There was some doubt as to whether or not Taylor Swift would show up in the last hours for the premiere of her Eras Tour film, but when she finally did, dressed in a blue Oscar de la Renta ball gown, the crowd went wild.
“I’ve always had fun doing this. I can’t believe I get to do music as a career. That’s crazy,” she said.
According to her, the Eras tour was “the most electric experience” of her whole career.
“I’ve never had this much fun in my life as I have had on The Eras Tour.”
“We did this show rain or shine, in sickness and in health, no matter what was going on in our lives. And we did it with a grin on our face because [of] what greeted us on the other side.”
The film documents three performances at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles this past August, and features songs from throughout her career.
However, the sprawling, four-hour live show has been edited for the cinema, with fan favourite tracks like Wildest Dreams, The Archer and Cardigan missing from the running order.
The UK release date is this coming Friday, but due to “unprecedented demand,” Swift has arranged exclusive “early access screenings” for her US fans.
There was a lot of mystery surrounding the debut on Wednesday, and only a limited group of fans were given seats to the event through Spotify.
The 14-screen movie theatre in the posh Hollywood shopping mall was closed down entirely to accommodate the crowd of fans.
Global advance ticket sales for the film have topped $100 million (£83.2 million). That makes it the most successful concert film ever, surpassing Never Say Never, starring Justin Bieber, which earned $99 million (£80.5 million) in 2011.
Swift’s three-hour film will only be shown on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, unlike most movies, and will likely only be in theatres for about four weeks.
The Swift camp is adamant that the movie be seen by as many people as possible, to simulate a live event. They don’t want half empty cinemas on a lonely weekday afternoon.
In the United States, adults can expect to pay $19.89 before taxes (a reference to both her album’s name and the year she was born) while kids may expect to pay $13.13 (13 is believed to be her lucky number).
Multiple ticket and ID checks, metal detectors, and bag inspections were just some of the security measures used prior to Wednesday’s premiere. There was a long queue of people holding tickets to see Taylor Swift.
Swift’s popularity is nearly unheard of, even in the music industry, which is accustomed to adoration for its top artists.
“She represents the new mega star,” says Sanjay Sharma, a professor of business at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. “She’s not only a successful artist with a huge global following, she’s also a very smart businesswoman.”
The economic boom that occurs whenever Taylor Swift performs is so well-known that it has its own name: “Taylornomics.”
According to Mr Sharma, Swift’s six shows in Los Angeles boosted the local economy by 1-2%.
Reason being, fans are investing more than just in a night out to see Taylor Swift in concert. Air travel, lodging, dining, and shopping are all possibilities. Businesses in the area are taking advantage of the phenomenon by organising Taylor Swift–themed events like pop-up bars and karaoke nights.
“She’s got an audience of people who didn’t get tickets. And then she’s got an audience of people who did get tickets and want to live it over again,” said Elizabeth Scala, who teaches a college course on Swift at the University of Texas in Austin.
“And I think that’s really who’s going to see the film. I don’t really think anybody’s going out of curiosity to see the film.”
Fans of Taylor Swift know all too well that the singer’s popularity may last indefinitely. The actual reason thousands of people travelled to Los Angeles on a Wednesday was to get a sight of their idol.
“That would make my dreams come true,” Kate McGovern told the BBC. “I’d probably die happy that way.”
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