Ariana Grande runs up against China's 'fan economy'

Western celebrities and brands will struggle to compete against the massive grassroots support

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American pop star Ariana Grande had every reason to expect that her new single, Thank U, Next, would race to the top of the United States charts when it was released earlier this month. When she checked iTunes after its release, though, she met with a surprise.

Kris Wu, a superstar in China, not only had the No. 1 spot on the iTunes' singles chart but also seven of the top 10 songs. It was an extraordinary achievement for an artist with almost no North American profile, and Grande and her camp weren't buying it.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 15, 2018, with the headline Ariana Grande runs up against China's 'fan economy'. Subscribe