‘I went to Eras Tour but never listened to a Taylor Swift album before – it was like a cult’

But as an avid gig-goer, when a family member snagged me a ticket, I couldn’t possibly turn it down. For me, I have never been a hysterical fan of anyone – I get more excited for a sausage roll buffet than I do for someone who sings songs for a living.

So, it’s no surprise I haven’t fallen for the multi-generational mass hysteria that has consumed the lives of many since the tour kicked off in March 2023. Though, I find myself as a thorn amongst the cow-boy boot and sequin-clad Swifties piling off the tube and into the foreground of Wembley Stadium.

Even before getting into the iconic entertainment venue, the atmosphere was buzzing – electric even. The Swifties looked absolutely beaming to be surrounded by fellow comrades where they swapped the beaded friendship bracelets threaded with letters spelling out song titles or lyrics.

It almost felt like I was back at school, being left out of the new cool trend that I didn’t want to be a part of anyway.

But, good job my step-brother surprised me with three beaded bracelets that would help disguise me as one of the hysterical fans – some who had been queuing since the early hours of the morning.

With somewhat of a Swiftie uniform, I braced myself to be surrounded by fans who are capable of causing seismic activity.

The countdown was literally on as a clock beamed onto the massive screen behind the stage. Before that though, snippets of behind-the-scenes of the tour rolled. It’s like we aren’t already going to have a three-and-a-half-hour dosage of Miss America.

With 10 seconds left, the crowd became progressively louder until I had to shove my fingers in my ears to perhaps endure a less painful way to perforate my eardrums. Impressively, the crowd never came to a lull; just a constant roar that became the backing track for the evening.

Swifties aren’t scared of making noise, nor tonsillitis or tinnitus for that matter. But, for someone who isn’t a fan, I quickly found myself influenced to join in with, at first, a singular ‘woo’ that quickly turned into a chain of cheering from me.

She first belted out Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince before moving onto huge hit Cruel Summer – a song I know and do find myself singing in the car from time to time.

I thought it would take me a bit longer than the second song to start singing with the thousands of Swifties in unison. Admittedly, I just couldn’t help myself. What is happening to me?

A sequin emblazoned Taylor then put on even more sequins in blazer form for ‘The Man’ – lyrics that make a nod to how she’d climb higher quicker if she wasn’t a woman.

Who doesn’t like a boppy feminist anthem? Probably a lot of people, but that’s something I can get behind.

To finish off her ‘Lover’ era, multi-faceted Taylor picked up her guitar for Christmas-infused ‘Lover’. Again, this is one of the songs that I do know and happen to love. So much so, Taylor moved me to tears. Well, one.

It could have been the extortionately priced £7.85 Stella, that fact that I’m due-on or perhaps I have now too been indoctrinated into the Swifie cult. Either way I was moved to one pathetic singular tear. That’s all you’re getting from me emotion-wise, Taylor.

Unless you’re a psychopath, it’s difficult not to be moved in some sort of way after listening to songs mainly about heartbreak for three hours.

It’s like being in a weird time capsule where you’re transported back to being an angsty emotional wreck of a teenage girl.

And that’s probably why one of Taylor’s first hits ‘Love Story’, released 18 years ago, resonated with an audience of all ages.

Even though I was just six when the song about ‘Romeo throwing pebbles’ and ‘crying on staircases’ hit the charts, somehow I managed to recite most of the lyrics.

Now, I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been suppressing my Swiftie tendencies all this time? Or do I just have Taylor Swift Stockholm Syndrome?

Well, as the 34-year-old continued to reel off her hits like ’22’ and ‘Blank Space’, I began to realise that I was too jumping up and down and singing the words right back at her.

Taylor eventually reached her newer songs and albums like Folklore and Tortured Poems Department, as I realised that I most definitely am not a Swiftie.

I didn’t really know any of the songs, but I did continue to sway. It’s the taking part that counts, right? I was quickly reminded of my place as she stood up after playing the piano and the crowd just roared with adoration for the singer for five minutes.

I neither have the passion nor lung capacity for that. Even Taylor appeared to be overcome with emotion, placing her hand over her heart and giving herself a little cuddle as her minions screamed for her.

And it just makes you remember that Swift is a human too, despite her ability to churn out hit after hit and perform to perfection like an AI installation.

She continued with her impressive roster of upbeat pop tunes and acoustic guitar-accompanied ballads – along with the theatrics, pyrotechnic gimmicks and dancers for support, though none of that is needed.

On the commute home, I found myself humming and gently singing Love Story and 22; it was just slipping out and I found it impossible to stop.

What happened to the indifferent woman I once was? I’m not going to be plastering my room with Taylor Swift posters anytime soon, nor am I going to overhaul my wardrobe with Eras Tour merch.

But, I may be converted into a partial Swiftie.

Taylor Swift fans are known to experience post-concert amnesia, so perhaps maybe I just have lost my mind.

Either way, Taylor has a new fan in me – whether I like it or not.