Whether it be due to her new relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce, her recognition as Time’s Person of the Year, her Eras Tour going global, or quickly becoming synonymous with the performance of the economy, Taylor Swift continues to prove why she is so prominent amongst fans and in the media. However, having such a significance to society and the economy can have both advantages and disadvantages.
Travis Kelce, a football player for the Kansas City Chiefs, has stolen the heart of one of America’s most popular stars: Taylor Swift. The two were first spotted holding hands together at Catch Steak, a popular restaurant in New York City, soon capturing the attention of every media outlet in the country. However, to the surprise of many, it seems that Kelce and Swift had been growing their relationship before their first outing together. Their romance is speculated to have begun in July, when Kelce was seen at Swift’s Eras Tour performance at Arrowhead Stadium. Later on during an appearance on the “The Pat McAfee Show,” Kelce said, “I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead. You might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead…” throwing the ball in her court.
Fans of both Swift and football have shared their thoughts on the up-and-coming romance. Many football fans have called out Swift, commenting on her popularity and worrying she’ll take away from the football atmosphere by the amount of screen time she gets when she appears at the Chiefs games. On the other hand, many Taylor Swift fans, also known as “Swifties,” have continued to show their support, expressing how they are overjoyed to see Swift in what appears to be a happy relationship.
“Taylor’s new relationship with Travis is probably the most open relationship she has had and I love it. They both support each other whether it’s going to his football games or going to her concerts,” sophomore Zoe Odeh said.
Most recently, Taylor Swift was honored by Time magazine with the recognition of Person of the Year. This annual issue of the magazine features the person, group, idea or object that most accurately represents the people in the world and has had the most influence on the previous year. In Swift’s in-depth interview with Time, she discussed her art, her life experiences and how she got to where she is today.
“I’m so happy that Taylor Swift got named Time’s Person of the Year. She has so much talent that is shown throughout her music and she has become such an inspiration to so many people,” junior Grace Leonard said.
Despite her busy schedule and multi-faceted claim to fame, Taylor Swift is dedicated to bringing her music live to her devoted fans. Selling nearly 5 million tickets throughout 60 tour dates, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is the highest-grossing tour of all time. After having many shows in the United States, Swift decided to further branch out and share her live music with the rest of the world. It was decided in June that after completing the US leg of the Eras Tour, Taylor would continue to perform in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia. On June 19, 2023, Taylor Swift announced this news on Twitter, generating joy and eagerness from her international fans.
Swift makes a significant profit from these tours, as do the venues, regional economies and live entertainment sector. Data indicates that, on average, about 54,000 people attended each event during the U.S. leg of the tour. On Ticketmaster, the average price for fans to pay for their tickets was $254, but resale values reached highs of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. Along with generating so much revenue on her tour, Swift continuously generates strong commercial results with her albums and singles, boosting the music industry’s overall earnings. Her releases frequently get strong figures for sales and streaming, having hundreds of millions of streams, including a roughly 80% rise in the number of people listening to her back catalog in the weeks after the tour’s start.
Due to her immense success, Swift decided to thank the people who worked behind the scenes and on stage during her tour. She gave bonuses to workers totaling $55 million. The money was distributed to dancers, riggers, sound technicians, catering personnel and truckers.
“I think it’s very generous and it really shows her recognition to those who have helped her get to where she is,” business teacher Ms. DelVecchio said.
As Swift’s life and career develop outside of the release of music, she continues to build her reputation as one of the highest-rated musical stars this country has seen.
