Singapore

The punk rock magazine BigO (short for "Before I Get Old") was a monthly that was launched in 1985 as a photocopied "fanzine." The magazine had articles about local alternative bands such as The Opposition Party and Corporate Toil and ran comics like "Condom Boy" about a young boy who wears a giant condom. The magazine's name is an acronym for "Hope I die before I get old," a line from 1965 Who anthem "My Generation." [Source: Reuter]

With a over price of about $2.50 and a circulation of around 10,000, BigO scored a big coup in 1994 when it recorded the first interview with R.E.M. after the release of their album "Monster." The magazine also printed rare interviews with Patti Smith and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam.

An official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Reuters his two teenage sons read BigO. "There's a niche for it," he said. "As Singapore matures in cultural sophistication, we must be tolerant of different preferences and even a certain irreverence among our young people and artists."

Singaporean Rapper Jailed for Criticizing 'Chinese Privilege'

In November 2021, Singaporean ethnic-Indian rapper and activist Subhas Nair was charged with attempting to promote feelings of enmity between different racial and religious groups in Singapore. The case drew widespread public attention because Nair had frequently criticized what he described as racism, unequal treatment of minorities, and “Chinese privilege” in Singaporean society. [Source: Bryan Ke, NextShark, November 3, 202]

During one of his court appearances, Nair wore a T-shirt bearing the image of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, a Malaysian man with intellectual disabilities who faced execution in Singapore on drug trafficking charges. Nair was accompanied by his sister, singer and online personality Preetipls, whose real name is Preeti Nair. Prosecutors alleged that Nair had made several online posts and public statements between 2019 and 2021 that could inflame racial tensions.

Authorities said the charges stemmed from four separate incidents. One involved a controversial rap video posted online in 2019 that criticized Chinese Singaporeans and included lyrics authorities considered racially offensive. After the original video was removed, a copy was later reposted online. Police issued Nair a 24-month conditional warning, cautioning that further offenses during that period could lead to prosecution.

Subsequent incidents involved social media posts criticizing what Nair saw as unequal treatment of minorities by Singapore’s authorities and justice system. In one post responding to comments made by Chinese Christians about Malay Muslims, Nair argued that Malay Muslims would have faced harsher consequences for similar remarks. In another deleted Instagram post, he compared his own treatment by authorities with the handling of a fatal brawl involving an Indian victim at Orchard Towers.

Nair also faced allegations over the display of a cartoon linked to his social media comments during a 2021 performance at The Substation, a well-known independent arts venue. He was sentenced to six weeks in jail. nder Singapore’s laws governing racial and religious harmony.

Singapore Bans Janet Jackson and Puff the Magic Dragon

In 2001, Singapore banned Janet Jackson's album “All For You” because the lyrics were deemed too steamy for the conservative city-state. Reuters reported: “ Government censors imposed the ban because one song, Would You Mind has "sexually explicit lyrics," the Films and Publications Department said in a statement. The album's distributor, EMI, has filed an appeal against the ban, said EMI Singapore senior marketing executive Angeline Teo. “During the introduction to the contentious song, track nine on the album, the singer, using popular sexual vernacular, recites a list of desires she has towards an unnamed subject. [Source: Reuters, May 5, 2001]

Janet Jackson’s All For You was banned because the lyrics of the song Would You Mind were deemed "not acceptable to our society". In the song, Jackson says: "I just wanna touch you, tease you, lick you, please you, love you, make love to you." Authorities also banned Jackson's previous album, The Velvet Rope, because of its references to homosexuality and other issues considered touchy in the tightly controlled country.

Singapore has a long history of banning Western popular songs, dating back to Peter, Paul and Mary's 1963 hit Puff, the Magic Dragon — believed by censors to contain references to marijuana. The Beatle's 1967 album “Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band” was banned until 1993 because of its pro-drug lyrics. “Erotica” by Madonna was banned because iys sexual content and “I Am Not Your Girl” was kept off the shelves because it contained an essay on religion.

Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande in Singapore

In 2017, Justin Bieber brought his Purpose World Tour to Singapore as part of a wider Asian tour that also included stops in Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, and Indonesia. The tour supported his hit album Purpose and drew large crowds across Asia, with Singapore serving as one of the region’s major concert destinations for global pop stars. [Source: CBSNews, November 23, 2025]

Singapore has increasingly hosted large-scale entertainment events, movie premieres, and celebrity appearances. One high-profile incident occurred during the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good, attended by Ariana Grande and her co-star Cynthia Erivo at Universal Studios Singapore. During the event, an Australian man rushed past a barricade and approached Grande on the red carpet, briefly placing his arm around her before security intervened.

Viral videos from the premiere showed Erivo quickly stepping between Grande and the man and pushing him away while security guards removed him from the event area. Footage also showed members of the cast and staff comforting Grande afterward. The man, identified as Johnson Wen, was arrested later that evening and charged with causing a public nuisance.

A Singapore court later sentenced Wen to nine days in jail. According to local reports, the court described him as “attention seeking” and noted a pattern of disruptive behavior at public events and concerts. After serving his sentence, he was deported to Australia and barred from re-entering Singapore. Wen later admitted in court that he had been wrong to assume there would be no consequences for his actions and said he would not repeat the behavior.

The incidents involving Bieber and Grande illustrate Singapore’s growing role in international entertainment and celebrity culture. Major concerts, film premieres, and global media events are now common in the city-state, which continues to position itself as one of Asia’s leading destinations for international performers and large-scale entertainment productions.

Singapore Profits Greatly from Taylor Swift's Eras Tour

Taylor Swift generated enormous economic and publicity benefits for Singapore during the Southeast Asian leg of her Eras Tour in 2024. Singapore secured the exclusive regional stop for the tour, making it the only Southeast Asian country to host Swift’s concerts. The shows were part of Singapore’s broader effort to revive tourism and entertainment industries following the COVID-19 pandemic. [Source: Huileng Tan, Business Insider, March 4, 2024]

Reports indicated that Singapore provided financial support for the concerts through its tourism authorities. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin claimed at a business forum that Singapore had paid millions of dollars per show to secure exclusivity, although Singaporean officials declined to reveal details of the agreement. The Singapore Tourism Board confirmed that grants were provided to support the concerts but described the exact figures circulating online as inaccurate. Officials argued that the concerts would generate major economic benefits for sectors such as tourism, hospitality, retail, transportation, and dining.

Swift performed six concerts in Singapore between March 2 and March 9, with more than 300,000 tickets reportedly sold. Economists estimated the concerts could generate as much as S$500 million in tourism revenue. The economic impact, often described as “Swiftonomics,” included spending on airline tickets, hotels, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. Because Singapore was Swift’s only Southeast Asian destination, many fans from neighboring countries traveled there specifically for the concerts.

Singapore’s government also viewed the concerts as an opportunity to strengthen the city-state’s image as a cultural and entertainment center rather than simply a financial and business hub. Officials said major international events helped place Singapore “top of mind” for global tourists and enhanced its reputation as a luxury destination capable of hosting world-class entertainment. Economists noted that large concerts by Swift and the British band Coldplay were expected to contribute noticeably to Singapore’s economic growth in early 2024.

The exclusivity deal sparked criticism from some neighboring countries. Politicians and tourism officials in the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia complained that Singapore’s strategy diverted tourism revenue and concertgoers away from the rest of Southeast Asia. Some argued their countries might also have offered incentives had they known about the arrangement earlier. Despite the criticism, tourism analysts described Singapore’s move as an effective short-term strategy to boost visitor spending and international visibility. However, some experts questioned whether relying on expensive performance grants would be sustainable in the long term. They argued that Singapore’s broader goal was to become a destination comparable to places such as Las Vegas, where major artists choose to perform because of the city’s global appeal rather than because of government subsidies.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993; National Geographic, Live Science, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, Singapore Tourism Board, The Guardian, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Time, Encyclopedia.com, The Conversation, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, Wikipedia and various websites, books and other publications.

Last updated May 2026