Spain’s biggest Taylor Swift fan on what it is like to be added to her exclusive list
Roberto Santos, fron Madrid, has been following Taylor Swift since 2011
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Spain’s biggest Taylor Swift fan has revealed he has been added to an exclusive list of mega-fans who recieve free gifts from the singer and her team.
Roberto Santos, 55, stands out among other “Swifties” for his decades-long devotion to American pop icon Taylor Swift and a plethora of gifts the Spaniard has received from her team in recognition of that - enough to fill up an apartment room he calls a sanctuary.
As Swift, 34, was preparing to play her Eras Tour gigs in Madrid on Wednesday and Thursday, Santos, who runs a dental prosthetics lab in Spain’s capital, solemnly displayed the items, including Swift’s limited-edition platinum disk award, signed photos, recordings, and sneakers bearing both their names.
“Sometimes I wake up at night, turn on the light and look a little, and say to myself: ‘What are you doing?’... I just look, it gives me calm, and I go back to sleep,” Santos said in an interview.
“For me she means everything; I’ve been following her since before 2011... I had the gut feeling that she was going to be big. If I had the same intuition with the lottery, I’d be rich,” Santos said.
He said going to see her perform in Dublin in 2018 made him the only person to have travelled twice from Spain for a Swift show. Her management team then added Santos and his wife Inmaculada to an exclusive fan list, and sent them gifts and invitations, including an all-paid trip to Los Angeles last year, Santos said.
“If I was 18 or 20, I imagine I could go a bit crazy... but now everything feels more mature and calm,” said Santos, who has Swift-themed tattoos on his arms and ankle.
He has yet to meet her in person. A planned meeting in Oslo was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Santos is particularly thankful to Swift and her team for thinking about older fans, and for “the values she has transmitted” through her art.
Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour has boosted local economies. In Madrid, hotel occupancy rates have climbed to 90% on average for the concert dates.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments