Swiftly she came, saw and … conquered

GRAMMY-WINNING pop star Taylor Swift basks in her Manila audience’s adulation. photo credit: MCA MUSIC INC. (UNIVERSAL MUSIC PHILIPPINES)

She has won seven Grammy Awards, sold over 26 million albums and embarked on three successful world concert tours—and she’s only 24.

Yet, Taylor Swift, after the second number in her one-night-only show on Friday at SM Mall of Asia Arena, looked as though it was her first time to appear before an adoring, sold-out crowd.

Swift, who first performed in Manila in 2011, stood in the middle of the stage, slowly scanning the sight before her, red lips parted ever so slightly. Her expression was one of astonishment, disbelief almost, as she basked in the adulation. Diehard fans—mostly teenage girls—would not stop jumping, cheering and screaming.

Best-friend material

It wasn’t difficult to appreciate Swift’s appeal. She may not be beauty-queen pretty, but she’s charismatic and down-to-earth. When she spoke, she sounded like the big sister or best friend that every girl in the crowd was probably wishing for.

“Magandang gabi! Are there people here who saw the last show we did in Manila? I’m seeing familiar faces, as well as new ones … Mahal kita, Manila!”

Playing a big part in this magic spell that she cast was her music, of course—infectious, melodic and accessible, sparked by occasional strains of country and rock. Her lyrics, as everybody knows by now, are fueled by emotions she confronted when falling in and out of love, many times, with fellow celebs. The running joke was, if you broke her heart, she’d write a hit song about you.

“If I had to choose one color to represent all those emotions,” Swift said, “it would have to be bright, burning red.” “Red” is also the title of this current world tour, as well as her fourth and latest album, which has thus far sold over 6 million copies.

The show began with the racing beats of percussion and the flashing of hazy, red stage lights. From behind red curtains, Swift began crooning to “State of Grace”; her silhouette was all the restless crowd could see.

Sparkly red mic

When she finally emerged atop a flight of steps, holding a sparkly red microphone, pandemonium broke out.

ASIDE from writing her own songs, she is a multi-instrumentalist whose talents were on full display at the MOA Arena concert. photo: jasper lucena/contributor

She strutted on stage with just enough sass, stopping intermittently to strike a pose or belt out a high note. The next song, “Holy Ground,” had Swift tousling her hair and dancing vivaciously. She pounded on the percussion, then twirled around like a kid before giving high fives to fans.

Swift’s stage showmanship has improved over the years—she is more confident and graceful now. One moment she’s coy and cutesy; the next, she’s fun and flirtatious. She was most charming when she did the littlest things—flicking her hair while playing her red guitar, paused between songs, breaking into a smile as she soaked in the moment.

The show was replete with elaborate production numbers that involved several costume changes, including “The Lucky One,” in which Swift evoked Old Hollywood glamour, and “Love Story” where she danced with a Prince Charming and tiptoed like a ballerina. The electro-pop tune “I Knew You Were Trouble” was rendered in a masquerade ball setting, with Swift’s white gown getting ripped to reveal a lacy one-piece suit and knee-high boots.

Circus ringleader

This young woman sure wasn’t the same curly-haired sweetie who took the Big Dome stage more than two years ago. In the closing number, the defiant “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” Swift was a circus ringleader.

Aside from writing her own songs, Swift is a gifted multi-instrumentalist, and her talent was on full display in the more subdued numbers. She played the guitar on “Fearless,” about the perfect first date, and on “You Belong With Me,” one of her earlier hits. She sat behind the piano in “All Too Well,” which had her headbanging as the gritty ballad swelled to a crescendo. Her singing voice, once suspect and shaky live, was stronger and more consistent this time around.

But more than the performances, Swift made sure to engage the crowd, thanking them profusely, sharing her life experiences, and empowering them with her words. Before the country-inflected “Mean,” a song that calls for antibullying, Swift strummed on the banjo softly, as she told her fans:

“One thing I’ve learned about life is that it’s very rare to find people you belong with. If you can’t fit in, just do what I’ve done— just be you until you find the people you fit in with.”

Swift wistfully said being heartbroken shouldn’t make one bitter. “We have no control over our circumstances. But we do have complete control of how we handle them,” she said. “I’ve had some bad things and good things happen to me in the name of love, and I remember them all too well.”

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