Like baby, baby, baby, no.
Justin Bieber�s concert in Israel drew far fewer fans than expected, but the pop star still made US$1 million (RM3 million) for his 90-minute show, sources said.
Bieber�s April 14 concert at Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv drew somewhere between 17,000 (according police) and 24,000 fans (according to the promoters) � well below forecasts in the 35,000 range. The Jerusalem Post�s review split the difference, putting the number at 21,000. By contrast, Madonna�s 2009 show at the same venue pulled in 56,000 people.
�They overpaid and did not market it right,� says Israeli promoter Shuki Weiss, who declined to bid on Bieber believing it would be a difficult sell. �I think it�s important for every artist to come to Israel, but you need to know your crowd.�
Indeed, posters advertising the show were scant in the city, with the exception of areas surrounding Bieber�s hotel, and with ticket sales initially sluggish, a promotion offering free entry to parents was introduced, causing its share of headaches at the park�s gates.
For his part the show�s promoter, Gadi Oron, said �(Sales) definitely met our expectations.� He declined to comment on Bieber�s reported payday: �It is our policy not to talk about financial arrangements we reach with talent we promote.