SHE’S the most powerful woman in pop, raking in £10million a night on her Eras world tour – and Taylor Swift’s motorcade reflects her status.
I can reveal she’s been driven around in a purpose-built bulletproof Mercedes Benz, similar to the US President’s car The Beast, worth around £1million.
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Taylor Swift’s mega motorcade reflects her incredible statusCredit: Getty
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Taylor is being driven around the UK in an expensive armoured motor like this MercedesCredit: Alamy
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Taylor’s vehicle is not too dissimilar to the US President’s armoured vehicle, The BeastCredit: Getty
Security for the Karma hitmaker are ex-secret service agents who operate her movements backstage with military precision.
An insider tells me: “Taylor’s car is made for world leaders. It can withstand being shot at and explosives.
“It has its own air supply, tyres that can’t be punctured and separate compartments for the driver.
“There is a fleet of Mercedes at her beck and call, ensuring she can travel in convoy. She has close protection bodyguards who ensure she is safe, and her comings and goings backstage are kept secret. Several times on the tour she has had a police escort.”
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Security staff have been grading each arena’s safety and hold a list of banned stalkers.
Crew do regular spot checks and cases are searched for dangerous items.
Taylor even carries military-grade bandages in case she is wounded.
She said: “After the Manchester Arena bombing and the Vegas concert shooting, I was terrified to go on tour this time because I didn’t know how we were going to keep three million fans safe over seven months.
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“There was a tremendous amount of planning, expense and effort put into keeping fans safe.
“My fear of violence has continued into my personal life. I carry QuikClot army grade bandage dressing, which is for gunshot or stab wounds.”
Taylor Swift kicks off Eras Tour at Murrayfield in Scotland
Taylor previously revealed she had “fought the idea of security”, but admitted it’s now a relief, adding: “The sheer number of men we have in a file who have showed up at my house, my mom’s house and threatened to kill me, kidnap me or marry me. This is the strange and sad part of my life that I try not to think about. I don’t want to be walking down the street scared. And when I have security, I don’t have to.”
Elsewhere, Taylor has been treating her crew to luxury catering with high-end lasagne, salads and sweet treats.
One backstage mole said: “This is the best we’ve ever been treated.”
The star’s dressing room is pretty low-key and focused on maintaining her voice for her three-hour show.
White fabric drapes cover the walls, while bucket-sized Jo Malone candles create a relaxing atmosphere.
She chews Wrigley’s Extra gum for her voice, but incense sticks are banned as they can irritate the throat.
Plus, she needs to add the Greggs order we revealed yesterday to her tour rider, too . . .
CAUGHT LIVE: Taylor Swift at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh★★★★★
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Taylor performing Would’ve, Should’ve, Could’ve/I Know Places and Tis The DamnSeason/DaylightCredit: Getty
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Swift wore yellow to perform Betty, Champagne Problems, August, Majorie, My Tears Ricochet, Cardigan, Illicit Affairs and WillowCredit: Getty
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Swift donned this white dress to sing Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me, But Daddy I Love Him, So High School, Down Bad, Fortnight and The Smallest Man Who Ever LivedCredit: Getty
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Taylor looked fiery for her rendition of . . . Ready For It?, Delicate, Don’t Blame Me and Look What You Made Me DoCredit: Getty
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Tay looked snug in this purple coat for Lavender Haze, Anti-Hero and Midnight RainCredit: Getty
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The US star performing Midnight Rain, Vigilante S**t, Bejewelled, Mastermind and KarmaCredit: Getty
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Taylor glittered during her performance of Lover, Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince and Cruel SummerCredit: PA
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The star performed Love Story, Fearless and You Belong With Me in a lacey dressCredit: Getty
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Tay rocked this suit top to sing The Man and You Need To Calm DownCredit: PA
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Crowds were hushed for her rendition of EnchantedCredit: Getty
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The artist performing hit 22Credit: Getty
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Swift rolled back the years with classics Bad Blood, Wildest Dreams, Style, Shake It Off and Blank SpaceCredit: Getty
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The icon got her guitar out for We Are Never Getting Back Together, I Knew You Were Trouble and All Too Well (10-minute version)Credit: Getty
Tay’s Scots homage
AHEAD of singing Betty from Folklore, Taylor paid homage to Scotland for being the inspiration for the 2020 album.
She told fans: “Whenever I see the beautiful videos of Scotland and all the castles and the moss and the woods and all the green, I always think about Folklore.
“I started writing it two days into the pandemic. I just created an imaginary world that I lived in instead of just my reality, which was just so much TV, so much white wine covered in cat hair. That was my actual reality.”
She said the whimsical nature of the Highlands helped her create the framework for the best-selling album.
Taylor added: “So I was like, ‘I’m going to create a fake imaginary land where I live, and I’m going to call it Folklore, and I’m going to escape into it.”
Souvenirs make Tay merch richer
THE Eras tour has already broken the record for the highest gross earnings of any tour in history, knocking Elton John’s five-year Farewell Yellow Brick Road off the top spot.
After the first year of the tour, Taylor has reached billionaire status, having netted one billion dollars (about £800million) shortly after finishing the United States leg in November.
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Taylor makes a whopping £1million a night just from the merchandise flogged at the venuesCredit: Getty
But I can reveal that the shrewd singer makes a whopping £1million a night just from the merchandise flogged at the venues.
The quality gear has fast become cult collectors’ items for fans with hoodies costing £70,