Fresh off her historic Grammy Awards win, singer Taylor Swift kicks off a month-long, sold-out Asia-Pacific tour on Wednesday in Tokyo, where an excited audience eagerly awaits the star.
• Also read: Super Bowl: Advertising for women thanks to Taylor Swift
• Also read: “The Tortured Poets Department”: Taylor Swift reveals song titles for her upcoming album
• Also read: Taylor Swift is threatening to sue a student who followed her jet
More than a thousand fans braved the cold Wednesday morning in the Japanese capital and formed endless lines to buy products bearing the American star's image ahead of his four concerts in Tokyo.
AFP
They are part of his world tour “Eras Tour”, which has already grossed more than a billion dollars, a first in music history.
“Hello, we are the Swifties of Taiwan,” proclaimed a giant banner with photos of the singer, next to which fans posed for photos outside the Tokyo Dome, the 55,000-seat baseball stadium where the event was to take place. the star's Japanese concerts.
The luckiest were able to secure tickets through a highly competitive lottery, with some traveling thousands of kilometers to applaud their idol.
AFP
“We traveled to Japan especially for the concert because we couldn't get tickets in Australia,” Ebony Donohue, 18, told AFP with a smile.
“I'm so excited to finally see her. All his music is so different. We can easily relate to her, she is strong and amazing,” she added.
She “gives me confidence”
Many fans in miniskirts, shiny jackets or T-shirts with the initials “TS” posed outside the stadium before this concert, which some had been waiting for for several years.
AFP
“I've been listening to his songs since I was in middle school,” said Saya Matsuo, a 25-year-old Japanese man. “It's the first time I've seen them in concert and I'm super excited. He is someone who touches people's hearts, makes them sing and dance. I love his personality.”
“When I listen to his songs, I feel energized and it gives me confidence,” said Hikari Oka, an 18-year-old student who had been waiting in line at the merchandise stand since early morning.
AFP
The Taylor Swift wave peaked on Sunday when the 34-year-old artist made pop history by winning a fourth Grammy for the prestigious title of best album of the year, surpassing Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.
AFP
An express train from Tokyo to Las Vegas on Saturday evening
After her final concert in Japan on Saturday, the star is heading straight to Las Vegas to attend the Super Bowl and applaud her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.
AFP
Their over-publicized romance horrified right-wing commentators and personalities, who began to mass-promote a conspiracy theory that this union wanted to manipulate the great masses of American football and even influence the presidential election in the United States.
AFP
After this romantic and sporty interlude, the pop icon must cross the Pacific again to perform in Australia and Singapore before reaching Europe. A tour that could bring in total sales of $2 billion and cause turmoil in the local economy.
Travel giant Amadeus has seen an “extraordinary increase in interest” in stops on Taylor Swift’s Asia-Pacific tour.
Japan, no longer knowing where to turn this week, is also hosting another global superstar, footballer Lionel Messi, whose team Inter Miami will face Vissel Kobe in a friendly in Tokyo on Wednesday.
It is not yet certain whether the 36-year-old Argentine will be able to play with an adductor injury.