Swiftmania hits Australia as Taylor Swift gears up for first Melbourne show on Friday
Hundreds of fans have descended on the MCG, forking out up to $600 on merchandise, to soak up the atmosphere hours ahead of Swift’s appearance.
Swiftmania has well and truly broken out as megastar Taylor Swift touched down in Melbourne overnight ahead of her first Australian show for her career-defining Eras Tour on Friday night.
From spending $600 on merchandise to hand-sewing concert outfits and crafting friendship bracelets to trade, if anything is to be said about superstar Swift’s legion of fans it’s that they are dedicated.
As the pop princess is due to perform what could be her biggest show of her highly-anticipated tour, hundreds of Taylor Swift fans, better known as Swifties, took to the MCG to soak up the atmosphere and buy merchandise.
While Swift will play three sold out shows in Melbourne and four in Sydney, that didn’t stop fans from all over the country and New Zealand from buying tickets.
Ella Passchier, 18 and her friend Jorja Elson, 19, flew in from Perth this morning and headed straight to the early merchandise tents with suitcases in hand. Some fans have waited up to an hour to secure hoodies and tees.
“We booked the tickets back in June and it’s crazy to think it’s actually here. All we kind of talk about is Taylor so it’s surreal that we’re here,” Ella said. “I think I spent $600, so I got stuff for the family and friends who couldn’t come.”
Her friend Jorja said she “only spent $300” but said it was “still a lot”.
Emilia Molloy, 21, crossed the ditch from New Zealand to see Swift, who she says she fell in love with when she saw her at the Red Tour in 2013.
“I’ve gone to every concert in New Zealand since, she didn’t have a concert in New Zealand this time, so I came to Australia,” she said.
Adrian Crisante, 24, said Swift means “everything”.
“I’ve been a fan since like 2008 when Fearless first came out, it was my first album that I had on my iPod that I got for Christmas when I was in year 5, and she’s been my favourite singer since then,” he said
Adrian and his friend Chloe White, 22, are hoping the megastar will use one of her Melbourne concerts to announce the re-recording of her 2017 album Reputation.
“We have theories that she’s going to announce it here but we’ll see,” he said.
Ciara is one of the fans who have gone the extra mile and has sewn her own outfit, taking inspiration from the dress Swift wore at the 2021 Grammys.
Taylor Swift will play at Melbourne’s MCG on Friday, Saturday and Sunday before flying to Sydney to play Accor Stadium on February 23, 24, 25 and 26.
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