Taylor Swift has reportedly declined a lucrative offer to perform at a private event in the United Arab Emirates, despite being offered a substantial sum of $9 million. This decision comes as the pop sensation prepares for the launch of her upcoming 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”
Taylor Swift ‘turns down’ $9M offer in UAE
The revelation of the offer came from French Montana, who shared a screenshot of the proposal on social media last month. Although Montana did not disclose the identity of the other performer involved, he did mention being offered $1 million for the same event. The news of Swift turning down such a hefty offer contrasts with a 2023 Forbes report, which highlighted the substantial earnings of pop stars like Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Bruno Mars from private gigs, with Beyoncé leading the pack.
In a post that has since been removed, French Montana shared, “Somebody just sent me a show offer, who y’all think the $9 million was for lol?” This left fans speculating until he later revealed in an interview with VladTV that the recipient of the $9 million offer was none other than the 14-time Grammy winner, Taylor Swift.
“They had a show offer for me and Taylor — her $9 million, me $1 million,” he said adding, “Somewhere in Emirates.”
Why did Swift turn down such a substantial offer?
While the reason behind the “Bad Blood” singer’s decision to reject the lucrative deal remains unclear, financial constraints don’t appear to be an issue. Forbes recently recognized her as one of the wealthiest musicians globally, as she became the first artist to achieve a ten-figure status solely through her music and performances.
“The 34-year-old pop star amassed an estimated $1.1 billion fortune, based on earnings from the blockbuster tour, the value of her music catalogue and her real estate portfolio.”
Beyoncé pocketed over $24 Million from a private gig in Dubai:
On the contrary, Beyoncé embraced the opportunity to earn millions through successive private performances. A 2023 Forbes report notes that Beyoncé headlined the launch of the lavish ‘Atlantis the Royal Hotel in Dubai, where she reportedly earned $24 million for an hour-long set. Beyoncé also graced the 2018 pre-wedding reception of the daughter of Mukesh Ambani, the 9th richest man globally, allegedly earning around $4.7 million.
According to reports, at an event hosted by Russian billionaire Andrei Melnichenko, Jennifer Lopez earned a staggering $2.8 million. Meanwhile, David Brooks, a former body armor magnate, paid Aerosmith $2.9 million to perform at his daughter’s birthday celebration. In 2011, Billboard reported that Celine Dion was booked for 2-3 private events annually, commanding between $8.5 million for each performance.
