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Taylor Swift’s 1989 Tour Film Is Here: Watch ‘Wildest Dreams’ and a Behind-the-Scenes Video

The 1989 World Tour Live, the Jonas Akerlund-directed concert film documenting Taylor Swift's 7-month worldwide trek in 2015, was released on Sunday, Dec. 20. While the film is streaming via Apple…

By Ashley Iasimone

Ashley Iasimone

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The 1989 World Tour Live , the Jonas Akerlund-directed concert film documenting Taylor Swift ’s 7-month worldwide trek in 2015, was released on Sunday, Dec. 20. While the film is streaming via Apple Music, fans who haven’t had the chance to watch the full thing yet can take a moment to see a short sneak peek. Apple Music has posted a one-minute clip of Swift’s live performance of “Wildest Dreams.”

Taylor Swift

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The video — which begins with the song’s first verse and runs through the chorus — features Swift solo onstage, playing piano in a sparkly ball gown.

Meanwhile, Swift’s friend Karlie Kloss also uploaded a video on Sunday to her Klossy YouTube channel, showing off her own 1989 Tour experience. The backstage clip gives viewers a glimpse at what it’s like to prepare to get on the stage in front of an audience of 65,000, including a look at Swift demonstrating the stage setup with nail polish bottles and towels. The model was a guest at the 1989 Tour stop at London’s Hyde Park in June.

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Watch both videos below.

#1989WorldTourLIVE is HERE. TY @taylorswift13 ! ? Watch now on #AppleMusic . https://t.co/vq14vXfPwn https://t.co/mkZEFi2tYf — Apple Music (@AppleMusic) December 20, 2015

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18 things we learned from Taylor Swift's '1989 World Tour' documentary

Taylor Swift’s giddy cries of “Please welcome to the stage…” are still ringing in our ears, but the time has come: After 85 shows and seemingly endless special guests, the 1989 World Tour is finally over.

It won’t soon be forgotten, though, in part because The 1989 World Tour (Live) documentary is now available to stream on Apple Music, giving broke Swifties who didn’t attend the tour a chance to experience the magic. But even if you did catch the tail of this comet, you still might learn something new from the documentary, which intersperses full, sparkling, neon-tinged footage from Swift’s Sydney, Australia stop with commentary from the star, and clips from other cities’ shows.

For those who don’t have Apple Music (or the 2 hours and 11 minutes required to watch the full documentary), here are 18 things we learned from The 1989 World Tour (Live) , in no particular order:

1. “Blank Space” is Swift’s favorite moment of every show

She loves playing the seductive serial dater who becomes obsessed with her boyfriends and then goes crazy. “When I wrote ‘Blank Space,’ I just thought, all right, if [the media] want[s] me to play this character … this whole image of the jet-setting, tragic mess, cool,” Swift said. “I’ll write a song from that perspective and see how you like it.” As we’ve known since 1989 came out in 2014, the song hit its mark: “It ended up being the biggest song I’ve ever had,” she said.

2. She didn’t bring special guests on stage just to brag about her squad — it was essentially a tactic to combat spoilers and keep an element of surprise every night

“Every person in the audience probably knows what costumes I’m going to wear,” Swift explained. “They could know the set list if they really wanted to, so I decided to start inviting special guests out.”

3. The remixed version of “I Knew You Were Trouble” she played on tour was phenomenal.

Okay, this is a personal opinion, but watching this funky, piano-heavy version of “Trouble” really might make you wish you’d gotten tickets to this tour, if you missed it. At least we have it on video …

4. She has Mick Jagger’s cell phone number (and uses it)

When Swift was on a hike in Nashville before that city’s concert, her dad called her. “I pick up the phone and Dad’s like, ‘My friend swears he was sitting next to Mick Jagger at lunch yesterday,’ ” Swift said. “So I text Mick, and I said, ‘Hey, are you in town? I’m playing a show tomorrow. Do you want to come out and sing “Satisfaction?””‘ He just writes back, ‘What will I wear?’ “

(We’re going to start slipping that line into every story from now on. “So I text Mick …”)

5. Losing the 2014 Grammy for Album of the Year to Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories inspired her to write 1989

“I ended up going home thinking a lot about everything,” Swift said of that 2014 evening. “[I was] thinking about where I was going, what I’d been doing. … I needed to change something. I went to bed, and I woke up at 4 in the morning and I knew what the next album needed to be: ‘I need to completely switch gears, it needs to be called 1989 … everything has to be different.’ “

6. Swift is the one who suggested Alanis Morissette “slap” her in the face while the two performed the line, “It was a slap in the face / How quickly I was replaced”

Her rationale? “Bruises heal, but the moment lasts forever.”

7. She pulled out all the stops for her special guests — including changing the color of the audience.

“We can program the bracelets to be absolutely any color,” Swift said. “So the first thing I ask them is, ‘What color do you want the audience to be?’ ” She’d be a great concierge in Panem’s Capitol, right? “Pyro is another option we provided for many of the guests,” she said.

8. She loves huggging Wiz Khalifa

“At the end of our performance, there was a hug that lasted for like four years,” Swift said. “I remember thinking, ‘I just don’t want this hug to end!’ “

9. Swift used beach towels and nail polish to explain the tour’s runway to her model friends

And Karlie Kloss secretly filmed the whole thing — including the excitement backstage.

10. Swift calls professional athletes “sports players”

“If an actor or a sports player wanted to come to the show, I’d invite them up on stage, because why not?” she said.

11. Her band can learn a song in less than an hour

And, given the fact that most of Swift’s artist guests got to perform their own songs with her, that’s a lot of different genres Swift’s band had to perfect. Kudos to them.

12. Justin Timberlake was slightly worried about the pyrotechnics

“Don’t you burn me, Taylor,” he warned.

13. Also, Swift thinks Timberlake is “our generation’s Frank Sinatra”

Hey, he does have blue eyes!

14. John Legend’s appearance happened at the very last minute

“John Legend happened to be coming to the concert just to watch it,” Swift said, “but in my head I’m like, ‘I know this show starts in 40 minutes, but I want John Legend to sing.’ ” And he did.

15. It was Swift’s idea for Miranda Lambert to emerge atop “a throne made of men”

“I was half expecting her to be like, ‘I’m not doing that,’ ” Swift said, “but she was so down.” Uh, yeah.

16. Swift got to be the sixth member of Fifth Harmony — just for a night

She had the girls teach her the choreography to “Worth It” in their dressing room, then borrowed one of Camila Cabello’s extra costumes to perform the song with the group onstage. “Camila says, ‘I have an extra costume. Do you want to dress like one of us?’ ” Swift said. “And I said, ‘Obviously.’ “

17. Mary J. Blige’s song “Doubt” really speaks to Swift

“It really hit me because I’m so doubtful of myself constantly,” Swift confessed. “No matter what I achieve … That song really struck a chord with me, and I remember thinking it would be amazing if I could ever sing that with her.” Reader, she did.

18. The end of the 1989 World Tour was extra emotional for Swift and her team because they hadn’t gotten sick of it yet

“We didn’t drag it out,” she said. “We didn’t wait til we got sick of it. We’re still in love with it.” And so, it seems, are we.

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Taylor Swift’s Star-Packed ‘1989’ Tour: Relive Every Cameo

By Jon Blistein

Jon Blistein

Taylor Swift  has spent the better part of the past five months bringing her masterful 2014 album,  1989 , to the masses. Swift's gigantic pop production — winding down Saturday in Tampa, Florida — has criss-crossed the United States, as well as parts of Europe, but the star has taken pains to distinguish the trek from your run-of-the-mill stadium spectacle, sprinkling her shows with surprise guests from across the musical spectrum.

Swift has paired with everyone from rising stars like the Weeknd, Fetty Wap, Sam Hunt and Rachel Platten, to established peers like Lorde, Nick Jonas and Selena Gomez, and celebrated veterans like Miranda Lambert, Justin Timberlake and Mick Jagger. If previous Swift album cycles were marked by overwrought discussions about which ex a song was calling out,  1989 has been first and foremost about friendship. Swift and her audience are not separate entities, but fellow partygoers: She reacts to the presence of her guests with the same incredulity as the crowd.

Tracking Swift's revolving door of  1989 guests was as much a pastime this summer as baseball or trying to ignore Donald Trump. To date, 35 of Swift's 61 North American shows have featured at least one surprise guest, with some featuring two or three, plus an assortment of friends, who walked a lengthy catwalk alongside Swift during "Style." For those hoping to relive that magic moment — or for fans at guest-less shows still stricken by FOMO —  Rolling Stone has compiled a complete rundown of the cameo-crammed tour.

Dan Reynolds, “Radioactive” in Detroit

Taylor Swift's first North American show in Bossier City, Louisiana, was a guest-less affair. So was night two in Baton Rouge. Eight days — and one quick jaunt to Norwich, England for a spot at Radio 1's Big Weekend festival — later,  Swift served her first  1989 tour surprise: Dan Reynolds, who pumped his fists with Swift as they traded vocals on Imagine Dragons' 2012 track, "Radioactive."

Little Big Town, “Pontoon” in Pittsburgh

Despite a dramatic, all-encompassing turn to pop on 1989 , Swift is always ready for the country: In Pittsburgh, she brought out Alabama outfit Little Big Town for their 2012 Number One, "Pontoon," an ode to on-the-water revelry with a delightfully cheeky hook — "Out here in the open/Mmmmm-motorboatin'." Swift's backup dancers even came out in swim trunks and goggles, and some were wrapped in unicorn inner tubes.

Echosmith, “Cool Kids”; Rachel Platten, “Fight Song” in Philadelphia

Over two nights in Philadelphia, Swift shone the spotlight on the next crop of pop superstars. During her first show, she brought out Echosmith's Sydney Sierota  to perform the group's breakout single, "Cool Kids." And on night two, she was joined by Rachel Platten. The pair belted Platten's empowering, piano-driven smash, "Fight Song," Swift gazing like a proud peer as the rising singer handled the track's stirring bridge on her own.

The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel My Face” in East Rutherford, NJ (Night One)

Swift broke out the big guns for her first show at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. In addition to a duet with the Weeknd on his summer hit, "Can't Feel My Face," the pop star welcomed the U.S. women's national soccer team to walk the catwalk during "Style" with their World Cup trophy . Topping it all off, Swift assembled a sizable chunk of her girl gang, including Lily Aldridge, Lena Dunham, Gigi Hadid and Hailee Steinfeld to join her for "Bad Blood."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHaHBjGfnRI]

Nick Jonas, “Jealous” in East Rutherford, NJ (Night Two)

Swift didn't disappoint her New York–area fans at her second show at MetLife. "Style" featured another array of friends including Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge, Uzo Aduba, Karlie Kloss, Behati Prinsloo and Gigi Hadid; but the night's big guest was Nick Jonas, who lead a bombastic rendition of his soulful pop hit, "Jealous."

Lorde, “Royals”; Jason Derulo, “Want to Want Me” in Washington, D.C.

After her star-packed New York stand, Swift kept things relatively simple in Washington, D.C. On night one, friend and pop prodigy Lorde hit the stage for "Royals," while the following night featured Jason Derulo. The R&B singer dutifully took the reins of the propulsive "Want to Want Me," getting so wrapped up in the heat of the moment his shirt mysteriously vanished by the end of the song.

https://dailymotion.com/video/x2y6asp

Andy Grammer, “Honey, I’m Good”; Sam Hunt, “Take Your Time” in Chicago

On her 2011  Speak Now tour, Swift welcomed burgeoning blue-eyed pop singer Andy Grammer to the stage for a rendition of his breakout single, "Keep Your Head Up." Four years later, she trotted Grammer out again on her first night in Chicago for a performance of his equally infectious 2015 single, "Honey, I'm Good." The next night, Swift gave some shine to rising country crooner Sam Hunt, who parked himself next to Swift for a duet of his fetching, half-rapped ode to slow, simple love, "Take Your Time."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lzv2j3Q8Mig]

Walk the Moon, “Shut Up and Dance”; MKTO, “Classic” in Foxborough, MA

With "Fight Song" and "Can't Feel My Face" already under her belt, Swift continued to plow through the various tracks vying for song of the summer 2015. Walk the Moon's slow burner, "Shut Up and Dance" peaked at Number Two on the Hot 100 this July after being released in September, 2014, and Swift and frontman Nicholas Petricca offered an outsized rendition of the ebullient earworm. She replicated that same energy with MKTO the following night during a sizzling performance of the duo's 2014 song-of-the-summer contender, "Classic."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO_U0747BzM]

Nico and Vinz, “Am I Wrong” in Vancouver

The 1989 tour rolled into Canada with Norwegian duo Nico and Vinz joining Swift on stage for their 2014 track "Am I Wrong. The song's thumping percussion and achingly triumphant hook wouldn't sound out of place in Swift's own set list, and the pop star adapted easily to the track, slinking around the stage and smiling widely as she sang with the duo.

Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen” in Seattle

The love song that warmed hearts across the world this summer was given the duet it always deserved when Swift teamed up with Fetty Wap for his beloved breakout, "Trap Queen." Swift kept the romantic vibes going later, when she walked the catwalk during "Style" with the Pacific Northwest's cutest couple, Ciara and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfT3Jr0iMgg]

Fifth Harmony, “Worth It”; Little Mix, “Black Magic” in Santa Clara, CA

Girl groups ruled during Swift's two-night stop in Santa Clara, California. At her first show, Swift welcomed Fifth Harmony for a performance of "Worth It," easily nestling into her role as the sixth harmonizer on the group's silky, bombastic, horn-laced single. The next night, U.K. vocal quartet Little Mix took the stage for a sugar-coated rendition of "Black Magic."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE6BqsMp02k]

Kobe Bryant; OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, “Counting Stars” in Los Angeles (Night One)

The 1989 world tour parked itself at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for a whopping five nights at the end of August, and the run found Swift achieving a notable milestone: Sixteen sold-out shows at the famed venue — a number equal to the NBA Championships banners hung by the Los Angeles Lakers. Fittingly, Lakers star Kobe Bryant was on hand during night one to raise a banner in Swift's honor. The show also featured a musical surprise for good measure, with OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder hitting the stage for "Counting Stars."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh-68HBJr1M]

Uzo Aduba, “White Horse”; Mary J. Blige, “Doubt” and “Family Affair” in Los Angeles (Night Two)

While not all of Swift's guests have been musicians, Orange Is the New Black star Uzo Aduba doubled down on her East Rutherford catwalk cameo and coaxed a deep cut out of Swift in Los Angeles. Aduba revealed a set of deep, gorgeous pipes as she took lead on  Fearless  hit "White Horse" while Swift plucked at her acoustic guitar and delivered backup vocals.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1Ta9KjSszU]

Later, Swift brought out Mary J. Blige for something old and something new: First, "Doubt," from Blige's 2014 effort, The London Sessions , then the still swinging "Family Affair." Capping it all off, Swift welcomed "Blank Space" video star, Sean O'Pry to the stage for "Style,"  though he also had to share the catwalk with Matt LeBlanc and Chris Rock.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRNb3Upu64A]

Alanis Morissette, “You Oughta Know”; Natalie Maines, “Goodbye Earl” in Los Angeles (Night Three)

Night three in Los Angeles found Swift paying tribute to two Nineties heroes, the Dixie Chicks and Alanis Morissette. First, Swift showed she hadn't lost her country twang, stringing out and punching up her drawl alongside Natalie Maines on the Dixie Chicks' boot-stomping "Goodbye Earl." Later, Swift and Morissette scorched the stadium — and exes everywhere — with a devastating performance of the latter's breakup anthem "You Oughta Know."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J47TiDvxnTg]

Noted Swiftie Ellen DeGeneres closed out the proceedings in characteristically ridiculous fashion, donning a sparkling silver jumpsuit to match Swift's shimmering dress as they walked the catwalk together on "Style."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpjxAPHoW8o]

Beck and St. Vincent, “Dreams”; John Legend, “All of Me” in Los Angeles (Night Four)

Swift cobbled together a delightfully unique collaboration for her fourth night at Staples, welcoming Beck and St. Vincent for a performance of the former's recent single, "Dreams." The driving pop-rock cut marks a significant turn from Beck's mellow Morning Phase  LP, but the musician relished sharing stadium spotlight with Swift as St. Vincent slashed away at the song's crunchy, funked-out guitar riffs. Later, Swift slowed things down with John Legend, who commandeered the pop star's piano and led the way during a stunning duet on his tear-jerking power ballad "All of Me." 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3D5NGDW4lQ]

Selena Gomez, “Good For You”; Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”; Phoebe Buffay, “Smelly Cat” in Los Angeles (Night Five)

The final night of Swift's Los Angeles stand belonged to a little-known coffeeshop singer-songwriter: Phoebe Buffay. Or rather, Lisa Kudrow, who reprised her Friends  role for a performance of Buffay's beloved Central Perk smash, "Smelly Cat."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4gIyPCp9H0]

The night also featured two slightly more well-known musicians: Selena Gomez, who stopped by for a rousing rendition of her tortured slow jam "Good for You," and Justin Timberlake, who took the stage for his devotional paean "Mirrors."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlVVCYOqw48]

Omi, “Cheerleader”; Avril Lavigne, “Complicated” in San Diego

Swift did not slow down after her five-night L.A. takeover. Three days after her final Staples Center gig, and a few hours south on Interstate 5 in San Diego, she brought out Omi for another summer 2015 anthem, "Cheerleader." Swift also invited Avril Lavigne up for a performance of her 2002 breakout hit "Complicated," a still perfectly pained jam that proves the cup of teen angst will never run dry.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YtQZh9Ps8A]

Wiz Khalifa, “See You Again” in Houston

The 1989 tour settled into its fourth month, and the final weeks of summer, in Houston. Swift once again surprised her fans with another recent ubiquitous hit, calling to the stage Wiz Khalifa, who helmed his  Furious 7 hip-hop power ballad, "See You Again." Swift dutifully stood in for the song's co-writer, Charlie Puth, belting the aching, striving chorus he sings on record.

The Band Perry, “If I Die Young” in Indianapolis

Swift offered another nod to her roots in Indianapolis, strapping on a sparkling acoustic guitar and joining the Band Perry for a rousing rendition of their hit "If I Die Young." The song's delicate instrumentals and musings might seem out of place for a massive pop production like the 1989 tour, but Swift and the Band Perry deftly reconstructed the track as a stadium-sized tearjerker.

Echosmith, “Cool Kids” in Columbus, OH

Echosmith singer Sydney Sierota earned the unique distinction of being the only performer to take the stage twice, in two different cities on the  1989 tour (save Uzo Aduba, who performed one night, and strutted the stage during "Style" the other). Sierota re-teamed with Swift in Columbus, Ohio, several months after her initial cameo in Philadelphia, delivering another infectious rendition of Echosmith's breakout hit, "Cool Kids."

Dierks Bentley, “Every Mile a Memory” in Kansas City, MO

Swift kept the country vibes going in Kansas City, welcoming Dierks Bentley to the 1989  party to breeze through his 2006 hit "Every Mile a Memory." Bentley and Swift traded lines and coalesced for harmonies, switching up the lyrics — "Red sun down, over a Kansas City sky," Swift bellowed — for some perfectly acceptable pandering to the hometown crowd.

Steven Tyler, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”; Kelsea Ballerini, “Love Me Like You Mean It”; Alison Krauss, “When You Say Nothing at All” in Nashville (Night One)

With country clearly on her mind, Swift was did not disappoint the Music City crowd at her highly anticipated homecoming concerts in Nashville. On night one, Swift proved she's still tapped into the country world with a rousing duet on "Love Me Like You Mean It" with rising singer Kelsea Ballerini. But she also paid tribute to  vaunted veteran Alison Krauss  with a performance of the musician's 2002 track "When You Say Nothing at All." For good measure, Swift also welcomed recent Nashville transplant Steven Tyler, who helped her belt Aerosmith's endlessly eye-watering Armageddon  anthem, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0xHaJICsDw]

Mick Jagger, “Satisfaction”; Leona Lewis, “Bleeding Love” in Nashville (Night Two)

Swift switched musical directions during her second night in Nashville, but her guests were far from disappointing. The star first welcomed Leona Lewis for a performance of Lewis' devastating 2007 ballad "Bleeding Love." Then Swift served up one of her biggest surprises of the 1989 tour so far: Mick Jagger, who peacocked on stage for "Satisfaction" — much to the delight of one grandma in particular .

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq0fgvavAuA]

Nelly, “The Fix” and “Hot in Herre” in St. Louis

Hometown hero Nelly served up a double shot during his appearance in St. Louis , first pairing with Swift for a duet of his sultry, Marvin Gaye–sampling new single, "The Fix." But the house truly came down during "Hot in Herre," which featured an appearance from Haim, who closed out their run as  1989  tour openers that night. While Nelly breezed through the 2002 hit, the sister act and Swift dished out the indelible hook and some expertly choreographed dance moves.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ-JMWwAZS8]

Keith Urban, “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16” and “Somebody Like You” in Toronto (Night One)

Keith Urban joined Swift at her first show in Toronto, proving country that clicks both Down Under and up in the Great White North. The pair teamed up for two performances, first kicking out Urban's latest single, "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16," which they followed with the musician's 2002 Number One "Somebody Like You."

Charli XCX, “Boom Clap” in Toronto (Night Two)

Despite canceling some tour dates this summer so she could focus on new music, Charli XCX gladly hopped back onstage with Swift at her second concert in Toronto. The pair took a shot at pure pop perfection and easily hit the mark with a bombastic rendition of XCX's 2014 smash "Boom Clap."

Ellie Goulding, “Love Me Like You Do” in Arlington, TX

Swift has enlisted Ellie Goulding   to surprise her audiences on previous tours, so it's no surprise that the British singer eventually took the stage when her path crossed with the 1989 tour. The pair tackled "Love Me Like You Do," Goulding's summer hit from the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack , belting its indelible, amorous hook over a chorus of bombastic synths.

Miranda Lambert, “Little Red Wagon” in Greensboro, NC

Swift delivered another country hit in the midst of her pop bonanza, welcoming bona fide badass Miranda Lambert to the stage to perform her killer Platinum  single "Little Red Wagon." Swift looked happy to let Lambert take lead on the fierce track. She jumped in with some of her own backyard swagger but primarily sat back and marveled as one of country's contemporary masters did what she does best.

Tove Lo, “Talking Body” in Atlanta

Swift is well aware of the unique knack Swedes have for making killer pop, having worked extensively in recent years with Stockholm-based mastermind Max Martin. In Atlanta, Swift welcomed another Swedish star in her own right , burgeoning synth-pop singer-songwriter Tove Lo, who had the crowd howling with a performance of her sensual, slow-burning "Talking Body."

Pitbull, “Give Me Everything”; Ricky Martin, “Livin’ La Vida Loca” in Miami

Swift took her talents to South Beach for the penultimate show of her North American trek, doing everything to delight the hometown crowd short of bringing out Will Smith for "Miami." First, NBA star Dwyane Wade presented Swift  with her own Miami Heat jersey — number 13, of course — and soon after, the pop star was joined by Miami native Pitbull for a performance of "Give Me Everything." Saving the best for last, Swift welcomed Ricky Martin, who came out to a frenzied crowd and the still-transcendent opening horn riff of his 1999 hit "Livin' La Vida Loca."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEcm910UDSg]

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Taylor Swift knew exactly what she was doing bringing Travis Kelce onstage

• Travis Kelce made a surprise appearance onstage at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour show in London.
• It's the first time Swift has invited a boyfriend to share the spotlight during one of her concerts.
• The cameo evokes the 1989 World Tour — before Swift pulled back from the public eye.

Taylor Swift is no stranger to bringing guests onstage. But during her latest show in London on the Eras Tour on Sunday, she had a very special one: her boyfriend, Travis Kelce.

Dressed in a ringmaster ensemble, the football star popped up during a costume-change skit that acts as the prelude to Swift's performance of " I Can Do It With a Broken Heart ." Before she delivered the first lyric, Swift even broke character to blow Kelce a kiss.

Of course, Swift and Kelce haven't been shy about kissing, cuddling, and supporting each other's endeavors since they began dating last summer . But Kelce's cameo gave PDA a whole new meaning. Never before had Swift invited a boyfriend to share the spotlight during one of her concerts, never mind one on a legacy-cementing billion-dollar tour .

The move seems even more surprising and extravagant in contrast to Swift's previous relationship with the British actor Joe Alwyn . During their six years together, both stars fiercely protected their privacy and were rarely seen together in public.

But for longtime Swifties, those who predate her relationship with Alwyn, Sunday's events may feel more familiar than strange — almost like a callback to simpler times.

In the first half of her career, Swift wasn't shy about her most romantic whims. She posted photos of heart-shaped lockets and tropical getaways . She took seaside strolls with her boyfriend's mom. She wore ball gowns and belted starry-eyed ballads while suspended in the air on flying balconies . Swift loved a grand gesture, both real and imaginary.

This was especially evident during the 1989 World Tour , which ran for nearly seven months in 2015. No, Swift's boyfriend at the time, Calvin Harris, did not make a surprise appearance. But pretty much everyone else did — from close friends like Karlie Kloss and Lena Dunham to athletes like Kobe Bryant and all manner of musicians and rock stars. Every night brought a new face, a new thrill, a new thread in the vast web of Swiftian lore.

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At the time, the "1989" era marked the peak of Swift's fame. Mostly thanks to her talent and partially thanks to her self-spun underdog narrative, she had enjoyed years of headlines like " Taylor Swift: America's sweetheart " and " Taylor Swift Is the Music Industry ."

With her new synth-pop sound, inescapable singles like "Shake It Off" and "Blank Space," a " squad " full of supermodels, and a cameo-packed tour, Swift was everywhere. So, as often happens with female celebrities , her success went from charming to grating. A new kind of headline began to pop up, immortalized by Dayna Evans' Gawker essay " Taylor Swift Is Not Your Friend ," which criticized her tour antics as "opportunistic and sinister."

Then came the infamous phone call. When Kim Kardashian shared a snippet of Swift's conversation with Ye about his song "Famous" that seemed to contradict Swift's version of events, the world was already ready to turn on her. In Swift's own words , she was "canceled within an inch of my life and sanity."

The backlash forced the self-described " mastermind " to recalculate her strategy and pull back from the public eye . She still released big pop bangers and went on tour, but her movements felt more careful, sparing, and protective.

Ever since Swift kicked off the Eras Tour last year (and split from Alwyn shortly after), she's gradually returned to her precancellation mentality. It's perhaps the most classic Swiftian ideology: More is more. This can apply to everything and anything — more songs , more hours onstage , more CD variants , and, naturally, more photo ops with her hunky boyfriend. She risks being overexposed again, but maybe this time, she knows she'll survive.

Indeed, Swift told Time in December that she's not interested in being "locked away" anymore, in exerting "an extreme amount of effort" to hide her passion and enthusiasm from the world, including her bond with Kelce.

"When you say a relationship is public, that means I'm going to see him do what he loves, we're showing up for each other, other people are there, and we don't care," she said.

In this respect, Kelce may be the perfect match for Swift. After all, their relationship started after he mentioned on his podcast that he wanted to meet her; he's a businessman ( and a ham ) in his own right. His managers have been open about their plan to make him "as famous as the Rock."

For these two peas in a pod, personal triumphs are communal by trade, whether it's a touchdown at the Super Bowl or a first kiss that inspires a smash hit.

"Ultimately, we can convolute it all we want, or try to overcomplicate it," Swift told Time. "But there's only one question: Are you not entertained?"

Ever the performer, Swift knows exactly what she's doing. As much as maximalism is true to Swift's brand, it's also good for business.

Swift's music indicates that she is expressive, theatrical, and sentimental at her core. Her net worth proves that she's skilled at monetizing those qualities. After all, Swift made her name as a confessional songwriter, transforming her intimate moments into morsels for public consumption.

Perhaps bringing Kelce onstage felt as natural to Swift as writing a love song about him. But as Swift well knows, both will generate headlines.

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