Taylor Swift and Her Fans Revolutionize Argentina
As anticipation builds for the first of Taylor Swift's three shows in Buenos Aires, the surroundings of the Estadio Más Monumental are already packed with fans, ready for performances that will attract around 50,000 attendees per concert. Highlighting a career-spanning setlist, Swift's 'The Eras Tour' marks a rare visit to South America, stopping in select cities including São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with Buenos Aires hosting epic shows.
Photo: 08/11/2023.- Fans of singer Taylor Swift arrive in the vicinity of the Más Monumental stadium to attend her concerts in Buenos Aires (Argentina). EFE/Matias Martin Campaya
EFE
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Leer en español: Taylor Swift y sus fanáticas revolucionan Argentina
The expectation before Taylor Swift's concerts
Hours before the first of the three concerts that the American artist Taylor Swift will give in Buenos Aires begins, the surroundings of the Most Monumental Stadium where the recitals will take place that will bring together some 50,000 people per show, began to be covered this Wednesday with a phenomenon that has revolutionized Argentina and other South American countries.
The tour 'The Eras Tour', whose name refers to the presence in the concert of songs from the artist's different albums, arrives in Buenos Aires, one of the few cities in South America that hosts the singer's spectacular recitals with Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.
The affordability of concerts in Argentina
With a very devalued Argentine currency, tickets to see the artist in Argentina are among the cheapest, including the price of the plane ticket, for the international 'swiftie' community, and it is attracting a large audience from other countries who want to live the experience. "I came from Peru and I financed it with all my savings," Ana, a 26-year-old girl, tells EFE. The follower wanted to travel without knowing anything about Argentina and was guided only by her love for Taylor Swift.
And this musical event caused thousands of its fans to save money for months for this moment.
As Andrea, 21, tells it, when she found out she was coming, she saved up and, together with the help of her parents, was able to buy the ticket.
However the artist's arrival in Buenos Aires not only generated an economic impact. It also caused many fans to congregate for months in tents in front of the River Plate field to have the best seats.
"We are a tent of more or less 35 people and we have been waiting since the end of May. We organize ourselves through Excel so that you are never alone," says Andrea.
Her friend Yanina explains that to be part of these camps you have to accumulate about 144 hours each.
Preparing the 'swifties'
Andrea comments that in the tents they spend their time in different ways. Some like her, studying. Others, prepare the "outfits" for the concert. And some go there to rest after work.
And the clothing that the 'swifties' will wear at the concerts is of utmost importance for the followers. Each one wants their clothing to be related to an album by the artist. "I go with Reputation because it is my favorite album, and I bought it a month ago," says Ana.
Taylor Swift's global phenomenon
The American singer has for years become a mass phenomenon that conquers various aspects of the artistic world. One of the most recent is the premiere of her musical documentary 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour', which took a few days to surpass the records of other similar projects by artists such as Justin Bieber or Michael Jackson. "I went to see the movie with my cousin with our outfits for the moment and it was a very nice experience and we were re-excited," says Andrea.
The strength of this community moves mountains on all fronts. For example, the interpreter's current partner, American football player Travis Kelce, has become someone loved by fans who know nothing about the sport, but don't care either. "All the people who are important to her, automatically to we are too," says Andrea.
Through social networks, the mobilization is also impressive, even reaching politics: from several "swifties" accounts they oppose Javier Milei, the libertarian candidate who will compete in the second round of the presidential elections in Argentina.
What is evident is that this event is not a simple concert for Taylor Swift fans, who approach the experience in Buenos Aires as something they have been waiting for for years.
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"She means a lot to me. She's like a mother because, when I need her, her songs are there," Ana declares.
She asks that she hopefully do more music and concerts so that she can enjoy it more and that she continue to accompany them because she feels that they are growing with her.
