Channeling a bit of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz (except obviously, it’s not in Kansas), the newly-added first night of Taylor Swift’s The Red Tour in Singapore was a dynamic, energetic and theatrical two hours.
For “The Lucky One”, Swift brought the audience to a Victorian era with costumes and wigs. She also delivered triple platinum single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” with stilt walkers and exploding confetti.
Like many leggy types the pop star moves in a coltish manner, but she pulls it off, rather like the beloved stage ingenue. She was most put to the test during choreographed segments that required her to move while singing live. If you look hard enough, you can almost see the concentration on her face, but she wipes it off quickly with a cheeky smile.
Usually surrounded by dancers and backup singers, Swift is clever to put the focus on the show more than her voice. As a singer, Taylor’s range has clearly improved, however it still lacks power and is often drowned out by the live band.
Swift is most at home when she’s got a guitar or piano, and a stool to sit on. She did a few stripped down acoustic numbers throughout the night; the sincerity in the singer’s voice is magnified and the audience laps it up while trying not to squeal.
At one point during the concert, she walked through a sea of young adoring fans trying to high-five as many as possible.
This, plus the way she’s accommodated her Thai fans in the Singapore leg after having to cancel her show in the Land of Smiles, is a sign of her dedication to the people who love her. Despite having sold 1.2 million copies of her latest album Red during its first week — the most successful for any artist in the last decade — and selling out concerts around the world, this passion for her Swifties has not faltered.
American Idol judge and music oracle Simon Cowell once said “not everybody is perfect, and I don’t think we should be looking for perfect people.”
Taylor Swift might not have been flawless that night, but as far as the 8,000-strong audience was concerned, she was everything they needed her to be.
Spoiler alert for those watching the show tomorrow: here’s “Teardrops On My Guitar” recorded live on June 10 by Mizui Leo.
Photos: Gettyimages for TAS
