by WRIGLEY ZBYSZEWKI
Everything Has Changed…
And no, I am not referring to to the iconic Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran collaboration, but rather the relevance of Swift in general. It seems that over the past few months, there has been a Blank Space between her and her previous overwhelming fame.
Since 2006, Swift has released 10 studio albums and an additional two re-recorded albums, and gained an extremely loyal fanbase of self-proclaimed “Swifties.” This year, however, has been relatively uneventful for the 33-year-old artist.
Swift released her latest album, Midnights, last October, followed by an announcement of her upcoming Eras Tour, which began in early March. Swift is performing a series of songs from each of her albums not only to reminisce, but also to make up for lost time.
The former Superstar was supposed to go on tour for her 2019 album Lover. But like the rest of the world, her plans were shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On top of all that, Swift released two more albums during the lockdown, Folklore and Evermore.
This gave fans even more to be excited about come time for CDC-approved live performances.
And yet this year has resulted in a resounding lack of support, fandom and turnout at any of her concerts. It seems as though the supposed Love Story between Ms. Swift and her fans has simmered out.
The first glimpse into this lull stems back to initial ticket sales for the Eras Tour. Tickets went live for all 52 of her concert dates last Nov. 15 through Ticketmaster. While some may have expected Swifties from around the globe to rush to any nearby device to secure their coveted spots, Ticketmaster sales were surprisingly low. Some even began to wonder if the site was broken or had a glitch. But no.
Swift eventually resorted to offering free tickets to some of her fans, as people were simply unwilling to spend any money to see her live. At one point, Swift took to the streets and canvassed neighborhoods, showing up on people’s doorsteps and straight up asking them to come show her some support.
She’d often lead by saying, “this is me trying,” but the quick-witted reference to the Folklore track only seemed to enchant a small number of fans. At the end of her conquests, Swift was forced to cancel shows at several different venues and stadiums due to the massive undersell across the country.
The tour started in Arizona on March 17, with the first show held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, site of the last Super Bowl. Due to her loss in deposit on the location, however, Swift had to resort to something a little more cost-efficient.
She hit the streets with backup singers and dancers for a classic sidewalk performance. While her shows in the past have yielded millions of dollars to both her and her team, Swift was only able to scrape by with a few fistfulls of spare change from sympathetic bystanders. She collected the money in her guitar case, desperate for funds to feed her three cats, Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button.
Some may have hoped Swift’s performance was a one-time happening, perhaps an attempt to bridge the gap between her elite status and the average citizen. But even after the underwhelming opening night, Swift continued to choose … unusual locations for her following performances. From playing in small bars across Arizona to Las Vegas train stations, Swift is barely making ends meet when it comes to attention.
With more than 40 “concerts” still on the horizon, her few remaining fans not only worry about her source of income but also her professional future. Critics and fans alike wonder if Swift could one day regain enough status to perhaps serve as an opening act for other groups or singers.
Let’s hope she Swiftly finds her way Out Of The Woods.
The Mainsheet 