Taylor Swift in Sydney ahead of four sellout concerts
Swift mania has hit Sydney following Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Melbourne shows as one fan shares the moment she was picked to meet her idol
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Taylor Swift has finished her Victorian warm up and is on her way to Sydney for four sequined* sellout* concerts this weekend.
More than 320,000 fans have tickets to the concerts at Accor Stadium with thousands more desperate to get a glimpse of their idol.
Security has increased at the Crown in Barangaroo amid speculation that Swift might stay in the $25,000-a-night penthouse*, which boasts its own open air hot tub and infinity pool*.
In-between tour legs*, Swift told Time she recovers with a ‘dead day*’.
“I do not leave my bed except to get food and take it back to my bed and eat it there,” she said.
“It’s a dream scenario. I can barely speak because I’ve been singing for three shows straight. Every time I take a step my feet go crunch, crunch, crunch from dancing in heels. But it’s the most fulfilled I’ve ever felt.”
Rumours* have swirled about the potential arrival of Swift’s boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, hinting at a venture to an island.
Wherever Swift goes in Australia, bookings and tourism revenue* are sent skyrocketing.
The star’s Swift effect* on economies has even been noted by the US Federal Reserve* and is expected to pump $130 million into the NSW economy.
NSW Tourism Minister John Graham said the arrival of one of the world’s biggest stars was setting Sydney alight.
“We are ready to welcome more than 100,000 visitors to Sydney for Taylor Swift. I know that they will remember her spectacular show, and their time in Sydney, All Too Well,” Mr Graham said in a statement loaded with Swift’s song titles.
“Taylor Swift is a Mastermind of entertainment, an absolute phenomenon, and four straight sold-out stadium shows is going to see audiences Enchanted as the Love Story between Taylor and Australia continues.”
In Melbourne, Swift enchanted a packed MCG with a record-breaking attendance of 96,000 fans each night, totalling 288,000 attendees across three performances.
Celebrities in attendance included TV presenters, musicians, AFL stars, and actors like Olympia Valance and Tom Hawkins, who shared their joy on social media.
But the sweetest moment happened with nine-year-old fan Milana Bruno.
She almost missed the concert because of a Facebook ticket scam* but ended up exchanging her friendship bracelet for Swift’s “22” hat.
Milana thought she was in trouble when she was approached by security before realising they were escorting her to the stage to meet her idol.
Plucked from a crowd of almost 100,000, Milana was so far back in the crowd that she and her younger sister could barely see the stage.
“My girls were dancing on the chairs because they were so far back they couldn’t really see her,” Milana’s mother Renato Bruno told the Herald Sun.
When she asked why her daughter was being marshalled* away, Ms Bruno said the staff member’s face beamed.
“Trust me, she is going to want to come with us,” she said.
Ms Bruno and Claudia tailed behind Milana as she was led through the crowd of adoring fans towards the stage.
“We had to step back when Taylor approached her and she gave Taylor a little friendship bracelet that she had made in exchange for Taylor’s hat,” Ms Bruno said.
“Milana was just crying, she was just so starstruck, just could not believe it.”
Young Milana told the Herald Sun she had a brief conversation as Taylor gave her a hat and a guitar pick used during the show, which she has since given to her sister.
“Awh, thank you so much for coming,” Taylor told Milana on stage.
Following the sweet moment, Ms Bruno said there would be no way her daughter would consider selling Taylor’s hat, adding Milana had told her she was “keeping it forever”.
With Swift-mania* in full swing, Sydney is preparing for her four consecutive shows at Sydney’s Olympic Park.
Despite concerns about asbestos contamination*, the NSW Environment Minister assured fans that the concerts will proceed as planned.
GLOSSARY
- sequined: decorated with small, shiny discs for a sparkly effect
- sellout: all tickets for an event have been sold
- penthouse: a luxurious apartment or house on the top floor of a building
- infinity pool: a swimming pool that appears to merge with the horizon, creating the illusion of an infinite edge
- tour legs: different segments or sections of a concert tour
- dead day: a day of complete rest or relaxation
- rumours: unconfirmed information or gossip
- tourism revenue: money generated from tourist activities
- Swift effect: the positive impact or influence associated with Taylor Swift
- US Federal Reserve: the central banking system of the United States
- ticket scam: deceptive or fraudulent activities related to event tickets
- marshalled: guided or escorted in an organised manner
- Swift-mania: intense excitement or enthusiasm for Taylor Swift
- asbestos contamination: presence of harmful asbestos fibres in the environment
EXTRA READING
Taylor Swift song breaks seven years of silence
Tay Tay named Person of the Year
Taylor Swift breaks new record
QUICK QUIZ
- How many fans have tickets to the concerts at Accor Stadium?
- What does Taylor Swift do in-between tour legs to recover?
- Explain the impact Taylor Swift’s presence has on bookings and tourism revenue in Australia
- What is rumoured about Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce?
- What did Milana exchange for Taylor Swift’s “22” hat?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Super star itinerary
Taylor Swift has wowed Melbourne audiences at her sold out three concerts, but she didn’t get much time to get out and about with her busy schedule.
Now that she has arrived in Sydney, and has a few days to rest and recover before her next shows, design a tourist brochure of things she might want to see and do in her spare time.
Obviously, transport, cost or opening times wouldn’t be an issue for Ms Swift and her entourage! You can be as creative and extravagant as you like!
Design your three day itinerary for Taylor in Australia below:
Day 1 –
Day 2 –
Day 3 –
Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
Taylor mentions in an interview that she has a "dead day" between tour legs. What other things would Taylor have to do to look after her health, her mind and her body to keep fit and healthy performing these demanding shows?
Write a list of treatments that might help her recovery:
–
–
–
–
–
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Taylor Swift’s word hunt
This activity combines reading comprehension with vocabulary building in a fun and engaging way, allowing children to associate learning with excitement around Taylor Swift’s concerts.
Materials needed:
– Printed or written copies of the article
– Pencils or pens
Introduction (5 minutes):
– Briefly discuss who Taylor Swift is and why she is popular
– Explain that there are exciting words hidden in an article about Taylor Swift’s concerts
Word hunt (15 minutes):
– Hand out copies of the article to the children
– Ask them to read through the article and underline or circle any words that they find interesting or new to them
– Encourage them to find at least 10 words
– Words can include names, locations, or any words related to Taylor Swift’s concerts.
Vocabulary sharing (10 minutes):
– Have each child share one word they found and explain what it means
– Create a collective list of these words on a whiteboard or chart paper
Swift bingo (15 minutes):
– Create bingo cards with the words collected by the students (ensure each student has a different arrangement of words)
– Call out definitions or synonyms of the words, and students mark the corresponding word on their bingo cards
– The first student to get a line or complete the entire card shouts, “Swift bingo!”
Discussion (10 minutes):
– Have a brief discussion about the article and what the students learned about Taylor Swift’s concerts
– Ask if there were any challenging words they encountered
Optional:
– Students can create flashcards with the new words they found, drawing pictures or writing sentences to remember their meanings
– Encourage creativity by asking students to write a short story or draw a picture related to Taylor Swift using the new words
This activity combines reading comprehension with vocabulary building in a fun and engaging way, allowing children to associate learning with excitement around Taylor Swift’s concerts.