Midnights, Mashups and Our Final Predictions for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour

Hosts Lisa and Cameron of the "Swiftly Spoken" podcast delve into the anticipation surrounding Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour,' analyzing setlist predictions, potential mashups, and the likelihood of hearing unreleased tracks live. They discuss three songs—'Anti-Hero,' 'Delicate,' and the 10-minute version of 'All Too Well'—hinted at by Taylor and her team as likely inclusions. Additionally, they speculate on the incorporation of 'Midnights' tracks, with a focus on how previous tour mashups and costume motifs might be reimagined for this career-spanning event. The hosts also express excitement for the tour's surprises and encourage fans to engage with their pre-tour content and share their own predictions.

• Lisa and Cameron introduce the podcast, Swiftly Spoken, dedicated to Taylor Swift's lyrics and albums.
• They mention previous episodes that focused on each of Taylor Swift's eras and the songs she's never performed live.
• The previous episodes were shorter, formatted like a mini-series, and available on YouTube.
• This episode will be available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
• The hosts encourage listeners to check out the previous episodes for predictions on the Eras Tour setlist.

"hello and welcome to swiftly spoken a fan made Taylor Swift podcast in which we break down her lyrics Deep dive into full album retrospectives and theorize about what may be coming next as always we are your host Lisa and Cameron"

The quote is an introduction to the podcast, outlining its focus on Taylor Swift's music and the hosts' credentials.

• Lisa and Cameron will discuss everything known about the Eras Tour.
• They will give final predictions on setlists, mashups, remixes, and midnight songs.
• They previously recapped Taylor Swift's eras and predicted the songs she might perform on the Eras Tour.

"in this episode we're going to be going over everything we know about the era's tour and give our final predictions in terms of set lists mashups remix and midnight songs that might possibly appear"

This quote sets the stage for the episode's content, focusing on the Eras Tour and related predictions.

• Three songs are seemingly confirmed for the Eras Tour setlist: "Anti-Hero," "Delicate," and the 10-minute version of "All Too Well."
• The confirmation comes from comments and hints from Taylor Swift and Taylor Nation.
• The hosts believe these songs are realistic choices for the tour.

"so the three that seemingly are confirmed to be on the set list are anti-hero delicate. and. All. Too Well 10 minute version"

This quote lists the three songs that are considered confirmed for the Eras Tour, based on information from Taylor Swift and her team.

• Taylor Nation's interactions with fans have led to speculation about the setlist.
• The hosts advise taking Taylor Nation's hints with caution since they may not have direct knowledge of the setlist.
• A list of songs mentioned by Taylor Nation includes "Anti-Hero," "Glitch," "This Love," "Sad Beautiful Tragic," "The Very First Night," "Bejeweled," and "Seven."
• The hosts express skepticism about the inclusion of some of these songs in the tour.

"now Taylor Nation are to be taken with a grain of salt because yes they are involved with Taylor they are her official team however they are not Taylor and they don't have a say in the set list they may not even know the setlist for all we know"

This quote emphasizes the need for caution when interpreting Taylor Nation's hints about the Eras Tour setlist, as they may not have definitive knowledge of the final selections.

• Soundcheck rumors have been circulating, claiming to reveal songs from the tour.
• The hosts warn that some videos may be edited and not genuine.
• Soundchecks for "Me," "Shake It Off," "Anti-Hero," and "You Belong With Me" have caused controversy among fans.
• The hosts discuss fan expectations and the likelihood of Taylor Swift playing her biggest hits on the Eras Tour.

"so Within These sound checks there are many videos going around. so I guess we have to give a spoiler warning in case obviously we've got down to here so spoiler warnings throughout I guess but these ones are the most kind of official so shall we say however in saying that at the same time we've got to be very very wary because a lot of edited videos are going around"

This quote addresses the uncertainty surrounding leaked soundcheck videos and advises caution in regards to their authenticity.

• Taylor Swift has popularized the concept of an "era" in music, denoting distinct phases in her career with specific themes, visuals, and sounds.
• The "Era's Tour" is named as such because it encapsulates different periods of Taylor's music, not just her hits.
• The tour is a celebration of her entire musical catalog, including the re-recorded versions of her first five albums.

"and the only reason it's kind of branded as an era's tour is because like Taylor has almost coined like previous artists throughout the music kind of industry in history have obviously had very distinct areas Madonna for example kind of Paving the way in terms of Reinventing yourself every single kind of era. but I feel like Taylor like almost coined this concept of an era of it being like this bookend point."

This quote explains that while other artists like Madonna have reinvented themselves, Taylor Swift has taken it a step further by creating distinct "eras" that serve as bookends to phases in her career, which is the basis for the "Era's Tour."

• Live performances, such as Taylor Swift's concerts, offer a different and fun experience compared to listening to studio recordings.
• Fans should have realistic expectations of the tour, recognizing it as a celebration of her music rather than just a hits tour.
• The excitement of live renditions and the communal atmosphere contribute to the enjoyment of songs that may not be as popular in their recorded form.

"and it's not my favorite song ever like don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to act like shake it off as the best song ever. but it's fun when you see it live like it is funny when you hear it once exactly and like even when you hear me on like the lover like live in Paris the uh that concert and you and Taylor says like hey kids and everyone show up spelling is fun but yet like no one really likes it."

This quote highlights that even if a song isn't a personal favorite or widely acclaimed, the live performance can still be an enjoyable and memorable experience.

• Trust in Taylor Swift's ability to curate a setlist that balances hits, fan favorites, and hidden gems is essential.
• The setlist for the "Era's Tour" will likely be a mix of big hits and Vault songs, providing a comprehensive look at her discography.
• Fans should manage their expectations and understand that not every song can be featured in the tour.

"but we got to trust Taylor especially at this point which we still haven't seen the tour or seen the set list we've got a trust tailor to organize a set list she's good at doing it to include hits hidden gems mix and match of everything slow moments fast moments and give us that kind of roller coastery feel of going through all of her her discography basically"

This quote emphasizes the need for fans to have faith in Taylor Swift's expertise in crafting a setlist that will take them on a journey through her music, incorporating various tempos and styles.

• Fans are eager for content and information about the tour, leading to speculation and the spread of rumors.
• Leaks and unconfirmed reports should be taken with a grain of salt until officially confirmed.
• The scarcity of concrete information pre-tour heightens excitement but also leads to misinformation and unrealistic expectations.

"and I think that it is exactly because of what you said we were all starving for content. and it's coming very soon um so you know two days away from when this this episode will be out so that's very exciting and hopefully all of our all of our question marks over the whole thing will be cleared up in a couple of days time"

This quote acknowledges the anticipation and desire for information leading up to the tour, suggesting that fans' questions and uncertainties will soon be addressed as the tour start date approaches.

• Midnights, as Taylor Swift's most recent album, will likely have a significant presence in the tour setlist.
• Not all songs from the album, particularly those from the 3am version, are expected to be performed.
• The tour may feature a few confirmed songs from Midnights, possibly in full or as part of mashups with other tracks.

"so but from midnights itself I couldn't say that I think three or four are definitely confirmed for example anti-hero is gonna be there. yeah. Bejeweled. yep I'd like to say karma and other than that lavender. Haze. I guess because. yeah. yeah. and I think those are the ones that are most confirmed in my head."

This quote predicts that select songs from the Midnights album are almost certain to be included in the tour, highlighting the importance of promoting the latest work while also considering the format of the "Era's Tour."

• Lisa considers the possibility of "Great War" being part of the setlist.
• She believes it would integrate well into the concert lineup.
• "Great War" is seen as a realistic addition to the performance.

I think maybe the most realistic one for me appearing is like the Great War.

The quote reflects Lisa's opinion that "Great War" is a likely choice for inclusion in the concert, suggesting it would fit well within the artist's repertoire.

• Lisa thinks the 3am Edition is a strong collection of songs for surprises during the concert.
• She expects certain songs like "Paris" and "Higher Fidelity" to be played.
• Specific dates are mentioned, such as April 29th, emphasizing the importance of song choice on particular concert dates.

I feel like the the 3am Edition is a good addition a good um group of songs to be surprised. [...] a higher Fidelity has got to be played on April.

Lisa expresses her enthusiasm for the 3am Edition songs and the anticipation for "Higher Fidelity" to be played on a specific date, highlighting the strategic planning of the setlist.

• Lisa and Cameron discuss the song "Glitch" and its potential for dramatic stage effects.
• They draw a parallel between a pause in the song and a similar pause in "Dress."
• The idea of lights going off to create a "glitch" effect is proposed.

Then yeah things like that but glitch again we've gone back to glitch where Taylor Nation had mentioned it and apparently Honestly though so it would be kind of cool that pause it kind of reminds me of the dress pause the dress balls.

Lisa correlates the song "Glitch" with the potential for impactful stage production, comparing it to a memorable moment in "Dress" and suggesting a creative use of lighting to enhance the experience.

• Lisa and Cameron speculate about potential piano renditions of songs like "Sweet Nothing."
• They discuss Taylor Swift's history of rearranging songs for live performances.
• The possibility of "Midnight Rain" being transformed into a piano version is considered exciting.

And then there's other ones like maybe on a piano section we might get sweet nothing. [...] so this is something that she could definitely like you just said midnight rain that could be made into a piano version that would be absolutely amazing.

The speakers express their excitement about the potential for piano versions of songs, highlighting Taylor Swift's talent for reimagining her music for live performances.

• The history of Taylor Swift's mashups and song rearrangements during tours is discussed.
• Cameron points out that mashups have been a staple since Taylor Swift's early tours.
• Specific examples of past mashups and rearrangements are mentioned, emphasizing their success and the smooth transitions between songs.

And I think in terms of match-ups matchups and stuff have been something that have basically been a thing since Taylor first started like right from kind of feeler songs were changed up mashed up and given kind of new production.

Cameron reflects on the tradition of Taylor Swift's creative mashups and the evolution of her live arrangements, indicating that this is a long-standing element of her performances.

• Lisa and Cameron brainstorm ideas for new mashups for the upcoming tour.
• A particularly desired mashup involves "Red," "Maroon," and "Daylight."
• They discuss the thematic connections between songs and how they can be woven together in a live setting.

So I remember one day I just kind of had an epiphany um with red maroon and. daylight. [...] I just think with like midnights the kind of whole concept of midnights was like going back um through like previous midnight containers career and through her life sorry and kind of looking at it from A New Perspective and writing from that perspective.

Lisa shares her epiphany for a mashup that would symbolically traverse Taylor Swift's career, linking past works to the present and showcasing thematic continuity.

• Lisa is excited about the prospect of "Questioning" and "Out of the Woods" being mashed up.
• The songs are seen as a natural fit for a mashup due to their existing connection within the music.

And so I feel like for me we will see a lot of them and the one that I'd really really really love to see is questioning Out of the Woods like it was literally created to be mashed up like out of the woods is featured at the start like it couldn't be more obvious.

Lisa expresses her anticipation for a mashup between "Questioning" and "Out of the Woods," pointing out their inherent compatibility for a live mashup arrangement.

• The speakers consider how different sounding songs could be mashed up through acoustic arrangements.
• They discuss the emotional resonance such mashups could have for fans, bridging songs from different albums.
• The thematic and conceptual similarity of songs like "A Place in This World" and "You're on Your Own, Kid" is noted.

Yeah like I'm just a girl trying to find a place. and then she's like well I'm sorry. but you're on your own.

Cameron and Lisa discuss how acoustic mashups could emotionally connect songs from different periods of Taylor Swift's career, creating poignant moments for the audience.

• The possibility of "Vigilante" being mashed up with songs from the "Reputation" album is discussed.
• The speakers debate which "Reputation" songs would pair best with "Vigilante."
• They share personal experiences of creating their own mashups with these songs.

I also think yes a lot of people would love to hear uh vigilante with I did something bad.

Lisa and Cameron explore the idea of combining "Vigilante" with tracks from the "Reputation" album, considering fan suggestions and their preferences based on thematic and sonic similarities.

• The speakers debate whether Taylor Swift will repeat iconic mashups from previous tours.
• They acknowledge the fan love for certain mashups and consider whether it would be seen as unoriginal to reuse them.
• The idea of celebrating Taylor Swift's entire career on the "Eras Tour" is proposed as a justification for reviving past mashups.

And so do I including things like the what we mentioned the style love story you belong with me especially that love story.

Cameron and Lisa reminisce about iconic mashups, pondering their potential return and the balance between nostalgia and innovation for the upcoming tour.

• Taylor Swift has a history of preserving and reusing iconic outfits from past tours and appearances.
• Fans have speculated about the return of these costumes for the upcoming Eras Tour, which is seen as a celebration of Taylor's musical journey.
• There is a desire among fans to see these outfits reimagined to fit Taylor's current style rather than exact replicas of the original costumes.
• The hairstyles that accompanied these iconic looks are also a significant part of Taylor's era aesthetics.

"Taylor obviously has most of her kind of iconic outfits all kind of stored away in storage and kind of you know brings them back out again when they're needed for certain things like music videos and commercials."

This quote emphasizes that Taylor Swift retains her iconic outfits and has a history of reusing them for new projects, suggesting a possibility of their reappearance during the Eras Tour.

"I'd like to see kind of that period of time... reimagined and mixed up to fit Taylor I reimagined a bit."

The speaker expresses a preference for updated versions of Taylor's past costumes that reflect her current style, indicating fans' interest in both nostalgia and evolution.

• Taylor's hairstyles have been a key element of her different musical eras.
• Fans note the challenge of matching hairstyles to different era costumes within a single tour performance.
• The current length of Taylor's hair and the practicality of changing hairstyles during a concert are discussed.

"It's very strange to see the Recreations with her 2023 hairstyle because obviously on a tour the hairstyles aren't going to be changed up like she can't put on a short hair wig and then quickly go and change to a long hair wig."

This quote highlights the difficulty of accurately recreating past era looks within the constraints of a live performance, especially when it comes to hairstyles.

"The hairstyle is part of the alcoholic iconic element of that outfit and that's one thing that's one thing with like the reason why Taylor has kind of era has become such a kind of significant part of her career is because the hairstyle changes and the aesthetic changes."

The speaker points out the importance of hairstyles in defining the distinctive aesthetic of each of Taylor Swift's musical eras.

• Fans have created and shared their own concepts of what Taylor's Eras Tour costumes might look like.
• There is excitement about the possibility of seeing guitars from previous eras, which are also iconic to Taylor's performances.
• The discussion includes the balance between nostalgia and innovation in the tour's production design.

"And I do love it when she wears references previous eras."

The speaker appreciates when Taylor Swift acknowledges her past eras, indicating that fans enjoy connections to previous work.

"I would love love love those to make an appearance because the guitars are also something that's so iconic with certain eras definitely."

This quote expresses a specific desire for the return of iconic guitars associated with Taylor's past eras, underscoring the importance of musical instruments in her stage aesthetic.

• The speakers discuss their anticipation for the tour and the engagement with fan theories and predictions.
• There is a mention of a "bingo card" idea to track which predictions come true.
• The speakers highlight the joy and excitement surrounding the tour, including new merchandise and production elements.

"I think what I'm going to do is definitely kind of write down the big ones that we've been discussing and kind of make like a bingo card."

The speaker suggests creating a bingo card as a fun way to engage with fan predictions and see which ones materialize during the tour.

"We are so lucky, really it's a fandom that people are so open to share because I know you know some some Founders and stuff are very much like no you know."

This quote reflects on the sharing culture within the Taylor Swift fan community, appreciating the openness and excitement that comes with sharing tour experiences.

• The speakers express their eagerness for the Eras Tour and invite listeners to share their own thoughts and predictions.
• They encourage fans to follow their podcast on social media and to share their tour experiences after attending.
• The episode concludes with a sense of community and shared anticipation for the upcoming tour.

"And if you have enjoyed it make sure that you follow us over on Instagram absolutely spoken podcast to find out when we're releasing new episodes also um like and rate us over on Spotify and apple podcasts as well as subscribe and like our videos over on YouTube."

The speakers encourage listeners to engage with their podcast across various platforms, emphasizing the importance of community interaction and support.

"And we will see you in our next episode."

The closing remark signifies the end of the episode and the continuation of the conversation in future podcasts, maintaining the connection with the audience.