Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Taylor Swift performs The Tortured Poets Department songs live for the first time at Paris Eras Tour concert

Pop superstar returned to her record-breaking Eras Tour after a two-month hiatus

Inga Parkel
Thursday 09 May 2024 22:53 BST
Comments
Taylor Swift releases trailer for Eras Tour concert film

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Taylor Swift has officially added several songs from her newest record, The Tortured Poets Department, to her Eras Tour.

Fresh off the release of her well-received 11th studio album, Swift returned to the stage on Thursday (9 May) in Paris, France, where she performed several of the new tracks live for the first time.

Following performances from her 1989 album, the 34-year-old superstar re-entered the stage dressed in a white gown, before launching into tracks from TTPD.

She began with the album’s sixth song, “But Daddy I Love Him”, before jumping around and performing “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me”, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”, “loml”, “So High School”, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” and more.

Ahead of her highly anticipated return to the road, Swift teased fans with a YouTube video of her tour rehearsal, where the intro of “Fortnight” could be heard playing in the background. “A fortnight til Paris,” the caption read.

“We are going to discover a slightly modified show since she has released a new album,” her French tour manager had confirmed in an interview with Radio France prior to the show.

Taylor Swift performs on stage during a concert as part of her Eras World Tour in Sydney
Taylor Swift performs on stage during a concert as part of her Eras World Tour in Sydney (AFP via Getty Images)

Thursday’s concert marked her first of four in Paris, the first stop on her 18-city European leg.

It was recently reported that 20 per cent of the tickets for the four sold-out Paris shows were bought by Americans, who travelled to Europe to see her on tour.

Meanwhile, Stockholm, the tour’s next stop, expects about 10,000 concert-goers from the US.

Following its release, TTPD topped the Billboard 200 chart, selling 2.61 million units, the highest for any album since Adele’s 25 in 2015.

It’s Swift’s 14th chart-topping album, tying her with Jay-Z for the most No 1s by a recording artist, placing both slightly behind The Beatles’ 19 top albums.

Amazon Music logo

Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)

Sign up
Amazon Music logo

Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)

Sign up

TTPD also gives Swift the most No 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart among female recording artists. Save for her 2006 eponymous debut album, which peaked at No 5, all of Swift’s albums have managed to reach the No 1 spot.

The album features collaborations with rapper Post Malone and Florence Welch of English band Florence + the Machine.

Reacting in shock to her album’s reception, Swift wrote in an Instagram caption: “My mind is blown. I’m completely floored by the love you’ve shown this album.”

“2.6 million ARE YOU ACTUALLY SERIOUS?? Thank you for listening, streaming, and welcoming Tortured Poets into your life. Feeling completely overwhelmed.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in