Filipinos are passionate fans. They would do anything just to watch their faves perform live. It's no surprise that Filo Swifties quickly planned their lives when Taylor Swift dropped her tour dates.
Taylor Swift "The Eras Tour" International Dates
Taylor's "The Eras Tour" was a global phenomenon. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to stadiums just to see and hear Taylor perform live. She performed for huge crowds in every concert destination, including Singapore, Australia, and Japan. During the Melbourne, Australia leg, she announced that 288,000 people watched her 3-day performance.
Taylor's last stop was in Singapore—the only Southeast Asia destination for "The Eras Tour." Taylor held six concert days at the Lion City and attracted millions of concertgoers from Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines.
For Swifties who couldn't watch her concert, Taylor gifted them with the global release of her The Eras Tour Concert Film. It had its Philippine cinema release in October 2023. On March 15, 2024, it will be available for streaming on Disney+!
Filipino Swifties Survived "The Great War"
At this point, we'd say that her tour is a huge success. But it's not just Taylor who made her concert successful, it was also the fans, a.k.a the Swifties. Hailing from what they called "The Great War," fans exerted much effort and money to secure a ticket for the singer's tour. After queueing for hours and scrolling through the Internet just to get that slot, the ~great~ preparation comes.
Since the Philippines was not included in Taylor's stops, preparation for Filipino Swifties entailed securing a cheap roundtrip airfare to their desired countries, an affordable accommodation package, the perfect and comfortable concert get-up, and most importantly, assuring that they had enough budget to also roam around their destination country.
READ ALSO: All The ~*Stylish*~ Outfits Celebs And Influencers Wore To Taylor Swift's Eras Tour
We've seen numerous Pinoy Swifties who have been triumphant fangirls and fanboys over Taylor as they managed to tick watching her concert live off of their bucket lists! While we celebrate Swifties' milestone, we also wonder what it took for them to be able to attend the historic "Eras Tour." So, we've asked 13 Filipino Swifties (yup, we specifically chose 13 for obvious reasons) to share their experiences and also their expenses for Taylor's concert.
Ahead, let's look into their wonderful stories and relive "The Eras Tour" with them!
READ: 13 Filipino Swifties Talk About Their Experiences And Expenses For Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour"
1. Z: "I just knew I made my younger self proud and happy."
Concert Location: Singapore
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P72,000 [Concert Ticket: P30,000 | Roundtrip Airfare: P18,000 | Accommodations: P13,000 | Concert outfit: P3,000 | Food: P8,000]
Exactly four days before her flight to Singapore, Z was admitted to the hospital. She thought she was not gonna make it. Z mentioned how everyone at the hospital cheered for her to get better so she could make it to Taylor's concert.
"Ang cute kasi lahat sa ospital alam na a-attend ako ng concert so chini-cheer nila ako magpagaling para umabot ako. As in bawat pasok sa room ko ng nurse, sinasabihan talaga nila ako na "pagaling ka na para abot ka kay Taylor!" Sobrang unforgettable," she recalled.
Literally hours before her 1:00 AM call time at the airport on March 8th, she was permitted to leave the hospital, of course with the strict reminder to not forget her medications. Everything else did not matter to Z anymore as she reached Singapore's National Stadium.
"Niloloko ako ng friends ko kasi bigla raw ako lumakas nung concert. [The concert was] WORTH IT. Literal na nilaban ko 'yung buhay ko for that night to happen," Z remarked.
Z even shared that when Taylor was belting her hit song "Love Story," Z could definitely see her 5th-grade self singing Taylor's songs inside her classroom. "I just knew I made (my younger self) her proud and happy," Z concluded.
2. ERAR: "It's a childhood dream I never thought would come true."
Concert Location: Singapore
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P58,250 [Concert Ticket: P11,000 | Roundtrip Airfare: P20,000 | Accommodations: P10,000 | Concert outfit: P3,500 | Food: P10,000 | Concert Merch: 90 SGD/approximately P3,750]
ERAR was one lucky Swiftie, indeed. She was one of the thousands who have won "The Great War." It was in July 2023 when ERAR took the chance and vied for a ticket. "I am one of the lucky Swifties that have won the war," she noted.
ERAR also scored a memento of the concert. Aside from numerous friendship bracelets and lots of photos and videos from the concert, she bought a quarter zip jacket from the official merch—and no rain held her back from lining up for it.
"I did not waste my chance to purchase the Eras Tour official merch. Also, we bought the merch while Taylor performed during the 4th night. So, we had the chance to hear the concert twice, even outside of the stadium," ERAR shared.
ERAR is lucky because she saved on hotel accommodations! Her relatives in Singapore offered her free lodging. Accommodations in Singapore can be a bit too expensive, especially if there's a much-anticipated event like a concert.
We think it's safe to say that almost everybody in our generation grew up with Taylor and this has been the case for ERAR. For her, watching "The Eras Tour" fulfilled her childhood dream of seeing Taylor IRL. "For me, it's not just a concert. It's a childhood dream I never thought would come true," ERAR declared.
So was it worth it? ERAR said it is priceless and her supportive mom reminded her of this. She recalled, "During our trip, I felt guilty about the money I had spent. But my ever supportive mom said 'Ang pera, kikitain mo ‘yan! Pero ang experience, forever na ‘yang nasa iyo,' and all of my gastos were validated."
"It's definitely worth it as I am not only making myself happy but also the younger me who once dreamed of meeting and hearing her songs live. The experience was priceless," ERAR concluded.
3. Patty: "If you told 10-year-old me I would be watching Taylor Swift perform live in this lifetime, I wouldn't believe you."
Concert Location: Sydney, Australia
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P9,380 [Concert Ticket: 86 AUD/approximately P3,150 | Concert Merch: 170 AUD/approximately P6,230]
Patty, who's not really a concertgoer, realized that it's expensive to be a fan. But as she said, the odds were definitely in her favor during the Eras Tour. Although it was not in her original plan to see Taylor while she was in Sydney, she still tried out her luck. "I saw comments in a Swifties group on Facebook that they were able to score last-minute tickets. [...] Luckily, I got a G Reserve ticket for a cheap price the night before Taylor's last performance at the Accor Stadium," she recounted.
Wearing her favorite tube top, a denim maxi skirt, and high-cut Converse sneakers, she watched Taylor perform her iconic songs live. It didn't matter whether she didn't prepare her Eras Tour outfit or make friendship bracelets for other Swifties because she was there living the moment.
"That night was a fairytale. Grabe 'yung excitement while waiting sa stadium and I couldn't contain my happiness 'nung lumabas na siya sa stage. It felt nostalgic when Taylor started singing songs from the Fearless and Speak Now eras," Patty shared.
Patty also told Cosmopolitan Philippines, "Core memory 'yung pag-sing ng 'All Too Well (10-minute version)' with Taylor and the other Swifties, as this is one of my favorite songs. Parang 10 times 'yung sakit kapag live kaysa sa Spotify char."
There were other songs that Patty felt engraved in her heart after the concert like Taylor's "Would've, Could've, Should've," "Ivy," "Forever and Always," and "Maroon."
Taylor's three-hour performance was such a surreal experience for her. "I was on cloud nine the whole three hours na pinapanuod ko siya!!! I still watch my videos from the concert and kinikilig pa rin ako."
In the end, Patty said she was thankful for her amazing experience. She said, "Big thing na for me to be able to watch Taylor's concert...pero ang galing and thankful ako sa Universe for allowing me to experience this without breaking the bank. If you told 10-year-old me would be watching Taylor Swift perform live in this lifetime, I wouldn't believe you."
4. Hira: "It is surely the concert of the century, and I am happy to be part of it."
Concert Location: Singapore
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P92,000 [Flight and hotel price: P55,000 | Concert outfit: P3,000 | Food: P7,000 | Concert Merch: 90 SGD/approximately P4,400 | Miscellaneous: P23,000]
The memories of the Eras Tour are still fresh and vivid for Hira. In her chat with Cosmopolitan Philippines, she did not fail to mention how everyone was in their best Eras Tour outfit, how she could feel everyone's excitement, and how the crowd roared when Taylor began her performance.
"Everyone was standing, and we remained standing and partying for the whole concert. It lasted more than three hours. Sinabayan lang namin siya kumanta, we jumped, shouted, cheered, videoed ourselves, videoed Taylor Swift, and just enjoyed the moment. Every era was beautiful!!! She was very beautiful!" Hira shared.
She recalled the surprise song for that night, "We were surprised the most when she sang 'DROP EVERYTHING NOW,' from 'Sparks Fly,' as the first surprise song. We manifested it, and it came true. We were super wild!"
Hira is still on cloud nine after what she called the "concert of the century." She stated, "We have been preparing and looking forward to the concert for about seven months, and it did not disappoint. I'm just happy that we were blessed to buy tickets, have money to travel abroad, and have the time to attend."
Before she ended her story, she mentioned another best part of her Eras Tour experience—the Swifties. She shared that she met a Chinese girl who exchanged friendship bracelets with her and together they enjoyed the night to the fullest.
5. Thomas: "I hope I get to see Taylor again!"
Concert Location: Singapore
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P100,000 [inclusive of airfare, accommodation, outfit, friendship bracelets, and pocket money]
"I had a blast before and during Eras Tour!" Thomas began telling Cosmopolitan Philippines. His unforgettable experience stretched from the stressful ticket-selling to the fun and therapeutic making of friendship bracelets. Despite all the exhausting preparations, for him everything was all worth it.
"It just felt surreal. I made lots of friends from different parts of Asia, and the people were so nice. The surprise songs were insane! I would compare locking eyes with Swifties around Singapore with a Pokemon battle since people would initiate trading bracelets on the spot! It was really a celebration for us Swifties and Taylor. It was so fun and I would go again if I could!" Thomas shared.
Although he spent a huge amount of money, Thomas would do it all over again for Taylor. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and Taylor was right: go make the friendship bracelets and have the time of your life! I hope I get to see Taylor again!"
6. Thea: "Money is fake. The experience is forever."
Concert Location: Tokyo, Japan
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P64,000 [Concert Ticket: P12,000 | Roundtrip Airfare: P21,000 | Concert outfit: P1,000 | Concert merch: P14,000 | Pocket money: $300 or approximately P16,000]
Thea braved the snowstorm for Taylor. She lined up amid the cold weather so she could buy the official Eras Tour merch. She didn't mind the weather and the snow that day because all that mattered was she was *finally* seeing the multi-awarded singer whose songs reminded her of her childhood.
"Opening [stage] pa lang I was crying already. I've been waiting for this for so long and it was overwhelming kasi when you get there. You're so excited and so kilig because of the light-up wristbands and then you see the stage and you think 'OMG, it's for real na"'tapos when mother [Taylor] appeared, grabe my tears! Rinig sa videos yung iyak ko!" Thea enthusiastically told Cosmopolitan Philippines.
She continued to share, "It's really different when you get to experience it live. You get to scream your heart out... The whole concert felt so personal because maybe delulu pero I felt her singing to me."
Obviously, with just her words, we can tell that it was an absolute dream come true for Thea. She also disclosed that she even got to watch one of her dream surprise songs from Taylor which was "Dear Reader." However, she couldn't share her Eras Tour clips on social media. She quipped, "Hindi ko naman ma-post sa Instagram kasi grabe it's just the Eras Tour (Thea's Version), LOL!"
After everything she endured for the concert, there's one thing Thea would like to impart to the readers of the story now: "Do it, buy the ticket! I have zero regrets for this. It healed my inner child. I would 100 percent do it again (hopefully with a boyfriend already), no questions asked. Money is fake. The experience is forever," she declared.
7. Lui: "I will never be 25 again, in Singapore, dancing and singing Taylor's songs along with 60,000+ people."
Concert Location: Singapore
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P66,500 [Concert Ticket & Hotel: P29,000 | Roundtrip Airfare: P13,000 | Concert outfit: P2,000 | Pocket money: P20,000 | Miscellaneous: P2,500]
"Once-in-a-lifetime experience lang ‘to, ito-todo ko na." Those were the exact words Lui told herself once they secured tickets for the Eras Tour in Singapore, a.k.a her first-ever concert experience too. She made one of the best nights of my life worth it!
"Grabe 'yung excitement ko. Six months ago noong naka-secure kami ng tickets, akala ko I will be underwhelmed or disappointed, pero no. Taylor gave us the best performance and hindi ko na lang namalayan na lumipas yung gabi," she recalled.
Lui said that the moment Taylor went onstage, all the fatigue, the hunger, and everything else in between vanished. "This may sound so cliche but I felt like time stopped for a brief moment and we all just deeply connected with each other, super heartwarming sa pakiramdam."
Her main takeaway from the event? "Sa usapin ng pera, babalik rin 'yan eventually. Pero itong "The Eras Tour?" This will only happen now. No regrets talaga. Super worth it siya."
8. Jica: "Taylor connects with her fans in a way no one else could through her music. Seeing her live is just a bonus."
Concert Location: Singapore
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P80,000 [Concert Ticket: P15,000 | Roundtrip Airfare: P30,000 | Accommodation: P17,000 | Concert outfit + Friendship bracelets: P3,000 | Concert merch: P12,000 | Food: P3,000]
"Nothing compares to experiencing it in person," Jica heartily noted. As a longtime Swiftie, she knew she had to see Taylor, regardless of the tour's date and the location.
"I'm really glad I was one of the lucky ones who did. It was amazing, to say the least. Singing along with other swifties who knew all the lyrics to her songs by heart is something else!" Jica told Cosmopolitan Philippines. She also admitted that the concert was tiring yet one for the books.
But amid everything, she puts out a sweet reminder to all Swifties: "If you have the means to do it, go for it! It's definitely worth it! If not, there's nothing to worry about. Taylor connects with her fans in a way no one else could through her music. Seeing her live is just a bonus."
9. Maui: "I think it's worth it, especially for the 10-year-old Maui who used to dedicate 'Mine' to her crush, and 20-year-old Maui who dedicates 'Dress' to someone as well."
Concert Location: Singapore
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P25,000 [Concert Ticket: P14,300 | Roundtrip Airfare: P11,000]
Maui had one less thing off her bucket list which was to attend a concert abroad, and she's pretty lucky it's Taylor's Eras Tour! She was currently staying in Singapore with her dad, so most of her expenses were covered by her loving father.
But it was still a feat for her to attend the concert and even buy merch! Not to mention that she missed some performances just to purchase an Eras Tour shirt. "I bought one shirt from her merch line during "All Too Well" and half of "Folklore" (The sacrifices I had to go through to get the merch that I want) which was 60 Singapore dollars, so it's around P2,500," Maui recalled.
Despite missing some parts of the concert, Maui still had fun. "I got the surprise songs I wanted!" she said. She wished Taylor had talked more with the crowd, though. After the three-hour concert, Maui just craved more interactions with Taylor.
But all in all, Maui had no regrets coming to the Eras Tour. "I wanted to fulfill my dream of going to a concert abroad—and I think it's even more memorable that I got to watch her show."
10. Eloise: "You find people from all walks of life experience the same 'eras' as you have and so, the good days that have so far reflected her songwriting felt more of a grand celebration of life."
Concert Location: Singapore
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P156,000 [inclusive of concert ticket, airfare, accommodation, outfit, concert merch, and food]
Eloise attended two nights of "The Eras Tour" in Singapore, and it was such a spectacular moment for her! She had to give up concerts of her other faves just to save and to be financially prepared for Taylor's concert.
"I've already been saving up for what I expected to be a very expensive experience of a lifetime. I let go of a lot of concerts (like BLACKPINK) and trips para maka-bwelo," she noted.
It took a lot of hard work, prayers, and luck for Eloise to secure tickets for the concert. "The Great War" almost took the best of her. "Lost all hope but pushed through. When I got in, single seats na lang available, because I loved Taylor so much, I didn't really mind. I got whichever VIP1 ticket single seat was available."
For 15 years, Eloise has been one of the biggest Swifties and she will never let go of the night when she became a part of the Eras Tour crowd. She will forever be enchanted.
"Seeing Taylor sing the songs that guided my life—the milestones, the struggles, the mundane—through the years made connecting and resonating with her music more meaningful. It was a celebration of her music and stories, my self-expression, and all the magic made in the in-betweens," she declared.
11. Ina: "It was magical!"
Concert Location: Singapore:
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P43,500 [Concert Ticket: P14,000 | Roundtrip Airfare: P13,000 | Accommodation: P10,000 | Concert outfit + Friendship bracelets: P2,000 | Transportation in SG: P1,000| Food: P3,500]
Ina savored the magical night of hearing Taylor sing live. After all, she had to go through a lot to get to that very moment. "Grabe 'yung planning and saving that we had to do, but it was worth it. Hindi talaga rin nagtipid si auntie Taylor with the production, and her energy was through the roof kahit na ang humid sa Singapore."
She added, "It was also amusing seeing other nationalities come together to celebrate music and just reminisce a major part of our childhood/teenage life!"
Ina did not just fulfill her dream to see Taylor live, but also made a milestone by having her first overseas trip! She definitely loved Singapore with this experience.
12. Ravienne: "Super magical ng feeling! Feeling ko nasa Disneyland ako."
Concert Location: Singapore
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P47,000 [Concert Ticket: P17,500 | Roundtrip Airfare: P17,000 | Accommodation: P28,562 | Concert outfit: P1,500]
Ravienne is still at the stadium, you guys. It was hard to move on from the musical night she had with Taylor and her high school friends. "Watching Eras Tour was like my childhood, teenage years, and adulthood combined in one concert. Napanood ko siya kasama 'yung high school friends ko na kasama ko kumanta ng Taylor Swift songs dati, which makes it very special to me," she told Cosmopolitan Philippines.
Everything was perfect for Ravienne. She wouldn't trade the experience for anything in this world. She shared, "It's super worth it! My younger self who cried na 'di sya makapunta sa 'Red Tour' is happy! Though hindi ko na alam gagawin ko after the concert, parang help I'm still at the restaurant pa rin ako."
13. Nxt: "I genuinely hope that other people could also get a chance to experience the same at least once in their lifetime."
Concert Location: Tokyo, Japan
Estimated Total Amount Of Expenses: P47,000 [Concert Ticket: P8,000| Roundtrip Airfare: P13,000 | Transportation: P7,000 | Accommodation: P12,000 | Concert outfit: P4,500 | Food: P12,000 | Concert merch: P4,000]
Nxt had the best time exploring on her *first* overseas trip and her *first* Taylor Swift concert. In her conversation with Cosmopolitan Philippines, Nxt shared she was in awe of everything that happened. "We had the whole view of one of the greatest stage productions I've ever seen. What also amazed me was Taylor's insane stamina and driving force to run a three-hour concert," she shared.
Watching the concert in Tokyo made her a little bit self-conscious, though. She admitted that she's part of the "OA Swifties Club." Luckily, the people from her section gave off the best concert energy. "My section was vibing, although they were calmer than me!"
"One of the best," as Nxt described her Eras Tour journey. Like some Swifties, she banked on the idea that she would never be 23 again, singing along to Taylor's live performance. Besides, she had financially prepared herself for the trip! "I am aware of the privilege that I had and feel blessed to have been able to do these things, and I genuinely hope that other people could also get a chance to experience the same at least once in their lifetime," she concluded.
We thank and congratulate all the Swifties who took the time to share their Eras Tour journey with us!
*Answers were edited for clarity.
