Ye's show in China a bright spark for gloomy economy

Rapper's concert in Haikou proves all sides can gain, especially with local govt support

- Yew Lun Tian

On Sept 15, American rapper Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) opened his first show in China in 16 years by shouting "I love you Haikou", in more than the usual greeting to fans gathered in the southern port city.

It could well be a show of heartfelt appreciation to the government of Haikou, the provincial capital of Hainan, which had gone out of its way to make the show possible.

The show, which raked in 51 million yuan (S$9.3 million) in ticket sales for Ye and 370 million yuan in tourism revenue for Haikou, was such a resounding success that the organisers decided to add another show on Sept 28 at the same venue.

The 24-time Grammy award winner is one of the biggest American celebrities to perform in China in recent years, as China and the US lock horns over various global issues.

The success of Ye's show is a bright spark in the gloomy Chinese economy, at a time when consumers are cutting back on discretionary spending.

It was a textbook case of how all sides can profit when foreign celebrities and the Chinese government put aside politics to do business, with Chinese consumers better off for it.

The 40,000 fans roared in appreciation when Ye stood in the middle of a moonlit stage, which had been turned into a field of golden grass, while a vulture-shaped drone circled above. More cheers followed when the four children he had with former wife Kim Kardashian joined him onstage.

The 47-year-old rapper and fashion icon did not even have to sing throughout the entire concert. The show was billed as a "listening experience," - an event in which the audience paid 680 yuan to 2,000 yuan per ticket to listen, and sometimes sing along, to pre-recorded music in the presence of the artiste. Ye would interact with his fans and sing some parts of the songs.

Nevertheless, tickets sold out within minutes. The brisk sales can be explained partly by the rarity of gigs by international superstars of Ye's calibre in China.