Beyonce Knowles performs during "The Beyonce Experience!" tour in Anaheim, California September 1, 2007. Beyonce will not be required to follow a strict dress code when performing next month in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, the organisers of her concert said on Friday. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
JAKARTA (Reuters) - R&B singer Beyonce Knowles will not be required to follow a strict dress code when performing next month in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, the organisers of her concert said on Friday.
Beyonce, known for her skimpy stage outfits, cancelled her debut concert in Malaysia in protest against the nation’s ultra-strict dress code, an industry source said this week.
She has chosen instead to perform in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, on November 1.
“I expect Indonesians to see this in a positive light. She is a great singer and her stage act is entertaining. Why should we say no to the way she dresses?” said Nia Zulkarnaen, a spokeswoman for the concert promoter.
She said there had been no request from the authorities or from any Muslim group requiring Beyonce to cover up.
“Praise be to God, there has been no such demand. They realize it’s positive entertainment for the youth,” she said.
Tickets for the show cost between 2.5 million rupiah ($274) and 750,000 rupiah.
Some Indonesian singers wear skimpy clothes in their videos and on stage. More than 85 percent of Indonesia’s 226 million population are Muslim and most are moderate.