The arduous task of attracting foreign stars to Vietnam (*): All kinds of "demands"

Every international artist has their own special rules when they go on tour. There are no exceptions, but there are also requests that make the audience confused when they hear them.

Standard from the scent

In addition to the technical requirements, the owner of the hit song Attention, Charlie Puth also made requests that ordinary people would not think of, such as the scent in the room, food according to preferences. In fact, these are requests that are always listed in the contracts of foreign stars. However, the first time seeing these requests, some organizers in Vietnam were "shocked" because they did not think it would appear in a performance contract.

However, for those units that are too familiar with these "small but not small" requests, they not only find it "normal" but also naturally accept it as a reasonable term when negotiating. Accordingly, there are requests from foreign stars that make the program organizers spend months preparing to be able to meet.

As evidence, when singer Ariana Grande agreed to come to Vietnam, she made quite strict requests about food, accommodation, and security issues during her stay. Specifically, the singer wanted to stay at a 5-star hotel near the performance venue and this information had to be kept confidential until the last minute. In addition, her room in the hotel had to be decorated with white furniture and gray bed sheets.

The hotel lobby is always clean and stocked with her favorite fruits like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and organic nuts. Ariana also requested a private room at the venue, decorated in lavender, one of her favorite colors.

According to information from the organizing committee, the American singer will be strictly protected by 5 layers of security. To ensure the exclusivity of the performances, Ariana Grande's side requested that the organizers not allow the audience to bring recording devices into the stage, and that neither the press nor the organizers are allowed to work during the concert. Ariana Grande's crew in Vietnam this time consists of 85 people, including the singer's mother.

When singer Liz Mitchell (Boney M) came to perform in Vietnam, one of the requirements that the organizers had to meet was that the star had to travel in a supercar like a Mercedes S-Class from S500 or higher or an Audi A8, BMW Series 7, stay in a 5-star hotel, have a bodyguard to protect her, and have to specify the dishes for her meals... Many production units admitted: "A list of dozens of pages long must be met if they want to invite a world star to perform in Vietnam."

Accommodation and security are also very elaborate with detailed information attached to the contract of saxophonist Kenny G or the legendary rock band Kenny G when they come to Vietnam to perform. The menu for each meal must be approved by the tour manager a week in advance, the food must be prepared by reputable restaurants and the brand must be verified. The hotel Kenny G stays at must also be 5-star and must be approved 1 month in advance. The car used for his travel in Vietnam must be a high-end, new model.

British singer Joss Stone, when participating in the "Monsoon Music Festival", also had strict requirements such as not accepting pre-prepared food, not using disposable eating utensils. There was always enough bottled water, clean ice, paper towels, cold drinking glasses... In addition, the organizers also had to spread good quality carpet on the stage when she performed.

Saxophone star Kenny G during his performance in Vietnam. (Photo: DAI NGO)

The game is full of pressure

Former member of the group "SNSD Jessica Jung" when coming to Vietnam made the following requests: travel with Korean airlines; use a high-end car from a famous global car company to travel during the tour; there must always be 4 bodyguards on duty in front of the room door, and there must be a private dining room at the hotel to avoid being disturbed while eating.

When Bi-Rain came to Vietnam, he requested that the hotel room must be comfortably equipped with a large sofa to lie on, a refrigerator with his favorite fruits and drinks; and at the performance venue, there must be a private room near the stage.

While domestic singers only receive their remuneration after the performance, foreign stars must have their money in their accounts first and 100% paid before they agree to come to Vietnam. Each artist who comes to Vietnam will have a crew of several dozen people accompanying them and will fly business class. Therefore, just the airfare alone will cost the producer several billion VND, not to mention the costs of hotels, transportation, stage, etc.

Production units said it was very difficult to invite top foreign stars like Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Katy Perry... because the salary was up to 2 million USD, surpassing the salary of senior Celine Dion. Not to mention there were other "difficult" requirements. For example, star Kenny G, in addition to high and very detailed requirements on travel and accommodation conditions, Kenny G's team also required the inviting unit to prove financial capacity, the ability to succeed of the show, implementation, communication, technology, logistics, security, medical ...

Kenny G's group to Vietnam consisted of 12 people, including 5 musicians, a manager, a technician, 3 sound and lighting staff, and 2 foreign affairs staff. Kenny G wanted to be welcomed at the foot of the plane's stairs and go through a separate door out of the airport. Kenny G also requested that the time he arrived at Noi Bai airport not be announced to avoid attracting attention.

People in the industry believe that "playing" with foreign stars is a game full of pressure, because just one mistake or incident can cause the show to be canceled and all expenses and plans to fall apart. "They work precisely down to the second, every electrical outlet and plug. Thanks to the Vietnamese crew buying coffee, they already have information about the address to buy it and what kind of coffee. If the car comes to pick them up but is 1 minute late, they ask why. When the band arrives at the show time, they go straight from the hotel and onto the stage, and after the show, they leave immediately, without contacting anyone" - musician Quoc Trung informed.

In fact, many foreign star shows have been canceled before the show because the organizers could not meet one of the stars' requirements. The cost of welcoming Korean movie star Lee Min Ho to Vietnam was announced to be up to 12 billion VND, but the show did not take place because tickets could not be sold.

After the Backstreet Boys concert, Water Buffalo Production Company also almost disappeared from the music market. Similarly, after the unsuccessful live concert of the band Air Supply at the Hoa Binh Theater (HCMC), the project of inviting foreign stars of Viet Top Company almost ended.

An insider confided: “Depending on the level of “coverage” of the artists, the cost of organizing each program will range from hundreds of thousands to several million USD. With this cost, the ticket price reaching up to millions is sometimes not too expensive.”

^(*) See Lao Dong Newspaper from issue dated July 27

Source: https://nld.com.vn/van-nghe/nhoc-nhan-viec-keo-sao-ngoai-ve-viet-nam-muon-kieu-yeu-sach-20230727181543558.htm