The Dilemma of the World Musician Between Residency Concerts and World Tour

JAKARTA - The trend of world music performances is undergoing a significant paradigm shift, where the concept of residency is beginning to shift the tradition of touring the world.

This phenomenon has sparked heated debate among industry players and music enthusiasts, especially regarding efficiency for the artist compared to accessibility for fans who have to dig deeper into their pockets.

A number of big names such as Harry Styles who performed for 12 nights at Wembley, to Ariana Grande's 10-night plan at the O2 Arena in London, are real proof that staying in one place is more preferred than moving around.

For musicians, health reasons are the main factor behind this decision. Former Little Mix member Jade Thirlwall said that staying in one place has a positive impact on the physical and mental condition of a performer.

"For an artist who does residencies, it's probably much healthier for your body, voice, and mind because you don't have to travel all the time," Jade said, quoted by the BBC, Tuesday, March 3.

Even so, he did not deny that the sensation of traveling in a conventional tour still has its own appeal for some musicians.

However, the comfort for the star is often inversely proportional to the financial condition of fans, who often complain about how the price of accommodation jumps sharply as soon as the concert schedule is announced.

Meanwhile, Wolf Alice bassist Theo Ellis considers the residency concept a unique artistic choice, but he warns of the risk of exclusivity.

"The downside is that maybe not everyone can go and experience it. You have to be an artist of a certain scale to be able to do that," Ellis said.

On the other hand, Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson or known as CMAT, argues that touring to various small cities is very important for the development of a musician's creativity.

According to him, facing a different audience in each region presents challenges that are not obtained if you only stay in one place.

"You have to learn to play in front of different audiences, not just friendly home audiences. Learning those differences makes creativity a little more fertile," he said.

Despite the impact on fans' living costs, data from Barclays shows that large-scale tours such as Taylor Swift's Eras Tour are able to contribute almost 1 billion pounds to the UK economy.

This shows that despite the changing format of the show, the music industry remains a massive economic engine, regardless of the debate over whether musicians should "suffer" on the streets or enjoy the comforts of a permanent stage.