Idol Carrie Underwood, live in Singapore!
Oct 21, 2009
By Rachel Xie
FANS of American Idol Carrie Underwood got a real treat today when she performed at the grand opening of Singapore’s latest hotspot, ION Orchard – for free.
Some 500 people gathered at the junction outside ION Orchard for her first live gig in the whole of Asia.
The country-pop crooner got the crowd grooving as she belted out hits from her second album, Carnival Ride. During the show, she pulled a surprise out of the hat by singing Mama’s Song, a never-performed-before single from her upcoming album Play On.
Donning a slinky sequinned tank top, skin-tight jeans and knee-high leather boots, Underwood was literally traffic-stopping as she strut her stuff on an outdoor stage for a full 45 minutes.
Passersby slowed down to catch a glimpse of the starlet magnified on ION Orchard’s unique exterior LED screen walls.
Air steward Ernest Soh, 22, who was at the show said: “This is just incredible. I’m a die-hard supporter of Carrie’s and here she is, performing right in front of me. I’m actually breathing the same air as her! She sounds even better live than on TV.”
And for that, Underwood fans have to thank Ms Soon Su Lin, CEO of Orchard Turn Developments. She passed over other A-list stars like Gwen Stefani and Beyoncé, choosing instead, the country singer who had never performed in Asia before.
She said: “That will bring more excitement and novelty. We were also looking for someone with mass appeal, elegant, stylish and friendly, someone both young and old can relate to.”
Underwood was crowned the fourth ‘American Idol’ in 2005. Since then, she has won four Grammys and sold more than 10 million records in the US alone. This makes her the most successful American Idol winner ever as predicted by the infamous Simon Cowell, resident judge on the singing talent show.
Her mini concert here is part of Constellation, a week-long festival in celebration of the official opening of ION Orchard. All the events scheduled for this week are free.
From now till 24th October, visitors to the shopping mall can look forward to a star-studded line-up of programmes including fashion shows and a guest performance by Taiwanese singer-songwriter Wang Leehom.
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M1 breaks SingTel’s iPhone monopoly; customers may get cheaper prices
By Daniel Teo
MobileOne (M1) will offer the iPhone later this year, ending the device’s year-long exclusivity with rival Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel).
Singapore’s smallest telco inked a deal with American computer giant Apple to sell the iconic smartphone. Pricing and availability dates will be announced in the near future.
SingTel has been the sole Singaporean carrier of the iPhone since August last year. Currently, SingTel offers the iPhone 3G, and its faster, newer sibling, the 3GS, with 2-year plans ranging from $39 to $205 monthly. M1’s entry into the market has sparked off speculations of lower prices for data plans that are bundled with the iPhone.
SMU undergraduate Tan Howe Yuan, 24, said: “I think it just means prices for the phone and data plans will go down, now that SingTel has competition.” Tan is a new iPhone user who had recently switched from StarHub to SingTel in order to get the device.
“I’m a little bummed that the news came out right after I bought mine,” Tan said ruefully.
M1 customer and imminent iPhone owner, Caroline Sng, 22, said. “I’m hoping it comes tied with a good plan. It’ll be better savings all round.”
SingTel has responded publicly to anticipated iPhone price-cuts. In a statement to local media, Cheam Tze Hui, SingTel’s Corporate Communications Manager, said: “We wish to assure our customers that we review our price plans regularly to ensure that they offer the best value and remain competitive.”
Competition is welcome because the consumer benefits. In its native US, the iPhone is sold exclusively by AT&T. In a CNET article about the American telco’s iPhone monopoly, senior editor Kent German laments about how iPhone customers have no choice but to put up with “spotty coverage” and “abysmal customer service”.
“It’s aggravating and just not fair, they [AT&T iPhone customers] would say, and I have to agree,” German writes.
Fortunately for Tan, he has had no major complaints with his SingTel iPhone. However, Singaporean users will soon have the option to choose between two carriers. But where does that leave StarHub, the only other telco in Singapore?
StarHub spokesperson Michael Sim told ZDNet Asia that the company is “interested to bring the iPhone to StarHub customers” but was not forthcoming about any negotiations with Apple.
The iPhone has had a cult following since the first model was launched in 2007. The latest rendition, the 3GS, sold 1 million units worldwide only 3 days after its launch in June this year. In Singapore, SingTel says iPhone sales numbers are in the “tens of thousands”. And now M1 will be able to get at a piece of the iPhone pie.
