Government employee Leinald Dela Cruz has always wanted to see Taylor Swift up close and personal since 2009, only to miss out on getting tickets to The Eras Tour in Singapore and Japan—the only two stops in Asia. To weather his version of a cruel summer, he set his sights on seeing the Filipino version of The Eras show through Taylor Sheesh.
You better believe it: Taylor Sheesh, or John Mac Lane Coronel in real life, is bringing to heartbroken Swifties The Errors Tour, the closest thing Filipino fans like Dela Cruz will ever get to the real deal.
“When I heard she was visiting Iloilo City for the first time, I needed to see her as a Swiftie. I didn’t get the pre-sale codes for Eras Tour SG and I lost the lottery for Eras Tour JP twice now, so this is my only chance to get to watch our version of the Eras Tour at least,” Dela Cruz told SPOT.ph.
“It’s kind of surreal. I know that it’s not Taylor Swift, but she makes me feel like I’m in a Taylor Swift concert. I think it’s Taylor’s songs that come through during the performance; you will always feel a connection when you hear it.”
Taylor Sheesh in the flesh
The Eras Tour might have taken the U.S. by storm, breaking TicketMaster and causing 2.3 magnitude earthquakes from the sheer enthusiasm of her fans, but Coronel brings in his own screaming crowd with a Swift playlist and a drag ensemble to boost.
During her The Errors Tour, Taylor Sheesh comes on stage prepared to deliver a full set of no less than an hour with more than 10 outfit changes, backup performers, and confetti cannons to hype up the performance. Each costume change is a themed replica of one of Swift’s album eras, from Fearless to Midnights. She doesn’t actually sing, but lip-synchs, to the songs.
For Dela Cruz, Taylor Sheesh's appeal "fits the Pinoy taste" and captures the feeling of being in the actual Eras show. When asked if he would pay to see Taylor Sheesh in concert, he said: "If I can afford it, yes!"
“She really does get [Swift's] mannerisms from the tour performances if we compare it side-by-side. She really studied her movements. What can you expect from Filipino Swifties? They will always sing along to any Taylor song,” Dela Cruz said.
Taylor Sheesh has also been featured in several publications carrying some of the most recognized titles in the world, like Rolling Stone and the Washington Post. On TikTok, Taylor Sheesh has racked up almost 60,000 followers, but that is nothing compared to fan recordings that Swifties take, many of which have surpassed a million views.
Loved as she is now, Taylor Sheesh is still hit with impostor syndrome every now and then.
“There are a lot of challenges. I always have doubts in myself if I can do this with a lot of Swifties in front of me. What if I disappoint other Swifties?" Taylor Sheesh told SPOT.ph.
At the end of the day, it’s not about her newfound popularity, but her ability to connect to Swifties in a way that only another Swiftie can.
"I can express what I feel, share my emotions to the audience, and celebrate art through my performance."
When it's time to shake off the Swift persona, Coronel is a 28-year-old call center agent from Antipolo, Rizal. In his spare time, he loves to sleep, play online games, and make pixel arts. Like Dela Cruz, Coronel became a Swiftie in 2009. His big break came on October 2022 when he was with his friends in a Taylor Swift listening party in Market Market! wearing a full drag outfit of the popstar. The organizer of the event, Swifties Philippines, approached Coronel if he could do a surprise performance. He delivered. “After that, my performance went viral. I…named [myself] Taylor Sheesh because... my drag persona is gorgeous but very stupid,” Coronel said. Coronel has never seen Swift in concert before, but that is about to change when he attends the Singapore show on March 4. Swifties have been rallying that he ought to receive the famous 22 hat that is given to one special guest on every show. Touring around the Philippines is only the start. Coronel has big plans to make Taylor Sheesh a worldwide phenomenon—not that she isn’t already one to begin with. “I’m looking forward to go on tour globally, not just as Taylor Sheesh, but with my drag,” Coronel said. “I always do a non-Taylor Swift [drag] whenever I am booked in Nectar Nightclub to let people know that I [am] more than Taylor Sheesh.” *This story originally appeared on Spot.ph. Minor edits have been made by Cosmo.ph editors.More than Taylor Sheesh
