This past Saturday, I was lucky enough to see Taylor Swift with my closest friends at Gillette Stadium. This is our third tour going together, and it felt even more special because, for the first time, we splurged on floor seats. Most of you know I’m a huge Taylor fan. I mean, along with mint ice cream, it says it right in my bio!
I’m not going to lie – I pretty much fantasized about being pulled into the “Rep room” for months leading up to the concert. I knew that she was meeting fans before and after each show and, even though I logically knew it probably wouldn’t happen, it was something I thought about a lot leading up to the day. Even though I don’t have an Instagram account dedicated to Taylor, and I’m not always tagging her in social media, I would argue I value her as a role model and artist as much as anyone.
My tee shirt was from this Etsy shop and Jake’s was from this Etsy shop! 🙂 Can we acknowledge how awesome Jake is for being more than happy to wear this shirt?!
HOWEVER – despite not making it to the REP room (along with almost everyone else in the stadium) I was really lucky. Mainly because I have SELFLESS friends. You see, my friends Pj and Alex got to see Taylor at Gillette the night before. They knew where/when she would be walking through the audience and, when it was time, they were ready for it (lol.) Instead of just running over there themselves, they knew how much it would mean to me to be right up front and they literally pushed me forward. Here’s the thing: they love her. But, deep in my heart, I think they knew this would be really really special for me and they let me have that. Based on my reaction of literal sobbing (I don’t know what came over me omg I could not control it, my chest actually hurt. Think, like, the way Kristen Bell reacted to a sloth.), I think we all know that I can’t thank them enough for that. I think that type of attitude in general is part of what Taylor is all about, so I can’t stress enough how much that meant to me.
So, even though I literally had the most perfect night, I decided to make part of this post dedicated to what I would have said in the REP room to Taylor. Well, some of what I would have said. Or, more than I would have even been able to say? All I know is that, based on everything I’ve heard, Taylor goes above and beyond for her fans. I think she knows how much it means to each of us who’ve been there since the beginning, and she honestly has always felt so genuine from afar.
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Dear Taylor,
Hi, hello, thank you for being you! Just so you know: You’ve literally been my role model since I was twelve years old, when you released your first album. Your transformation over the years has always molded right into my own growth and thoughts on friendship, love, and independence. You’ve also played a pretty thematic role – I listened to fifteen on repeat at fifteen years old, walking through the doors of my high school (true story), and I can’t help but feel your evolution of music has literally grown with me. Your songs have changed me, helped me make decisions, and comforted me at my worst. When I was a junior in high school, my Dad had a really serious health scare and we weren’t really sure what was going to happen. It was a scary time, and I decided to sing Best Day to him at an open mic night in front of my best friends (who were at this very concert with me!) That song holds such a high importance for me, and it’s memory is only fraction of what I feel you’ve done for me.
I also really want you to know that I’ve always seen you, and thought of you, as a person and not just a pop star. I think you’re just brilliant when it comes to song writing, which I’m sure you’ve heard millions of times. I was so grateful that, when you walked through the audience during Reputation, you didn’t just graze over my hand, but actually held it. You treat your fans so kindly, and always have.
I would want you to know that on my sixteenth birthday, I danced around to “You Belong with Me” thinking about a boy who, in fact, did not belong with me. (I’m sure you get that….) And that there’s a video of me dancing from last Halloween, a bit tipsy, to “Gorgeous” for my boyfriend – which is still just a really fun memory for me. I also would want to show it to you! But I don’t want it on the internet, so that may not happen! LOL
“Mean” helped me get through a pretty toxic environment – and, eventually, I worked my butt off to get to NYU! So, it was pretty freaking fabulous when “Welcome to New York” was on 1989 my senior year of college, because I finally felt like I not only moved to the city, but belonged in it. I’ve sung to Last Kiss and Dear John countless times and screamed to “The Way I Loved You.” However, New Romantics makes me feel unstoppable. To be honest, I still remember blasting “Sparks Fly” in my car before I started dating Jake, back when I just wasn’t sure it was going to work with the timing of college. But having your music, and knowing I was thinking of him when I sang it, actually helped me figure out my feelings. I think it’s because, most of the time, your music tends to enhance my feelings about something – which usually helps me work through it, good or bad.
I would also feel a personal obligation to tell you this, but when I was in middle school, I used to say that someday I wanted to sing one of your songs with you (It also feels like a much more realistic goal when you’re literally twelve and think that you, yourself, will probably be a pop star too.) PS That is wicked corny and definitely makes me feel like a preteen, I am so sorry, but I probably would’ve had a personal obligation to tell you that in person omg. :’)
I know that if I made it to the REP room, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you each and every song that put it’s print on my life. But know that all of them did, that I listen to your music prettttty much daily, and that your messages have always struck me deeply! You’re my favorite artist in the world, and I feel so grateful to have been able to see you live for a third time, and even more so that I got to be so close. Maybe someday we can meet but, more than anything, I want you to know the real impact you’ve had on me!
Love, Dani.
