Why Aussie Swifties are obsessed with Spotlight

Taylor Swift fans are known for causing a ruckus on social media, and now they’re weirdly obsessed with a surprising Aussie retailer.

Aussie Swifties are ransacking Spotlight stores. Picture: TikTok, Getty Images.

Taylor Swift fans are known for causing wild scenes on social media, but now Aussie Swifties are rioting over … Spotlight?

Australian fans of the pop superstar are rushing to the crafts store, which they have dubbed a one-stop shop for an accessory that’s become emblematic of Swift’s Eras Tour.

Swifties all over the world are celebrating the tour by making colourful “friendship bracelets” that feature a title or short phrase from one of Swift’s songs, surrounded by a rainbow of plastic beads. The fans stack dozens of the bracelets on their wrists and even trade them with other concertgoers or gift them to venue staff as a kind of memento.

Australian Taylor Swift fans are flocking to Spotlight. Picture: TikTok.

The store has been dubbed a one-stop shop for friendship bracelet beads. Picture: TikTok.

“It’s a nice way for us all to be connected,” one Eras Tour attendee in the US told The Hollywood Reporter.

“It’s great to see the staff get into it and for everyone to have a good time bonding over their love for Taylor Swift.”

Down Under, Spotlight has become the go-to shop for Swifties to pick up the colourful beads in preparation for the Eras Tour, which arrives in Sydney and Melbourne in February next year.

One fan admitted she had spent more than $100 on the colourful beads, while others said the shelves at their local Spotlight stores were empty after being “ransacked” by Swifties.

Swift will not arrive in Sydney or Melbourne for more than six months. Picture: Mat Hayward/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management.

“The organised alphabet letters will save your life,” one Taylor mega-fan captioned a TikTok video in which she showed Spotlight shelves filled with various monogrammed and decorative beads.

Another Swiftie said in a separate video she wasn’t a “crafty person” but the bead art was making her feel “like a kid again”.

“If you have a VIP membership, they are a little cheaper as well and they always have a lot of sales,” the fan added.

More Eras ticketholders posted videos of their local Spotlight stores to help their fellow Swifties know where stock was available.

“I may or may not have spent over $100 for beads,” one fan admitted. “The concert’s like eight months away but it’s never too early to prepare.”

“I think I’m gonna have to go to Spotlight,” another replied.

The fans make and trade the bracelets as a kind of memento. Picture: Instagram.

“It’s a nice way for us all to be connected,” one fan in the US said. Picture: TikTok.

Yet more fans suggested alternative retailers after finding their local Spotlight store had few beads left in stock.

“My spotlight sold out of letter beads. I’m so sad,” one person said.

“I ordered some on Temu! I also got some beads from Kmart and Look Sharp!” another user suggested.

“My Spotlight has been ransacked! Temu for the win!” someone else replied.

Even mums and dads got involved in the fray.

“TAKE YOUR KIDS TO SPOTLIGHT,” one mum wrote in a popular Australian bargain-hunting Facebook page.

“My daughters missed out on Eras tickets but making the bracelets has lifted their spirits a little bit. We all do it together!”

“Oh been there, done that with daughters six weeks ago. Coffee table is still covered in various creations but you know what? Girls are off their phones, laughing and chatting and singing Taylor Swift songs, so no harm really,” added another.

The Eras Tour is on its way to becoming the most lucrative music tour of all time. Picture: John Medina/Getty Images

Swift has built an illustrious career by treating her hordes of admiring fans as if they were her close friends — as well as sheer talent and some serious athletic prowess.

The Eras Tour is well on its way to becoming the most lucrative music tour of all time. It has grossed more than A$450 million from 1.1 million ticket sales, according to Pollstar.

Due to staggering demand, Swift more than doubled her number of shows, from 52 to 106 concerts worldwide.

The 33-year-old will perform seven shows in Sydney and Melbourne when she arrives next February. According to The West Australian, she is likely to earn an estimated $35 million for the two-week stint Down Under — that’s $5 million per concert.

Speaking to the crowd at her Los Angeles show on Wednesday night, Swift sent fans into a frenzy when she announced the release of the much anticipated “1989” (Taylor’s Version).