What I don't understand about Taylor Swift/her concerts

[SureJanOK]

Hello all

No this isn't another "I don't get why Taylor is so popular" threads.

I don't understand the practicalities of the concerts.

She sings and dances for 3.5hrs several nights running. How does she not lose her voice? Does she hit the same notes on the third night as she does on the first?

How does she avoid getting ill? Especially with the crowds and the travelling. (I'm just back from an event in London and I think I've brought covid home with me).

Thanks

Trains for months
Rests A Lot
Doesn't mix with crowds

I think she’s miming some of the songs, it looks like it anyway.

She’s super fit. She actually trains for it, part of which is running fast in a treadmill for four hours whilst singing each of her songs. She doesn’t just get up there, she trains hard,

Lots of backing singers and tracks means she doesn't sing every note every night.

That's my guess.

But her stamina is impressive. And her charisma.

She's a professional singer. They look after their voices. E.g. Mariah Carey doesn't talk the morning after a performance in order to rest her voice. They warm up properly, avoid caffeine and alcohol, stay hydrated. TS can afford her own doctor and vocal coach (no idea whether she does have them). She also possibly doesn't sing everything completely live night after night.

Singers train so they can sing and dance simultaneously without breathiness or gaps in the sound.

Surely it’s similar to any high physical job / hobbie? I couldn’t just decide to do an ultra marathon, join the army or a professional sports team. You train for months & years to reach that level.

She is in peak fitness. Her work ethic, drive and stamina is part of her appeal to women and girls. Most shows are live streamed and you can see when she has had a cold.

If you watch the Eras Tour film there are sets where she's sat down at a piano, playing guitar at a mic it's not all running and dancing about.

I think during Scotlands shows she was quite run down, runny nose etc and I saw an interview where there was talk of her lip syncing parts of the songs to save her voice but most was live.

She doesn't talk to people before or after the shows unless very VIP ie the Royals, the family of the girl that died.

She trained for six months before hand at the gym running fast on the treadmill whilst singing the fast songs and briskly walking for the slower ones. There was an interview where she was saying how when she was younger she never really prepped and toured like a frat party just got up and did it whereas now she's older she prepares like an athlete for the long haul. She has spoken about her struggles with food and how she works hard to fuel herself properly now whereas before she didn't each much.

I’d imagine that she trains like an athlete

I was wondering this before I went to see her. Taylor and her team do an amazing job.

She's very fit and mid 30's. She's not actually a crazy dancer, her routines are fun stuff that shouldn't do her any harm long term.
Backing singers and a back up track.
She gets to sit down for both acoustic sets and bring the pace right down.

Thanks everyone.

I was tired just from watching her when I went to the cinema to see the show!

Interesting to hear she's visibly had a cold and powered on. I guess it would be an absolute nightmare to cancel one of her shows. Not only are you disappointing thousands of people but also the insurance has gotta pay out to refund their tickets I presume.

Also interesting to hear she maybe doesn't sing the whole thing live.

She has backing singers and a backing track, so over sings to the backing track or sometimes just mimes and then sings live some parts.

She's not actually a dance artist, her dance routines are not that complex.

It's not actually a 3hr+ show but watch Madonna - Blond Ambition tour, how she did that night after night, think would have been same age as Miss Swift is now. Yes a couple off songs were mimed or over sung, but if you watch on you tube the Barcelona or Nice shows which were the last shows off the tour, you can hear the toll off her voice.

If she (or any singer) was ill with voice issues but physically able and happy to perform I think (had I been fortunate enough to get tickets) I would prefer them to announce that due to that she would be lip syncing rather than singing live rather than have a concert cancelled with all the other costs like travel and accomodation etc

I have noticed singers in concerts protect their voices.

For example if a song has high notes they struggle with then they will not go for those notes and sing lower instead. Just watch some youtubes.

TBH I am more impressed with heavy metal singers for the vocal gymnasatics they undertake than Taylor Swift.

It’s fashionable to slag her off at the moment, but she sings live on the Eras tour, with backing singers, track and a live band. Very obviously live during the acoustic set, her own voice, her playing the guitar and the piano , as she stopped singing and spoke for a bit during the Cardiff tour as some people needed help in the crowd. She’s extremely fit but it’s not a full on dance performance anyway. She’s an awkward dancer, she says so herself. She’s a singer/songwriter, she has 18 years worth of albums to call upon. We took our daughter and both me and H were blown away by how good it was.

I have been to the Era's tour, in Liverpool, she was amazing! I couldn't believe how super fit she must be to keep it up and she had a cold, you could tell at point when she kept wiping her nose and had a couple of moments during songs when her voice faltered a little. She is unbelievable and I was so impressed! She must rest, be really careful not to catch bugs or eat anything dodgy and have so much stamina to keep it up.

She will have a fitness regime that she uses to get ready for a tour. But h.as been doing it for years.Yes there is lip synching e.g. Shake It Off but she has other singers for the choruses. Will have personal staff with her. Trainer, masseuse, chef and/or backstage catering. Remember she really has to do nothing between shows but rest. Prob some business meetings. Can imagine there is a lot of handwashing going on. Like athletes, people like her avoid contact with as many people as possible to minimise colds etc. Private jet so no public airports. Basically she and other big acts travel in a bubble. Makes their life and their entourage life easier

In her whole career she has only ever cancelled 2 shows, both for things outside of her control (one was weather and was rescheduled for a few days later, one was political unrest).

Obviously a big part of that is luck, and if she ever had some sort of hideous vomiting bug for example it wouldn't be possible, but she wouldn't cancel for a cold (I doubt many artists would tbh).

Honestly no idea
I talk for my job constantly for 9hrs a day and by Friday I'm losing my voice every week
I do drink loads and loads of hot drinks and water and have throat sweets to hand

I’d assume they take into account how many days she can do at a time etc etc although she seems soooo busy so I’d assume huge break after these!

I was there night 2 in Edinburgh. Her songs were oh so slightly lower in pitch, Enchanted was belted out in correct pitch, August was. TTPD set was ok. But it was clear that she was singing in a different register. Apparently that's the norm for long concerts as it avoids strain. She's phenomenal.

I think she must train very hard. I should take a leaf out of her book. Going to a concert tires me out!!

Yes, I talk on the phone a lot for my job and sometimes I have a sore throat by the end of the day!

She is extremely impressive isn't she?!

I know someone who went backstage at London - thanks to a contact she had, and met Taylor briefly, and some of her team. She discovered that Taylor goes to after-parties after the concerts too. Sometimes she is at the parties til 3am! (After a 3 and a half hour concert!) Just HOW does she do it?

She is talented and gifted, and one in a generation! She is better than any female singers of her generation IMO. Far superior.

I was at Wembley and several times she sang ‘we need help down here, security please’ as people standing were in trouble. So I don’t think she mimes at all.

she’s amazing and works hard for it. And we love her !