March 12, 2024
PHNOM PENH – Taylor Swift has just completed a sold-out six-night run of The Eras Tour in Singapore. Tickets to the spectacular event were reportedly sold out in less than eight hours.
While many “swifties”, as fans of the beloved US artist are known, were ruing a missed opportunity to see their hero in the flesh, many Cambodians reflected on the singer’s familial links to the Kingdom.
Swift’s grandmother Marjorie Finlay appears to have visited Cambodia, presumably in the 1960s.
“Tay-tay” released a single named Marjorie from her Evermore album on December 11, 2020. The track, and its accompanying music video, was dedicated to her late grandmother, who passed away in 2003.
While the moving lyrics captured the attention of most of the 12.75 million who viewed the video on YouTube, it was glimpses of some very unique locations that saw Cambodian hearts swoon.
The powerful video features snapshots of her beloved grandmother’s life, including, it appears, her travels through what was then known as the “far east”.
The video was released at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when the Kingdom was battling to bring the virus under control, so it may have escaped the attention of some Khmer.
Taylor Swift performing in Singapore last week. Taylor Swift via Twitter
Swift’s return to the region means her unique connection to Cambodian is once again the object of people’s attention, as the video features images of Marjorie visiting Khmer temples.
Having watched the video, Chhort Bunthang, a research fellow at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, concluded that Swift’s grandmother had visited two Khmer temples.
He said a naga balustrade visible in one photo clearly identified it as the world-renowned Angkor Wat Temple.
Bunthang believed that having Khmer temples featured in a video by the world-famous US singer-songwriter is hugely beneficial, as it introduces the Kingdom’s unique heritage to the world, and is likely to drive tourism.
“I reviewed the video, and I can confirm that at least two temples were featured. One was Angkor Wat, while the other could be Ta Prohm, as some people have suggested. But at least two temples featured,” he said.
Vong Sotheara, a history professor, told The Post that he believed the singer’s grandmother was pictured at Preah Khan and Ta Prohm, with the possibility that she also visited Banteay Kdei or Ta Som Temple.
“What I can confirm is that she first walked into Preah Khan and then she visited Ta Prohm,” he said.
Swift’s six-night appearance in Singapore was estimated to have contributed up to S$500 million ($370 million) to the local economy, with up to 70 per cent of ticket holders flying in to attend.
“We got to play 6 shows in Singapore for the most wonderful crowds – just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who traveled and put so much effort into being at our shows,” she said, via twitter.
While Swift may have wrapped up her performances in Singapore, social media reports suggest she may have stayed on to enjoy the regional sights. Speculation is rife that she may seek to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and enjoy the beauty of the Kingdom’s Angkor Archaeological Park.