For some, the Taylor Swift frenzy in Cardiff this week is bizarre. Artists sell out the Principality Stadium all the time, but the red carpet wasn't rolled out for Springsteen, Sheeran or even Beyonce on quite this scale - and only for a one-night gig! If you're reading this you probably don't quite understand it all. Why this specific artist, what's so special about her songs, how can it possibly be worth the hype and does she really have enough distinct 'eras' for a tour all about them? But many start from that point and soon find themselves praying that a specific non-album b-side from 2008 makes it into the 'surprise songs' part of her setlist - in other words it's dangerously easy to become a full-fledged Swiftie.
I'll admit, cautiously, that I was initially one of the skeptics. I think a lot of people heard Blank Space, Bad Blood and Shake it Off and quickly wrote Swift off as a generic vehicle for chart-friendly pop music. For up-to-date coverage of Taylor in Cardiff click here .
READ MORE: Taylor Swift in Cardiff: Huge Principality Stadium queue as fans take over city bridge READ MORE: Girl in need of new lungs says seeing Taylor Swift's Eras Tour was 'once in a lifetime experience' But most of what people attach themselves to is her songwriting - which at its core is emotional, laced with memorable lyrics and singalong-able bridges. Some artists release unmemorable new albums just as an excuse to tour and play the hits - but one on Swift's level can release a 31-song.
