New ARD documentary: This is how much money Taylor Swift fans spend on their idol

He's still short of an Oscar. Apart from that, Taylor Swift has won almost every award in the entertainment industry. Along with more than 300 million records sold and 40 AMAs, there are now 14 Grammys. In total, the singer has already won over 600 awards. There's no doubt about it: Everything Taylor Swift touches turns to gold—especially thanks to her loyal following, “Swifties.” “Y-Kollektiv” has now dedicated its documentation to them (available in the ARD media collection). At the heart of it all comes down to one question: How far would Taylor fans go for their idol?

“This,” says author Jasmin Weiner at the beginning of the ARD film, “isn't just a report on Taylor Swift.” Rather, it should be about those who made the pop star's big break possible in the first place. There are fans and superfans all over the planet who invest a lot of time and money in their admiration for Swift – even in this country, fan meetings or “Taylor parties” are no longer uncommon in many cities.

For example, “Taylor Swift Nights” are held regularly in Regensburg, Bavaria. The event series was launched by Lukas aka DJ Tilda Swifton. Once a month, he spends the whole evening in a student bar, playing only the songs of his great idol. “Everything's there for a reason. You could say it makes a mood bomb,” he explains — and presents the most valuable piece of his record collection: “Lover (Live From Paris),” a heart-shaped Swift LP. The disc can currently be bought online from 700 euros.

New ARD documentary: This is how much US fans spend on Taylor Swift concert night

The documentary shows impressively: many fans, some of whom are still very young, are willing to pay a lot for their love for Taylor Swift. Lee (18) and his partner Jackie (23) also dig deep into their pockets to be close to their idol as often as possible: This year alone, Lee and Jackie attend seven sold-out concerts. Eras Tour” – at home and abroad. The couple financed their concert tickets – in Germany, ticket prices ranged from just under 100 to 800 euros – by selling self-printed fan articles on the Internet, among other things.

According to the film, Swiftie in the US invests an average of US$1,300 per concert night – a hefty price, but one that the young couple from Germany can understand. “It's my own money,” says Lee. The big costs are “worth the memories.”

“I support him in everything he does”

At Taylor's party in Cologne, fans reported seeing Swift live multiple times during her upcoming European tour over the summer. “I actually got really lucky with the tickets,” says a delighted Swiftie, who bagged tickets to a total of four shows. “Financially, it's a big deal because I'm a student. My parents gave me more money,” he explains, adding, “I support him in everything he does. I'll probably be a Swiftie forever because she's just amazing and I just love her.”

Unconditional support from a billionaire to a celebrity: how does such commitment come about? “Fans search for and create meaning for themselves, as others might do with religions or certain worldviews,” explains musicologist Svenja Reiner. “The character Taylor Swift draws certain values ​​for her life.” The musician offers his fans a kind of projection surface – for example, by singing about everyday problems like heartache in his songs.

But not every fan swears undying loyalty to Swift. Swifties are “a very diverse group,” notes Jasmin Weiner at the end of her report, when a young woman explains to her that she should draw the line at “racist comments” — that would be an “absolute no-no.” In addition, he, like many other fans, finds it troubling that Swift has not yet commented on the war in Gaza: “Let's talk about that too. We have definitely become more critical of people.” But it is also clear: “Of course we still celebrate music.”

This article “New ARD documentary: This is how much money Taylor Swift fans spend on their idol” was originally from Teleschau.