Billie Eilish’s Concert in Singapore
On 21 August 2022, Billie Eilish performed in front of a sold-out audience at the National Stadium. Concert-goers, who were excited to see the multiple Grammy award winning artist back in Singapore after 4 years, forked out hundreds of dollars to catch a glimpse of the 20-year-old star.
However, as Mothership.sg reported, many attendees were unhappy with the seating arrangement at the Singapore Sports Hub. Due to the distance between the seats and the stage, many could not see Billie without assistance from the Zoom functions on their cameras.
@addieblesausage didn’t expect to be this far…. 🤡 #billieeilish #billieeilishsg #billieeilishsingapore #happierthanever #happierthaneverworldtoursingapore
Complaints about ticketing system
Hijanah, who paid closed to a $1,000 for 3 tickets, took to Twitter to express her discontent with how the organiser, Live Nation, handled the event.
Hijanah was disappointed that others who had bought tickets, during a flash sale just weeks before the concert, for a pen that was supposedly behind the pen she had tickets for, were able to stand in front of her or alongside her during the concert.
Look at this picture and it's almost impossible to believe that sales they got from $130, amounted only to those people behind the barricade. (That's bc they were in my pennnn lololol) there were also only two gates of entry for the entire stadium. pic.twitter.com/92252DQeIq
— Hijanah – Ted Lasso's personal dilemma squad (@unrealthrill) August 24, 2022
She was also unable to enjoy the benefit of priority entry, which she had paid extra for, due to poor crowd management. In particular, she noted how a delay in queue redirection meant that others, who did not pay for priority entry, were able to enter the field earlier than her.
It took time before they realised they could redirect the queue instead, and it cost me being able to enter before the normal standing pen whose gates had opened in that time. My fault?? Haha. (This is separate from the flash sale pen issue but combined made everything worse)
— Hijanah – Ted Lasso's personal dilemma squad (@unrealthrill) August 24, 2022
The Mothership article has further examples of attendees airing their grievances on queue management measures, or lack thereof, at the concert. Although Mothership reached out to Live Nation for comment, it appears that the organisers have yet to respond.
Azula Cinta, a Billie Eilish Fan without Tickets
Azula Cinta, a 21-year-old content creator and a long-time Billie Eilish fan who has been religiously following the American singer since 2017, was very disappointed that she could not get tickets to the sold-out concert.
On the afternoon of 21 August 2022, the fear of missing out was acutely felt by Azula, as her TikTok feed was filled with people who were dressing up and heading to the concert. Sitting in her living room, and scrolling past “Get Ready With Me (GRWM)” videos by people heading to the concert, she felt increasingly left out and, in her own words, “kaypoh”.
Then, she had an idea.
Listening to the concert from outside the Stadium
She decided that she would, for what it is worth, head down to the National Stadium and listen to the concert from outside the stadium.
This was an impromptu idea and unprecedented idea that she acted upon immediately.
When she reached the area outside the National Stadium, she realised that she was not alone. She observed that there were a number of people sitting around the area outside the stadium, and some had even brought Chairs along.
TikTok users applauded Azula’s smart idea.
From where she was seated, she could hear Billie, and the crowd, clearly. The fact that the crowd was so loud was noted by many concert-goers who saw Azula’s video after the concert.
Considering the complaints of those with tickets, which they paid hundreds of dollars for, about crowd control and seating arrangements, there is a possibility that Azula’s free seat outside the stadium may have been the deal of the century.
Getting emotional during Halley’s Comet
Although she was far away from the stage, Azula was fully immersed in the concert.
When one of her favourite songs, Halley’s Comet started playing, Azula started tearing up. Recalling the moment, Azula shared with Wake Up Singapore that “It felt so unreal hearing her voice infront of me, singing one of my favourite songs in the world.”
For Azula, the lyrics of Halley’s Comet had a special place in her heart. In particular, she always deeply resonates with the line “What a drag to love you like I do”.
Azula explained the significance of these lyrics to her.
Because throughout my relationships and everyone that has come in and out of my life, I have never felt anyone reciprocating the same love that I give out. I know its not obligated for them to reciprocate back anything to me, but I somehow still want to feel it still.
And now I’m afraid of ever giving out love again, because I know it’ll never come back to me.
Azula’s message to Billie Eilish
When asked if she had anything to say to her idol Billie Eilish, Azula said that she was “eternally grateful” for Billie’s existence:
I hope get to you love yourself half as much as everyone else in the world loves you, you deserve everything the world has to offer, Billie. Thankyou for making this world more bearable for us by providing us your music ❤️
I’m eternally grateful for your existence.
The next time Billie is in Singapore, we hope that Azula will be able to enjoy the concert from within the stadium and be as close as possible to Billie Eilish.
You may watch the full video, which has garnered almost 7,000 likes within 2 days, at this link.
@azulacinta ACCOMPANY ME TO BILLIE EILISH CONCERT BUT ON THE OUTSIDE BCS WE BROKE ASF BUT IM STILL HAPPY AND SATISFIED AND HAPPY!!!!!!! <3
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