Swifties for Jesus

Musings on Taylor Swift & The Eras Tour & Church on Palm Sunday

I could feel the adrenaline in the air. Excitement filled me, and I held my breath as I waited. I don't think I was the only one. Part of me felt like running away, but the other part felt like a moth drawn to a flame. My body felt warm with anticipation while the cold air-conditioning sent a chill down my back.

I was seated in the first row, and my 16-year-old daughter sat beside me at the edge of her seat. As the clock on the jumbotron counted down the seconds, I could hardly breathe. The words, "It's been a long time coming, Big reputation, and they said Speak Now," floated through the stadium, and the anticipation and excitement grew as Taylor Swift's dancers took the stage. We could not see her yet, but we knew it would not be long.

This was not my first Taylor Swift concert. I had previously been at her Reputation Tour 2018; her music has been the soundtrack to our daughter's life. From her early albums, Fearless and 1989, we have had her music playing in the car, on road trips, and at home. Taking an 11-year-old to her first concert was exciting, but Ms. Swift's music and vibe have significantly changed. While she started in country music and successfully crossed over to pop, her music & lyrics have consistently been interesting, intriguing, and addictive.

While I have always known how much teenage girls loved the music of Taylor Swift, I did not realize the depth until the pandemic hit. Between 2020 and 2023, Taylor released Folklore, Evermore, Fearless (Taylor's version), Red (Taylor's version), and the highly anticipated Midnights. I watched our daughter and many others eagerly follow the release of every song on TikTok and Instagram. While I am not a professional music critic, nor do I claim much knowledge about how celebs connect with their fanbase, I realized that she has a unique way of connecting with her fans, who are loyal, diehard fans.

When she rerecorded her Fearless and Red albums, her loyal fans, also known as Swifties, purchased Taylor's version. They not only stood by her and supported her by buying the new CDs but also streamed the new recordings on Spotify and other major streaming giants to the point where even now, "Taylor's version" of the popular songs in both albums still out-stream the original versions.

We have a diehard Swiftie in our home, and we were extremely fortunate to nab two tickets to The Eras Tour. Attending concerts is not my cup of tea, but I was excited to share this evening with my child. Unfortunately, the entire day I had low-level anxiety about getting to Arlington, the weather, standing in line, and even returning home. All the news of lines for merchandise, traffic, and drama did not help quell my anxiety.

On the other hand, our daughter wanted to get home early from school to prepare for the concert. I played along, knowing how important it was to her. Popping an Advil into my mouth and an extra one in my handbag, we drove off to Arlington with friends. The weather was perfect; we even got some merch without much drama. As we found our seats, my anxiety ebbed, and excitement built up. 

And as the lines of Ms.Americana & The Heartbreak Prince & Cruel Summer started, I looked around at the eager, excited faces of young girls all around the stadium, nearly 80,000. I understood the depth of passion and adoration they had for Taylor Swift. As her dancers moved away and the stage rose, and Taylor finally appeared, not only could I hear her sing, but I also listened to the cries, screams, and tears, and every young girl around me knew the lyrics to the song. Not just the first song but to all 44 of them. An impressive setlist by all standards. 

The anticipation of waiting for this concert since the last one in 2018 had built to a fever pitch. Her fans knew her and loved her. They sang along with her in a way that did not overpower her but in complete awe of her. 

While I do not know the lyrics to every Taylor song, I am familiar with her early country crossover albums, and when she stepped out in a sparkly fringe dress, boots, and a guitar, I found myself singing along with Fearless. 

Something happens to us when we attend a Live music concert. As the familiar songs washed over me, I caught myself lifting my hands high as if at a worship concert. Then, finally, I realized what I was doing. I stopped myself, but all around me were people with their hands lifted high, bracelets shining in the dark, singing along to the host of the evening, or perhaps you could also call her the worship leader for the evening.

It struck me then that in 2019 I had attended a worship music concert with thousands of people in a vast stadium. Everyone sang along with the worship leader the entire time. This pop star seemed to have the same effect on her audience.

As she moved from one song on the guitar to a few others on the piano, I couldn't help but be moved as she shared her story while sitting at the piano. She was grateful to her fans for supporting her through the pandemic, supporting the new albums, moving with her to different genres, and sticking with her as she rerecorded her older albums. 

It was interesting to watch a global superstar speak with honesty and even self-deprecation and connect with her audience authentically. While it was moving for me to listen to her as a woman in her mid-40s, I realized that if you were a teen or teen girl, you would be blown away by the authentic way a world-famous pop star spoke to you from the stage. I was deeply moved as Taylor sang From Evermore while playing the piano. It was refreshing, and as she continued with the acoustic guitar and talking to the audience between numbers, I couldn't help but wonder, what if we engaged in this way at a simple worship service?

During the three hours that Taylor performed, I sang along with every song I knew. I loved the sets, the costume changes, and her engagement with her audience. But I looked around at the crowd multiple times during the show. I marveled at my child and everyone around me who sang with her. They Knew Every Lyric. They were passionate; they were engaged. They did not take breaks. They loved her, and she loved them. And as she sang songs familiar to me, I got caught up in the power of her music and the stories she weaves through the lyrics, which drew me in. I knew then that I might not be the demographic she wanted to reach, but I was a Swiftie.

The same weekend, we also celebrated Palm Sunday at church. We sang Hosanna in the Highest as we watched little children walk through church carrying Palm branches. Furthermore, we remembered Jesus entering Jerusalem like a king.

I couldn't help but think of how a music concert with an artist is similar to a church service. In both instances, a community of people with similar interests or beliefs is brought together. The people who come together believe in the power of music. There is an atmosphere of excitement, reverence, and worship. We worship our Lord and Saviour, and while we might not say we worship an artist, we uphold them in high esteem. For Swiftites, there is an element of worship in how they keep up with the artist on social media and follow everything she says and does. On the other hand, Christians should be reading the Bible and trying to live a Godly life.

And finally, both concerts and church services evoke strong emotional responses in the participants. While I felt drawn to lift my hands and worship at the show, I also needed to praise and worship God at church. So, I forced my hands down at the Eras tour but held them high and glorified God in church. Whether we experience excitement, joy, nostalgia, or gratitude & thankfulness, both events move us deeply. 

I left the concert feeling slightly sad that it was over and that I might never again get the chance to see Taylor Swift perform. The adrenaline was still pumping through my veins, and I felt like I was on a high, but I also knew it had ended. All the anticipation & planning of the last few months was finally over. Throughout the weekend, I experienced a sense of loss; Taylor Swift & her team put on a great show. However, it seemed weird to have experienced it and feel strangely empty.

We were done with The Eras Tour, and I forced myself to put it behind me and focus on what lay ahead. When I walked out of church on Palm Sunday, I knew it was not the end. This would not be a one-time event.

Good Friday was around the corner, and while Jesus would face death and descend into hell, He would rise again on Easter Sunday. But, it was not the end. It was just the beginning of our journey into the Easter season, celebrating our Risen Saviour.

Attending The Eras Tour made a massive impact on me! I don't think we have seen the last of Taylor Swift, but I am so thankful we serve a God whose influence on us does not end at a specific time but is lasting. Our worship of Him will never end, and He will continue to love us.

The title for this Substack was suggested by my good friend L.Macdonald

Pictures by L. Rajadurai