Taylor Swift Takes Over Late Night TV
Taylor Swift visited her friend Seth Meyers on his late-night show, serving as the sole guest for a Wednesday night takeover. The entire episode was dedicated to Swift, with the show dubbing it a "Tay/kover." Even the "Closer Look" segment got in on the fun, incorporating friendship bracelet and song title jokes while discussing the current government shutdown.
Feeling at Home
Swift seemed completely at ease with Meyers, despite it being five years since her last appearance on the show. Meyers joked that it looked like Swift had done 15 years’ worth of work in those five years. The two friends had a blast together, and it showed in their conversation.
The Life of a Showgirl
Swift talked about the rollout of her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl," which she described as the "most joyful" of her career. She shared that she’s been following what fans post on TikTok and that her entire family is joining her on the press tour for the first time. Swift also gave a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the music video for her single "The Fate of Ophelia," which featured several of her dancers from the "Epochs" Tour.
A New Hobby
The singer also discussed her new favorite hobby: baking bread. Meyers showed off his own Swift-baked bread, complete with packaging covered in puns inspired by her lyrics. Swift said her puns "won’t be appreciated until the time comes." The crew even got to enjoy some of her bread, with Meyers showing a clip from her recently released theater event.
Breaking Records
On Wednesday morning, Swift officially tied the record for the biggest opening week ever for a record in the streaming era. Her album sold 3.2 million copies with 300,000 streaming units, bringing the total to 3.5 million. This puts her in the same league as Adele, whose album "25" currently holds the record for the most single sales with 3.3 million units.
Personal Life
Swift’s recent engagement to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was also a topic of conversation. She lightheartedly poked fun at her fiancé, recounting a story about his altercation with director Greta Gerwig. In the clip, Kelce mistook Hugh Grant’s wife for Gerwig, the director of the movie "Barbie."
The Album
Swift’s 12th album, "The Life of a Showgirl," was produced and written by the singer herself, along with hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback. The album is seen as a return to some of her standard pop albums, such as "1989," but with a unique twist. It sold 2.7 million copies on its release day, making it her biggest week ever on that day alone.
The Cinematic Companion
In addition to the album, Swift released a cinematic companion film over the weekend. The film featured the music video for the album’s lead single, "The Fate of Ophelia," ahead of its online release. Swift directed the video, which was shot by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and features choreography by Mandy Moore.
Box Office Success
The Grammy winner’s release event grossed an estimated $33 million at the domestic box office and another $13 million worldwide, for a worldwide total of $46 million. The event was a huge success, and fans loved getting to see Swift’s music come to life on the big screen.
