Madonna sizzles in Singapore show

Pop superstar Madonna's concert at the National Stadium last night, part of her global Rebel Heart Tour, was altered slightly for the Singapore audience, with religiously sensitive content removed.
Pop superstar Madonna's concert at the National Stadium on Feb 28, 2016. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

After making fans in Singapore wait three decades for her first concert here, pop superstar Madonna did not make them wait much longer last night.

She came onstage at the National Stadium to a 25,000-strong crowd, just 55 minutes after the stated 8pm start time. It was a relatively early start for a singer known for appearing up to three hours late in the other shows in her tour.

"Singapore, it is so hot here," she said. "Are you all as hot as I am? Show me your armpits."

The show was part of her global Rebel Heart Tour, and the 57-year- old performed songs from her latest album as well as recapped her previous hits.

It is one of the rare concerts here to be given an R18 rating by the Media Development Authority with an advisory on sexual references.

The tickets are also among the most expensive for a pop concert staged here, with the top VIP tickets priced at $1,288.

The concert had been altered slightly for the Singapore audience, with religiously sensitive content removed.

Several Christian leaders have spoken out against the concert, including Archbishop William Goh who had earlier expressed the Catholic Church's grave concerns, and the Anglican Bishop of Singapore Reverend Rennis Ponniah.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 29, 2016, with the headline Madonna sizzles in Singapore show. Subscribe