As Taylor Swift's Eras Tour hits Scotland on Friday, Taylormania is at an all-time high: According to the BBC, Edinburgh Zoo named two newborn tamarin monkeys Taylor and Swift, while one of the country's lakes, Loch Tay, has been renamed Loch Tay Tay. But the BBC also poses the question of why Taylor has suddenly become one of the biggest cultural forces in the world.
"It’s easy to forget that the last time she played in the U.K., on 2018’s Reputation tour, stadiums failed to sell out," the BBC notes. "According to one report, the opening night in Manchester had 18,000 empty seats."
So what changed? According to the BBC, it has a lot to do with the critical success of folklore and evermore, which won over listeners who hadn't been fans of her straight-up country and pop material. Plus, her re-recordings made headlines and sparked interest in her back catalog, and TikTok gave her another way to promote her music.
But according to Taylor's pal Lana Del Rey, it all comes down to one simple fact. “She wants it,” the singer told BBC News. "She’s told me so many times that she wants it more than anyone. And how amazing - she’s getting exactly what she wants. She’s driven, and I think it’s really paid off.”