American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who turned 36 on Saturday, has given her fans another chance to revel in her musical legacy with the newly released six-episode docu-series The End of an Era and the concert film The Eras Tour | The Final Show.
The first two episodes of the docu-series, dropped on Friday, capture Swift in one of the most defining moments of her life, prepping for her sold-out Eras Tour concert.
Showcasing her practise sessions and interactions with backup dancers, the first two episodes are a love letter to all the Swifties, who can now get a glimpse into the life of their favourite artist behind the stage.
The premiere episode shows the singer in a vulnerable moment where she breaks down in tears after meeting survivors and kin of the victims of the Southport stabbing attack.
Here are the top five highlights from the newly released episodes of The End of an Era, streaming on JioHotstar in India.
Taylor Swift breaks down as she meets survivors of Southport stabbings
In one of the scenes, Swift meets the kin of victims and survivors of the mass stabbing at Southport in England in July 2024. The incident occurred at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop, leading to the death of three girls.
Swift broke down in tears while speaking to the victim’s kin and survivors. “From a mental standpoint, I do live in a reality that's unreal a lot of the time… But I need to be able to handle all the feelings and then perk up and perform,” she said.
The behind-the-stage madness before every show
The docu-series offers a glimpse into ‘the immense labour’ behind the Eras Tour, from intense rehearsals and choreography to elaborate set designs and costumes. Swift says the aim is always to “over-serve” in every aspect, crediting a team whose job is to make the effort “look accidental”, while admitting that a touch of “magic” also plays a part in the tour’s success.
‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’
In another vulnerable moment, Taylor Swift doesn’t hide her anxiety before the first show at Wembley, which marked her return to the stage after the cancellation of Vienna concerts over terror attack scare. In August 2024, a terrorism plot targeting a concert of the American singer-songwriter at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna was uncovered. The second episode shows the singer’s face clouded with angst backstage at Wembley. However, after three hours, she runs offstage, shouting “We’re back” after delivering a successful show.
A secret stage rehearsal before The Tortured Poets Department
During what was supposed to be a break between March and May 2024, Swift, along with her teammates, worked and rehearsed performances on the tracks of The Tortured Poets Department at a secret facility. They even crafted new stage, dance moves, costumes and vocal arrangements, and her first hydraulic lift to surprise her fans.
No Travis Kelce footage
Though the trailer of the docu-series featured Swift’s fiancé, US footballer Travis Kelce, who made a surprise appearance at one of the The Eras Tour shows, the first two episodes didn’t feature Kelce. However, his voice is heard over the phone in one of the episodes.