“We are ready to show you who we are, as we are,” TWICE’s Dahyun expressed, with utmost confidence, to a sold-out Singapore Indoor Stadium audience. Unsurprisingly, they followed through. 

TWICE’s Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu, honorees of the Breakthrough Award at the prestigious Billboard Women in Music Awards earlier this year, sent thousands wanting ‘MORE & MORE’ on 2 September as they brought their highly acclaimed READY TO BE tour to Singapore’s shores. 

Returning to our island a little over four years after TWICELIGHTS in 2019, there had been ample time for existing ONCE to reacquaint themselves with the JYP Entertainment girl group, and additionally, for new fans to discover and fall for the unique charms of the nine members. If you were in the audience that evening, your love and endearment for the nine-piece group would’ve been affirmed regardless of when you became a fan.

“I am so happy to be back in Singapore and meet ONCE even after four years,” Tzuyu shared.

TWICE 5TH WORLD TOUR 'READY TO BE' IN #SINGAPORE - DAY 1

Hey ONCE all around the world🍭
We are finally back with our TWICE 5TH WORLD TOUR 'READY TO BE'🔥Yay!
The first day of the second leg of TWICE 5TH WORLD TOUR 'READY TO BE' has begun!
We are so glad we could kick off the… pic.twitter.com/17Ootzlepn

— TWICE (@JYPETWICE) September 2, 2023

After showing a video montage of JYP Entertainment artists on the big screens, fans scrambling to seize prime spots in already packed standing pits, and singing along to a volume-raising remixed version of the title song ‘SET ME FREE’, it was time to meet TWICE as they opened with the same track followed by megahit ‘I CAN’T STOP ME’. 

If you have been following the READY TO BE tour closely enough, you might have gleaned that the stage performance for ‘GO HARD’ off their 2020 Eyes Wide Open album had gained escalating love and attention throughout the tour and it was evident why. Being able to witness it in person was a visual and auditory delight, to say the least. There were some songs that could only be made better with the right choreography and this was definitely one of them. As if to further prove a point, the lighting dimmed to spotlight TWICE’s silhouettes, emphasising the edginess of the song while the hard-hitting choreography does the rest. 

It was evident how much ONCE have looked forward to this day. That sense of longing and anticipation whilst waiting to see their favourite artists led to zealous screams, exuberant fan chants, and knowing every lyric. As the enthusiasm from their fans transpired, it did not go unnoticed by TWICE. “Don’t you guys think that the chants and screaming from the fans are really loud because we came back after so long?” Jihyo expressed. Nayeon shared similar sentiments as she said: “You guys watched ‘MOONLIGHT SUNRISE’ for the first time so your reaction was really hot. I can hear you singing along even through my in-ear.”

Apart from having the opportunity to witness TWICE’s stellar discography live on stage, solo performances serve as a means to let fans discern different facets of the artists. Always one of the more anticipated parts in any concert, we saw the nine-piece group stunning concertgoers in their own way, expressing artistic individuality, and highlighting their strengths and versatility during the solo stage segment. 

Dahyun - ‘Try’ (Orig. Colbie Caillat) 

Making her appearance in a yellow, fairytale-like gossamer gown, Dahyun played the piano and sang tenderly to Colbie Caillat’s ‘Try’, delightfully serenading fans and embracing the pianist in her that we always look forward to seeing. “I love playing the piano. The sound of the piano gives me comfort and peace.” Fans could not get over the sentiment of the emotional song. “This song is about how you don’t have to try so hard because you’re precious enough just the way you are,” the singer emphasised.

Tzuyu - ‘Done for Me’ (Orig. Charlie Puth, Kehlani)

Tzuyu looked picture-perfect, a vision of confident elegance in an all-white ensemble. When she started performing, you could tell the exact moment her inner confidence emerged and she was enjoying her time on stage just as fans were equally enthralled by her. “I hope you enjoyed this performance. There will be more exciting performances coming so I hope you will continue to anticipate and enjoy the concert tonight,” she expressed in Mandarin. 

Sana - ‘New Rules’ (Orig. Dua Lipa)

A striking contrast to her usual bubbly and vivacious self, Sana chose to present yet another side of her with ‘New Rules’. As fans counted down the number of rules with her, the singer raised the stakes, executing a perfect explosive choreography sequence during the song's chorus. Fans who are still recovering from meeting her sultry gaze will agree that Sana always impresses with stages that alter our usual perception of the creator of the legendary, aegyo-filled “cheese kimbap” viral moment.

Momo - ‘MOVE’ (Orig. Beyoncé, Grace Jones, Tems)

“I prepared a pole dance in two months so I was a little nervous,” shared Momo after her charismatic and high-octane performance, much to fans’ awe. For any nervousness that she might have had, we as fans did not discern any of it throughout her solo stage. First appearing while decked out in a red streetwear-esque outfit, Momo shed her outerwear revealing an all-black ensemble as she transitioned from energetic hip-hop to being the epitome of grace and allure during her pole dance set.

Mina - ‘7 rings’ (Orig. Ariana Grande)

From the moment she started singing, one can’t help but marvel at how this song was perfectly suited for Mina’s soft, airy vocals. What we did not expect, instead, was the dance sequence that complemented the song. A trained ballerina for years, Mina proves to be versatile in dance. “I want it, I got it,” is one of the most iconic lyrics in the song, and if there’s something we can take away from this dynamic performance, it’s that Mina’s got what it takes to captivate thousands of people all at once. “Since the last performance till now, we had some time therefore I was a little nervous but thanks to ONCE’s loud cheers I had so much fun while performing,” Mina shared.

Chaeyoung - ‘My Guitar’ 

It was (quite literally) just Chaeyoung and her guitar but in the moments that followed, ONCE got to see the singer express herself through her self-written unreleased song in an intimate set. Fan chants of “Son Chaeyoung!” after each verse in the song rang loud and clear through the stadium air, encouraging the singer as she took us through a song that depicts her love for the musical instrument. “This is a lovely song where I convey my feelings when I first bought my guitar,” she shared. Here’s hoping we get to hear more self-composed gems from Chaeyoung in the future.

Jihyo - ‘Killin’ Me Good’

All eyes were on Jihyo as she performed her solo track for the first time during their concert tour. It had only been a short period of time since the release of the record on 18 August, but fans can be heard singing along whilst clamouring to get a better view of Jihyo as she performed the rhythmic, R&B dance track which earned the exceptional vocalist her first solo music show win. Excitement was palpable as we finally got to see Jihyo performing her debut solo song before our eyes — a far cry from only being able to view it through screens.

Jeongyeon - ‘CAN’T STOP THE FEELING’ (Orig. Justin Timberlake)

Jeongyeon surprised us with her new solo stage, an infectiously energetic and adorable rendition of Justin Timberlake’s ‘CAN’T STOP THE FEELING’. What stood out was Jeongyeon’s flawless execution of funky moves during the dance break which seemed to further elevate the liveliness of the performance. “At the end, I shouted for everybody to sing,” and fans certainly did. ONCE could not get enough of Jeongyeon’s solo stage and were excited to sing along to the lyrics “got this feelin’ in my body” again with her in the ment that followed.

Nayeon - ‘POP!’

Rounding up the slew of solo performances, Nayeon closed the segment perfectly with her solo debut track, ‘POP!’. Released last year, the viral bubblegum pop number topped global music charts, and a year later, it evidently still remains one of the most unforgettable songs in K-pop. Fans were grooving to the catchy point choreography that sparked a series of dance challenges within the TikTok community and beyond whilst Nayeon had on the brightest smile, radiating cheerfulness as she danced with ONCE for the remainder of the song.

Not one to shy away from gifting surprises with every show that they hold, Singapore ONCE were lucky to be on the receiving end of many “firsts” from the girl group that night. Apart from witnessing solo stages and performances for the first time in Singapore, TWICE introduced a live band to their concerts. The band proved to be a superb addition, complementing their concert repertoire and elevating the musical experience for concertgoers especially for, in this writer’s humble opinion, the song ‘Queen of Hearts’.

When asked to name the first TWICE song that comes to mind, chances are responses would include tracks the likes of ‘CHEER UP’, ‘YES or YES’, and ‘What is Love’. In a medley of hit title songs that followed, ONCE revisited tracks that marked some of the most loved music eras that TWICE had so far. While fans have noticed that a certain subunit’s performance was missing from the setlist, MISAMO, comprising Japanese members Mina, Sana, and Momo, were not about to let ONCE forget about them as they danced to ‘Do not touch’ off their debut unit album Masterpiece during the stipulated dance break in ‘Likey’, much to the delight of fans.

Near the concert's end, TWICE had one more surprise left for fans. Using a spinning roulette wheel, the members picked two songs not included in the setlist to perform in their encore. Eagle-eyed fans would have noticed fan favourite tracks like ‘STRAWBERRY’, ‘BDZ’, and ‘Jelly Jelly’ as some of the options on the roulette wheel. As luck would have it, ‘Like Ooh-Ahh’ and ‘SHOT CLOCK’ were chosen, and as TWICE and ONCE alike sang to the group’s debut song together, we realise just how far the nine members have come since their debut in 2015. 

It seemed like just yesterday when I watched TWICE for the first time during their 2017 debut Singapore show at The Star Theatre. Going from a 5,000-seat venue to now performing two-day sold-out shows at the famed Indoor Stadium, TWICE have come a long way, surpassing all odds and challenges, and their fans, too, have grown alongside them all these years. 

“As time goes by, we become more comfortable being ourselves. We matured as TWICE,” Dahyun shared in the closing ment.

Echoing her thoughts, Sana expressed: “If you’ve watched our concerts from the beginning, you would recognise how much Twice has become different in the four years.”

TWICE will continue the READY TO BE tour with the following stops in Bulacan, Bangkok, Jakarta, and more.

TWICE READY TO BE world tour in Singapore 2023 setlist:

1. SET ME FREE
2. I CAN’T STOP ME
3. GO HARD
4. MORE & MORE
5. MOONLIGHT SUNRISE
6. Brave
7. [Dahyun] Try
8. [Tzuyu] Done For Me
9. [Sana] New Rules
10. [Momo] MOVE
11. [Mina] 7 rings
12. Feel Special
13. CRY FOR ME
14. FANCY
15. The Feels
16. [Chaeyoung] My Guitar
17. [Jihyo] Killin’ Me Good
18. [Jeongyeon] CAN’T STOP THE FEELING
19. [Nayeon] POP!
20. Queen of Hearts
21. YES or YES
22. What is Love
23. CHEER UP
24. Likey
25. Knock Knock
26. SCIENTIST
27. Heart Shaker
28. Alcohol-Free
29. Dance The Night Away
30. Talk that Talk
31. When We Were Kids
32. CRAZY STUPID LOVE
33. Like Ooh-Ahh
34. SHOT CLOCK