Woman gives out angbaos instead of bracelets at Taylor Swift concert in S’pore

A Swiftie at one of ‘The Eras Tour’ concerts in Singapore has caused a stir online not for her creative outfit but for the ‘gifts’ she exchanged with other Taylor Swift fans — angbaos or red packets.

A video by a fellow concertgoer captured her with a stack of angbaos in one hand, like married folks during Chinese New Year (CNY) gatherings.

Perhaps aware of the significance of the red packet, several fans approached her to get one.

Fan hands out angbaos at Taylor Swift concert on 2 Mar
Unlike most fans who exchange bracelets at a Taylor Swift concert, one Swiftie came prepared with an unlikely token — a stack of angbaos.

A video of her handing the red packets out to other concertgoers made its way to travel website When in Manila’s Facebook page on Sunday (3 Mar).

The short clip showed her with a stack of angbaos in hand, looking around as if preparing to hand them out to whoever approached her. True enough, some fellow Swifties came up to her and seemingly asked about the red packets, which she happily handed to them.

Later, the footage revealed that the angbaos contained not real cash but ‘Taylor Swift money’ or fake notes bearing the Pop star’s face.

Speaking to MS News, 35-year-old Mr Drew Apuya who recorded the scene said it unfolded near the section where he was seated, which was VIP1, PD3. However, he was unsure if the woman was in the same section.

He spotted her handing the red packets out to other fans at about 5.40pm on the evening of Swift’s first show in Singapore on Saturday (2 Mar).

Unlike bracelets which Swifties exchange with each other, the young woman was simply giving away the angbaos without expecting anything in return.

When asked how he felt about the unusual yet wholesome scene, Mr Apuya — who came to Singapore from the Philippines with his wife just to attend the concert — said that it made their experience more memorable and positive.

The creative agency Director remarked: “I thought it was very creative and unique to Asian culture.”