Taylor Swift Opens Up About Backstage Injuries During the Eras Tour: ‘Skin That’s Flopping Off, I Just Pull It Off’
Taylor Swift.
Credit:
Kevin Mazur/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Taylor Swift recalls a bloody backstage quick-change from her Eras Tour in which she skinned her palm and ripped off the “flopping” skin
- “Blood’s coming down my hand,” the singer shares in the third episode of her The End of an Era docuseries
- Members of Swift’s crew say she underwent roughly 20 quick changes, all of which were under two minutes
Taylor Swift recently opened up about the challenging reality behind her quick costume changes during the Eras Tour. In the third episode of her docuseries, titled “Kismet,” released on December 19, the 36-year-old artist detailed the speed and complexity of these transitions, often completed in less than two minutes.
During a quick change following the Evermore segment of her show, Swift described a particularly painful incident. “I trip over the hem of my dress. Bust my knee,” she recounted. “I skid the palm of my hand off. Hobble into the quick-change room. Blood’s coming down my hand. I’m changing into the Reputation bodysuit, the skin that’s flapping off, I just pull it off, more blood. They don’t have a Band-Aid back there.” Despite the injury, she remained punctual, stressing, “Wasn’t late for the intro of that song.”
Swift noted that fans discovered her injury a few days later. “They’re like, ‘Oh, her palm’s gone,'” she recalled, joking, “What? Nothing’s wrong. That’s always been like that.”
Taylor Swift.
Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty
According to crew member Jestina O’Dell, Swift’s quickest change during the tour was recorded at just 39 seconds. Stylist Joseph Cassell added that she often had around 20 rapid changes per show. O’Dell explained, “Our crew helped us build four quick-change booths. From there, we kind of travel through the underworld of the stage. It’s all very, very fast. We don’t really have time for snags. It’s very choreographed. Every second counts. Every millisecond counts.”
Andrea Swift, the singer’s mother, likened the experience to “watching a NASCAR race,” emphasizing the intense time constraints. Swift herself admitted, “There were moments where I thought, ‘I don’t know if these costume changes are gonna happen in time. I’m only off the stage for a maximum of two minutes at a time.”
Taylor Swift.
Kevin Mazur/Getty
Swift described the transitions as “the most complicated system,” where she navigates between costume changes using a pulley system while rushing from one change room to another. “You have no idea the panic of worrying you’re not gonna be dressed in time for the song to start, and it is that panic that drives me to never be late,” she revealed.
Her impressive Eras Tour set, lasting over three hours and 13 minutes, featured a 44-song setlist that celebrated her extensive musical catalog. Showcasing custom outfits, some were inspired by her various musical eras, while others referenced past tours, like the iconic Versace bodysuit from the opener, reflecting her Lover aesthetic, and the Roberto Cavalli two-piece for her 1989 set.
