I just went to a show by a future superstar. Yes, I said a future superstar. Taylor Swift may be only 17-years-old, but she's light years away from a good many other stars with years more experience on her in the way she deals with her fans. Personal. That is what Taylor gives. A personal touch, to each and every fan that attends her show. I realize that this isn't something that everyone can do once they've become a superstar, so I'm sure glad I got to meet Miss Swift at the start of her career. I hope she'll always have the same caring nature for her fans that she does right now.
After performing for over an hour, Taylor came out to meet each and every person in the venue. Well, those that stayed, anyway. And, it wasn't just a quick signing of your cd, tshirt, ticket, or whatever, and a speedy pose with her. She actually spoke to each and ever fan, thanking them personally for coming to her show. To those that brought the jacket for her CD, she thanked them for buying her CD. That is how you win, and keep fans. She was extra sweet to the young girls that came to meet her, kneeling down to their height and talking to them eye to eye. She gave each person a warm hug as well. Many could learn from her on how to treat your fans. These aren't just members of her fan club. Although, those fans were allowed backstage to meet her prior to the show. These are people that attended the show. So, everyone felt appreciated. She also had her CMT Award with her, like she mentioned she would on the award show, and she let fans pose with it. I did that myself. It was really neat.
This wasn't my first time seeing Taylor in person. I was lucky enough to attend the New Artist Show at the ACM Awards two weeks prior, and I am really looking forward to seeing her perform at the CMA Music Festival next week.
The show was due to start around 8:00 pm, and started just about 5 minutes late. When she was introduced, the screaming was so loud, I felt like I was transported back to a Garth Brooks concert. Lots of younger girls, and teen girls, and a good mix of adults as well. She started her set with "Our Song," which is the final track off her self-titled album, that just came out last October, and has already gone Gold, and Taylor said it's almost gone Platinum.
Taylor talks more than most artists do, between her songs. She told us that she was recording her second album, which should be out sometime next year. She asked if she could play us some of the new stuff, which from the screams to the positive, was just what she was hoping to hear. The first song was called "Permanent Marker," and it's about an ex-girlfriend that doesn't know she's an ex. Really cute song, where she sings about marking the girl's picture with a big X over her face.
Taylor says she hears a lot of random screaming, and she likes it. She talked about how the show we were at sold out, and they added a second show, which was the previous night, and that too, sold out. This is not something common in our area, so this shows what a fan base this young star has already. She said last year she was sitting at a desk in high school, and she was so much happier to be out on the road visiting with us this year.
Next, she sang another album track, "Should Have Said No." She followed this with an explanation about how she writes a lot of songs with people's names in them. A lot of people ask her about Cory. She said that the way she wrote the song was, she was in the hall, at her locker when she saw this guy standing in the hall, and she thought, "he's hot!" and so, she wrote the song about him. It's called "Stay Beautiful."
Time for a cover song, she did a great job with the John Waite song, "Missing You." (This is the same song that Alison Krauss recently had out, with John Waite.)
Pulling up a stool, she said she was going to give the band a break, and played the next couple songs acoustically. She said that last year she was in California in June, and she was on a two week break from being on the Brad Paisley tour. Most people went home for the break, but she wanted to come play for us. She said she loved playing the guitar, because it allows her to play and sing whatever she wants. She then sang Beyonce's "Irreplacable."
Taylor talked about writing a song for a friend of hers that is so beautiful that every guy wants to date her, and every girl wants to be her. She found out her friend had an eating disorder, and that the song helped both her friend and her get through it. This song was called "Tied Together With a Smile."
Taylor's fiddle player, Emily, is her best friend, and the only other girl on the bus, so they hang out a lot together. She played another new song called "I Lie" which featured Emily on fiddle. Then, another new song that I really loved, called "Sparks Fly." The final new song she played was called "Fearless" which Taylor says is about the best first date that she hasn't had yet.
Next up was "Mary's Song (Oh My, My, My)" then a song she wrote when she was 12 years old. She talked about when she was younger that she was not really popular, so she always felt like she was on the outside, which is the title of the song.
You knew she wasn't going to leave without playing "Tim McGraw," which was next. The crowd moved up to the stage by then, and it was a mad house. She ended the show with "Picture to Burn."
Totally recommend Taylor's show to anyone. When she's opening for Brad Paisley, she won't have as much time to play, but make sure to come early enough to see her play. You won't be sorry.
Song List:
- Our Song
- Permanent Marker
- Should Have Said No
- Stay Beautiful
- Missing You
- Irreplacable
- Tied Together With a Smile
- I Lie
- Sparks Fly
- Fearless
- Mary's Song (Oh My, My, My)
- The Outside
- Tim McGraw
- Picture to Burn