Music megastar Taylor Swift is in Melbourne for her much anticipated Australian shows, and her fans across the country include many Greek Australians.
Swift plays three shows over three nights at the MCG in Melbourne this weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Then she’ll head over to Sydney next week for another four shows at Accor Stadium, from Friday to Monday.
The 14-time Grammy winner currently holds the top five spots on the ARIA album chart in Australia, she has now become a cultural conversation.
But why have so many become obsessed with the singer?
Very much infatuated by her, that ‘Swifties’, as her fans have been called, earlier this week gathered up the road from the MCG for a ‘Swiftposium’ – an academic deep dive into the singer’s cultural impact.
The keynote speaker was American Brittany Spanos (Greek from her grandfather), a senior writer for the Rolling Stone and teacher of a Taylor Swift course at NYU.
She spoke to the ABC about what draws people to her.
“(Last year) would confirm my suspicions that she had somehow become the most god-like superstar in the planet, bigger than I thought was even possible,” she said.
Spanos also pointed to Swift’s connection with her fans.
“She’s always been so engaged with her fandom. She’s commenting on videos, she’s engaging with people … she’s really active in a way that’s so fascinating — she doesn’t have to do, but she still chooses to do it.”
The Taylor Swift expert also spoke about how pre-internet, pop-cultural movements like this were more common, The Beatles, Madonna and Michael Jackson to name a few but thinks because we have very few of that now, people want to be part of “something bigger than yourself.”
Neos Kosmos spoke to some Greek Australian fans who are attending a Taylor Swift concert this week in Melbourne.
Their love for Taylor strongly supports Spanos’ beliefs.
Dimitria, 22 and Ivy, 18, spent the entire day with their laptops, waiting in the queue with what felt like the entire Australia, trying to get tickets.
They spent almost the whole day stressing and worrying that they could possibly miss out on seeing their favourite artist live.
The two sisters will be attending with their cousin Christina, 21, and the three have been busy creating outfits and friendship bracelets for the occasion. Dimitria has spent weeks crafting her outfit.
Ivy says she relates to some of Taylor’s songs, like Archer, “which is about anxiety – the beat of the song is a heart racing.”
“Every emotion I could be feeling, I have a song of hers that I can listen to.
“I love how connected she is with the fans, always surprising us and leaving Easter Eggs (clues) for us to figure out what’s next.”
Cleo 16, is going to Sydney with her mum to see Swift because she could not find any tickets in Melbourne.
“I am going to Sydney to see her because she’s one of my all time favourite artists, I’ve been to her last two concerts (1989 and Reputation) in Melbourne and this is all her “eras” altogether.
“Because of the craziness surrounding tickets, Sydney tickets were the only ones we could get.”
Cleo told Neos Kosmos, that Taylor “is really inspiring considering all the hardship she’s faced.”
“I can’t really remember a time where I didn’t like, or support, Taylor Swift, and as I’ve gotten older her range of genres allows not just me but other fans to stay interested, feel a sense of inclusion and personal connection to her music as it can speak to people from all walks of life.”
Like other Swifties, Cleo has her outfit sorted, “for the debut era with silver cowgirl boots and a white mini dress and I have made lots and lots of friendship bracelets!”
Rebecca, 18 and Helena, 20, another pair of Taylor Swift loving sisters who are keen for this weekend.
For them, it took two whole days to get tickets, which Rebecca says was “frustrating.”
“I was fortunate to be in Greece when tickets went on sale, so it was up to my sister to go through the stress of securing the tickets,” Helena said.
The two have planned their outfits, while their god-brother has made over 150 bracelets for them to trade with others.
Rebecca says she liked how Taylor’s music covers a wide variety of genres – “so there’s always something for everyone.”
Helena also points to how Taylor likes to surprise her fans, with one example being when she unexpectedly announced a new album at the Grammys, that people did not expect.
“I love how she always has something up her sleeve, whether it be announcing a new album or playing a secret song, you never know what she has in store.”
Catherine, 28, had a much harder time securing a ticket saying it was “extremely difficult” to get.
“My tickets didn’t come from a release, it was a resold ticket from a friend of a friend and I’m paying a f*cking stupid amount for it because of how desperate I was to go.”
She goes on to say that Taylor is an “icon” and will one day be a “legend.”
“A true role model for women across the world. Despite how much hate she has received over the years and constant pressure of always staying true to herself.
“No matter what time of my life it is, she has been able to make music that is relatable and there’s not a lot of people who can do that.
“I’m a true Swiftie forever.”
