07/29/23 - SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA @ LEVI’S STADIUM

BY MICHELLE MANCILLA

The newly elected mayor gives her all in an unforgettable concert experience. On a warm evening in Swiftie Clara, the Levis Stadium wasn’t just a sold-out arena; it was transformed into a giant Swift-themed slumber party where all your best friends are invited. It was filled with fans showing off their creative DIY outfits containing subliminal messages, exchanging beaded friendship bracelets, and indulging in their freedom of expression. It was the night of Girl Power, where femininity was the ambience of this captivating show. Era’s was not just the name of the performance about to unfold, it was Taylor’s personal way of embodying every chapter of her life.

Emerging from the waves of pinks, purple, and gold is America’s favorite Lover. A natural born performer, she takes the stage with her opening act of ‘Miss Americana and the Heart Break Prince’. She is beautiful in her gold sequined bodysuit, with her glowing presence bestowing upon the fans. Although it is only the beginning of the show, the audience is committed to seeing what she has planned for them. With her seventh album being carefully chosen as her opening Era, she gets the crowd pumped for a night of her best work.

[Credit: TAS Rights Management]

As Taylor strummed the opening chords of ‘Fearless’, I am suddenly back to being teenager listening to the record in my mom’s old pickup truck. However, in front of me is not a young country singer, it is a mature woman who has evolved into one of the worlds biggest pop stars. In a crowd of 70,000 people, only Taylor can have everyone singing ‘You Belong With Me’ word-for-word at the top of their lungs. The audience went on to recite every lyric from 1989 hit ‘Style’, to the revised 10 minute version of ‘All Too Well’. Every song was sung in a unison so great that if someone were to speak anything other than the lyrics, the sentence could be easily heard— This is a feat only Taylor Swift can perfect.

[Credit: TAS Rights Management]

The concert continues with each Era elaborately planned out. Taylor incorporated stimulating visuals including pyrotechnics, light displays, and montage clips playing on the massive screen behind her. The visuals mixed well together, giving the performance a theatrical appeal that complimented Taylor’s talent for storytelling. She not only paints a story into a song, but she brings the story to life on stage. The outfits perfectly represented each era and reflected the many different styles of Taylor Swift. From a sequined snaked bodysuit, to a princess gown, each outfit was carefully thought out and “Taylored” to perfection. Along with her wardrobe, the pop stars vocals and choreography were maintained exceptionally. Throughout the course of three and a half hours, she never missed a step or sang off key, and kept the energy and excitement at an all time high. It is clear her fuel for this outstanding performance stemmed from the immense love the audience delivered— As Taylor took a seat at her piano, the crowd chanted her name and she could only stare in awe, speechless; There was no one else we were more in love with than Taylor Swift, and she was in love with us right back.

[Credit: TAS Rights Management]

If you were to look up the meaning of ‘Girl Power’, countless photos of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour would appear. Taylor’s decision to have Haim & Gracie Abrams open the show successfully amplified the strength in femininity. Taylor connected the path to be both strong and empowering in a soft, gracious way. She is truly talented at channeling her pain, happiness, and everything in-between into relatable songs that express what we all go through. She not only embraces emotional key points in her life, but also counters them with songs that bring hope and love to help overcome. Taylor narrates her growth through performing her Eras, to connect with the audience so they can connect with each other. It is no coincidence that her song writing talent has the ability to touch her fans, and it is no surprise that she can come back years later to a sold-out stadium tour. Taylor’s performance was a reminder that no matter what someone is going through, there is an era for every fan, and sometimes all you got to do is Shake it Off.

[Credit: TAS Rights Management]