When you’re on a record-breaking world tour, the show must go on, even if you’re battling a cold. Taylor Swift demonstrated her professionalism during her concert in Edinburgh over the weekend when she faced an unexpected challenge: a runny nose.
The Pennsylvania-born pop star was seen blowing her nose with her fingers multiple times and wiping them on her sparkly outfit during her performance at Murrayfield Stadium. Despite the cool air and temperatures dropping below eight degrees Celsius, the 34-year-old singer powered through three shows as part of the first leg of her UK tour, entertaining over 219,000 fans.
Some fans attributed the incident to the chilly weather as Swift was caught on video clearing her nose while singing her hit song “Don’t Blame Me.” The video showed her blowing a stream of snot into her hands and then wiping it on her skirt, leading to mixed reactions on social media.
Many fans expressed their disgust at seeing the pop star dealing with her runny nose on stage. One user wrote, “Taylor Swift blew her nose and wiped it on her skirt on stage. Fans also noticed her licking the snot from her nose at one point.” Another commented, “Someone please give Taylor Swift some tissues. The amount of times I’ve seen her wipe her nose with her hands in the past few days is crazy. I understand she’s performing, but there’s got to be a way to make sure she always has access to tissues.”
However, others came to her defense, arguing that it was a natural response to a runny nose. One fan noted, “I’m not even a Swiftie, but I seriously don’t get why anyone would be mad or disgusted by someone wiping their nose. Like seriously? What was she supposed to do? I’m guessing she didn’t have a tissue right there, but at least she didn’t want her face covered with snot.”
Swift’s trio of Edinburgh shows kicked off her UK tour, which will be followed by performances in Cardiff, Liverpool, and eight nights at Wembley Stadium, where 720,000 fans are expected to attend in London alone. She has already completed 53 dates in the US and will return after the European leg to perform nine more shows in Miami, New Orleans, and Indianapolis. Overall, Swift will perform 50 shows across 18 cities in Europe.
Dedicated fans began queuing 48 hours before Swift’s arrival in Edinburgh, with 220,000 fans eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse and buy merchandise. However, many struggled to find accommodation as hotels quickly booked up and tripled their rates during Swift’s three-night residency from June 7 to 9. Her Eras tour is set to boost the British economy by nearly £1 billion.
The economic impact of Swift’s tour is significant, with researchers estimating that each fan attending an Eras concert in the UK will spend an average of £848. This includes expenses for travel, accommodation, pre-concert meals, official merchandise, and new outfits for the occasion. Fans have expressed frustration over the difficulty in obtaining tickets due to high demand and international buyers. Despite the challenges, Swift’s tour continues to draw massive crowds and generate substantial economic benefits.