Taylor Swift Ends Vienna Silence, Expresses Gratitude to London

Taylor Swift addressed the canceled concerts in Vienna, revealing that the thwarted terrorist plot “filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt.” More than 450,000 tickets were sold for the Eras Tour’s five-night stint at Wembley Stadium. The singer also unveiled production secrets in a new video. Though Swift may have a break from the tour, she has plenty of football games to catch. Paramore recreated an iconic moment, and Travis Kelce is setting the stage for his acting career.

Swift wrote a lengthy post discussing the end of the European leg of her tour, thanking London and explaining why she waited until Aug. 21 to comment on the Vienna cancellations.

“Having our Vienna shows canceled was devastating,” she said in a detailed Instagram post that continued into the comments section. “The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows. But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”

This marked the first time the singer weighed in on the canceled concerts. The Austrian event producer, Barracuda Music, released a statement on Aug. 7, saying, “With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety.” Thousands of fans gathered in the streets to sing Swift’s songs. Her team reportedly went on lockdown while officials arrested three teenagers in connection with the threat.

“In cases like this one, ‘silence’ is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to,” Swift continued on Wednesday’s Instagram post. “My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that.”

Seven years ago, Taylor Swift deleted all her social media and, like her “Lover” house, burned every former post to the ground. She hit 666 posts before the Wembley shows, significant because “Reputation” is her sixth album. She sang “I Did Something Bad” on Saturday night, which was the only song from the album she hadn’t performed on the Eras Tour.

Fans speculated that Taylor Swift was going to announce the “Delicate” album during her final night in London. Concertgoers and online live-streaming viewers waited for her to come out in a different catsuit than her standard black-and-red serpent piece. They watched as she introduced “producer of the century” Jack Antonoff during her acoustic set. However, no new album was announced.

Instead, fans who stayed until the end on Tuesday got to watch the fresh music video for her second single “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.” The 3-minute video includes backstage and under-the-stage shots of how Swift pulls off some of her coolest stunts. It showed string lights inside the “cleaning cart” and a pulley system Swift uses to zoom down the catwalk. It also offered a perspective of being given the “22” hat and how Swift dives into the stage following her acoustic set.

Florence Welch joined Swift onstage for “Florida!!!” The song was added to the “Tortured Poets” set, not the acoustic section. Between the Mandy Moore choreography and swampy-green animations, it could be a huge setup for only one show. Will Swift sing the full song by herself or invite other guests on stage in Miami? Maybe Gracie Abrams, the opening act for the rest of the tour, will join her.

Speaking of the opening act, Paramore wrapped up their final stop in London after 48 shows. They opened Swift’s concert with an homage to an iconic moment in Wembley Stadium history. Before the band’s final song “This Is Why,” lead singer Hayley Williams belted “ay-oh,” a nod to Freddie Mercury’s legendary performance during Live Aid in 1985.

One year ago, the Internet broke when Swift appeared on national television cheering on Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce next to his mom, Donna. While pundits debated whether the relationship was real, the couple had already gotten to know each other out of the public eye. The world followed their romance for 13 games, culminating in the Super Bowl. Kelce has signed for two more seasons. Swift does not have concert conflicts with 14 of the 18 regular season games.

Swift’s last Instagram story began with “in summation,” which is the last trademark of “Tortured Poets.” The singer also released the music video for “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,” the last song on her Eras Tour set. These moves indicate that Swift might be transitioning into her next era. Fans speculate “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” will be released next year due to her pattern of album releases: 2-1-2-1-2. Timing is crucial for Swift, especially with the upcoming election. If she endorses a candidate, it could have significant repercussions.

Source: USA Today Network, Barracuda Music