It’s the summer of 2018, going into my sophomore year of high school. The shock album of the year was just dropped back in November and the Swifties are still recovering from it. And now, on this August night, I was going to see Taylor and hear her best discography yet in person.
To fully comprehend the significance of this tour, you must understand the lack of interaction Taylor had with not only the media, but also her fans for the entire year between 2016 and 2017.
As a response to the backlash she acquired in 2016, Taylor went completely silent and hidden from the public eye, eventually deciding to release the Reputation album and tour without any press; no talkshows, no magazine covers, nothing.
And as Swift refused to provide the media with content, she consequently deprived her fans as well. Therefore, this August night was different than any other cool, crisp summer night.
No, this night was bustling with excitement and impatience as girls gathered in front of the enormous sold-out Heinz Field stadium, dressed in costumes from the singer’s discography or waving signs in hopes of attracting the attention of the pop icon. (Those who succeeded in doing so would eventually be invited by Swift’s mom to meet Taylor after the show.)
And while I would have loved to meet Taylor and certainly matched the energy of the most outgoing fans, I was not in costume nor did I have a sign but this night nonetheless was still the moment I, and all other fans, yearned for during the past 12 months, a moment to hang out with Taylor.
In fact, in a greater effort for Taylor to interact with her fans, we were given light up bracelets as we entered because, according to Taylor, “no matter what, (she) can see every one of (us) in the stadium.”
And whether or not you spent your last dime on pit, front-row tickets or you were in the nosebleeds, Taylor acknowledged and appreciated you being there.
As a fan, the way she made sure to make us feel heard and seen was very crucial to personalizing the experience of the tour. To her, you aren’t just another seat in the stadium, you’re someone who knows the words to the songs she crafted, who loses their voice screaming lyrics at the top of their lungs, and who chose to spend your Saturday night to go see her.
In those two hours, we were more than just fans who paid to be there and see her perform. That August night, is where Taylor could finally put a face to the millions of streams behind a song. And at last, the tour had the ability to establish this real, special connection between the fans and Taylor.
And while some may argue Reputation wasn’t her best tour, as a result of this connection, I believe it was her most meaningful tour; where she got to reconnect with her most devoted fans, those who stuck by her in her self-proclaimed “worst.”
Thus, the Reputation Tour was more than just a “comeback” for Taylor, it was where she found those who would be her Endgame.
*For more information, you can find the full Reputation Stadium Tour on Netflix.
