Filipina Charlyn Suizo, 30, is in Singapore this week for one reason only: Taylor Swift.

The software engineer and head of a Philippines Swifties group - as fans of the popstar are know - flew in from Manila on Friday with 17 friends, spending at least $6,000 in total on her flights, concert tickets and accommodation. The average annual household income in the Philippines is P307,190 ($5,482.85), according to official Philippines government statistics.

"This is the biggest amount I have spent for a concert. I never really spent big like six-digit (Philippines peso) amounts for someone else, just Taylor Swift,” said Suizo, who bought one VIP ticket costing more than S$1,000 ($744). She plans to see three out of Swift’s six performances in Singapore and said she is using her savings to pay her expenses for this trip.

Suizo, who has already seen other past Swift performances over the years and has been a fan since 2007, is among thousands of "Swifties" descending on Singapore this week from all over Southeast Asia to catch Swift's Eras Tour, giving the sluggish economy a much needed boost. The American superstar is playing six sold-out nights in Singapore from 2 to 9 March, with Singapore as her only stop in Southeast Asia.

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Maybank economist Chua Hak Bin estimates that seven in 10 of the 300,000 concertgoers will be coming in from overseas, spending to the tune of S$350 million ($260 million) to S$500 million ($372 million) on hotels, food and entertainment.

Last month, the government said it had given Swift a grant for her to play in Singapore, but did not disclose the amount given. The announcement had Southeast Asia neighbors seeing red with the Thai prime minister saying Singapore's grant was on condition Swift only performs in Singapore, and a Filipino lawmaker saying it "isn't what good neighbors do". Singapore's government did not confirm the exclusivity clause.

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Singapore has seen a boom in concerts since pandemic lockdowns ended, with big names like Blackpink, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran playing sold-out shows.

(Production: Joseph Campbell, Adrian Portugal)