Taylor Swift returned to the stage for the first time since it was revealed that she’d split from her boyfriend Joe Alwyn after six years of dating.
On Thursday night, the 33-year-old hitmaker performed for a crowd of nearly 70,000 at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida as part of her Eras tour.
She oozed confidence as she belted out her biggest hits into a sparkly rhinestone microphone and paraded around in custom Christian Louboutin boots.
According to PEOPLE, Swift greeted the crowd by saying: ‘We have a lot to catch up on.’
The North American leg kicked off in Glendale, Arizona on March 17 and the tour will come to a close in August at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Shake it off! Taylor Swift returned to the stage for the first time since it was revealed that she’d split from her boyfriend Joe Alwyn after six years of dating
Roaring crowd: On Thursday night, the 33-year-old hitmaker performed for a crowd of nearly 70,000 at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida as part of her Eras tour
Hours before hitting the stage on Thursday, Feeding Tampa Bay revealed that Swift had donated ‘125,000 meals’ to the food bank.
‘Thank you @taylorswift for being a HERO and supporting Feeding Tampa Bay’s mission to end hunger by 2025!’ Feeding Tampa Bay wrote on Instagram. ‘Your generosity will place over 125,000 meals on tables!’
Swift made similar contributions to local food banks on her tour stops in Arizona and Nevada.
Earlier this week, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Swift’s unparalleled starpower played a role in the end of her relationship with Alwyn, 32.
A source close to Swift said: ‘The bottom line for the difficulties in their relationship was that Taylor’s career took priority over Joe’s – which can be awkward for a couple when it’s not balanced.
‘This drove them apart and ultimately, they both realized they were not on the same page anymore.’
The insider explained that ‘it’s been hard for Joe trying to make it in Hollywood and not quite becoming leading man material while dating one of the most famous women in the world over the last six years.
‘It was easier during the pandemic when it was just the two of them, but once things returned to normal, Taylor Swift the superstar emerged, and their differences were even more apparent.
‘They really made a go of it and tried everything they could but ultimately were unable to save the relationship,’ the source concluded.
News of the pair’s split broke over the weekend but a source told ET that Alwyn and Swift amicably parted ways ‘a few weeks ago.’
According to PEOPLE, Swift greeted the crowd by saying: ‘We have a lot to catch up on’
Confident: She oozed confidence as she belted out her biggest hits into a sparkly rhinestone microphone and paraded around in custom Christian Louboutin boots
Life on tour: The North American leg kicked off in Glendale, Arizona on March 17 and the tour will come to a dramatic close in August at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
Stunning: During the concert, Taylor changed into a stunning olive green gown with a lace front and a flowing cape while taking to the stage
Amazing: Following the reports around her split from Joe, Taylor delivered a defiant performance for thousands of fans in attendance
Beautiful: During one of her songs, Taylor sat down on the stage as she wowed with her performance
‘The relationship had just run its course,’ the insider added. ‘It’s why [Alwyn] hasn’t been spotted at any shows.’
Last month, a source told PEOPLE that everything was ‘fine’ between the couple and that Alwyn actually planned to travel with Swift on tour.
‘Joe will travel with her [on tour] when he can. They are great together. Joe is super supportive of her career,’ they claimed.
Swift and Alwyn have been romantically linked since 2016 and the hitmaker has frequently voiced her feelings for the British hunk in her songs over the years.
The relationship came soon after Taylor’s headline-making fling with Loki actor, Tom Hiddleston.
Swift and Alwyn were notoriously tight lipped about their relationship and they made a conscious effort to keep it out of the spotlight.
In an interview with Vogue in 2018, Alwyn acknowledged the public’s curiosity surrounding his romance with the Grammy Award-winner.
He also praised the pair’s dedication to privacy.
‘I’m aware people want to know about that side of things. I think we have been successfully very private, and that has now sunk in for people,’ the actor explained.
Despite being together for years, Swift and Alwyn never made their red carpet debut as a couple.
He has co-written music with Swift under the pen name, William Bowery, on her past three albums: Folklore, Evermore and Midnights.
Last year, Swift seemingly shutdown engagement rumors in the lyrics of the track ‘Lavender Haze’ which opens her 10th studio album Midnights.
It appeared to be a direct hit at a July 2022 report that she had been engaged to her boyfriend for a ‘few months.’
On the same album, Taylor detailed their love on a track named Sweet Nothing, and even enlisted his help as a co-writer.
In Sweet Nothing’s, she sings: ‘I found myself running home to your sweet nothings, I’ll take their pushing, shoving. You’re in the kitchen humming, all that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing.’
She implies that whilst everyone else wants something from her, Alwyn was the person who always remained genuine and true.
She also appears to reference her love on Snow on the Beach – which features Lana Del Rey – crooning: ‘Now I’m all for you like Janet/ Can this be a real thing/ Can it?’ in reference to Janet Jackson’s hit, All for You.
Earlier this week, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Swift’s undying starpower played a role in the end of her relationship with Alwyn, 32; seen in 2020
Balance: A source close to Swift said: ‘The bottom line for the difficulties in their relationship was that Taylor’s career took priority over Joe’s – which can be awkward for a couple when it’s not balanced’; seen in 2019
Split: News of the pair’s split broke over the weekend but a source told ET that Alwyn and Swift amicably parted ways ‘a few weeks ago’; seen in 2019
Kicking off her record-breaking Eras tour last month, Swift declared to 70,000 fans that she loves teaching ‘men how to apologize.’
The superstar opened up about ‘recurring themes’ in her music as she candidly spoke to State Farm Stadium with a guitar in her arms.
‘So, sort of a recurring theme in my music is that I love to explain to men how to apologize. I just love it,’ said the 12-time Grammy winner, per footage posted to Twitter.
‘It’s kind of my thing,’ added Swift. ‘I love to tell them step-by-step, ‘Here’s how simple this is to fix things if you just follow these easy steps that I’m laying out for you in a three-minute song.’ I just love the idea of men apologizing.’
Src: dailymail.co.uk
