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harbinger | noun
har·bin·ger | \ˈhär-bən-jər\
1. one that initiates a major change: a person or thing that originates or helps open up a new activity, method, or technology; pioneer.
2. something that foreshadows a future event : something that gives an anticipatory sign of what is to come.
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My experience as a Swiftie, an enthusiastic fan of the singer Taylor Swift, has been an emotional rollercoaster over the last few years.
From being a diehard Swiftie, I completely stopped listening to her music. However, last year’s Eras Tourdocumentary series became the final turning point in my journey so far. After watching it, I became her biggest fan and supporter again.
My admiration began in 2022, and started with listening only to her most popular songs, but it gradually developed into memorising every single lyric by heart. By the end of the year, she became my top artist in Spotify Wrapped.
Getting tickets to the Eras Tour – Taylor Swift’s record-breaking sixth concert tour, which lasted an astonishing 21 months – was a non-negotiable step in my journey as a Swiftie. I booked tickets back in 2023 for the 10 August 2024 show in Vienna, as that was the closest place to Budapest where Taylor was going to perform.
I remember waking up excited every day, counting how many days were left. That excitement lasted until 7 August, when Taylor Swift announced the cancellation of all three of her Vienna shows. The reason for the cancellations was a possible security threat linked to a terrorism plot, which the authorities quickly foiled by arresting the two suspects.
My joy quickly turned into devastation as I realised that my dad wasn’t joking about the news and that I wouldn’t be able to see my favourite artist live – for the first time.
I was deeply shaken by the announcement, because at the time Taylor’s music was the only thing that helped me get through my toughest moments and cheered me up after a horrible day at school.
Listening to her songs, I experienced what it felt like to be completely understood for the first time in my life.
Dealing with such heavy emotions was challenging, but the fact that I was not carrying this weight alone truly helped me cope. Despite the disheartening news, I still ended up going to Vienna, which was probably one of the best decisions I could have made.
The Swiftie community became my anchor in getting over my sadness. It was heartwarming to see how many Swifties banded together in Vienna. We all met at Corneliusstrasse (“Cornelius Street” in German), because of the reference it made to Taylor’s song ‘Cornelia Street’.
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As we danced on the streets in our handmade concert outfits, exchanged friendship bracelets(just like we were supposed to do at the concert) and chanted our favourite lyrics, my grief slowly turned into joy.
However, in the long run this was still not enough for me to completely let go of what happened. I remained upset over how Taylor and her PR team handled the situation.
Many fans, including me, felt disappointed by her initial silence and lack of personal, direct communication. She didn’t mention the cancelled concerts until two weeks later, in the caption of an Instagram postsumming up the European leg of the tour.
Although the tickets were refunded, we believed there could have been a better way to manage the cancellation, which would have made losing this long-awaited experience easier for me.
The Friendship Tree in Vienna, a fan memorial created after Taylor Swift cancelled her shows in the city.
The dissatisfaction created a lot of tension in me at the time and even led me to completely abandon her fanbase. The actions of our favourite celebrities can stir up disapproval similar to what we feel in a friendship. On the other hand, if this special tie between artist and audience is used wisely, it can greatly benefit a celebrity’s career and popularity.
A great example of this is the Eras Tour documentary, which not only offered an insight into the preparation behind Taylor’s record-breaking tour, but was also a smart, strategic move to regain her Vienna fanbase’s trust and restore their connection.
For me personally, the way Taylor talked in the docu-series about the cancelled Vienna concert in a heartfelt manner was deeply touching and showed how much she cares about her fans. Her vulnerability finally provided the closure I needed to move on from my disappointment and return to fully supporting her and her art.
In the past few years, my music taste has changed a lot, but at the end of the day, my answer to the question “Who’s your favourite singer?” will always be the same: Taylor Swift.
Born in 2008 in Budapest, where she still lives and studies, Viola is interested in journalism, pop culture, international relations and psychology.
In her free time, she plays piano, dances and enjoys daydreaming while listening to music. She also loves taking long walks in the countryside with her dogs.
Viola speaks English, Hungarian, French and German.
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