The surprise songs section of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, where the singer performs two or three songs, usually acoustically, is a key feature of the show. Trying to predict the surprise songs (as well as outfit choice) has become a part of the Eras Tour experience for many Swifties. Then, in Buenos Aires, Swift made a change, and instead of singing complete surprise songs, she mashed up two tracks. The mash-up era had arrived. Below, is a review of the best mash-ups performed on the Eras tour ahead of the singer returning to North America to close the tour.
10. ‘Is It Over Now?’ / ‘Out of the Woods’: Buenos Aires, Night 2
It is important to include the very first mash-up of tracks that started the nightly trend. Swift chose two songs from 1989 (Taylor’s Version), beginning with the From The Vault track ‘Is it Over Now?’. Playing acoustic guitar, Swift belts out a powerful version of the break-up song that asks over again, “Baby, was it over then? And is it over now?” as the singer highlights different points in a relationship that could have been the key moments to it ultimately ending. With the song almost over, Swift suddenly switches to ‘Out of the Woods’ to much audience hysteria. This was a clever choice given the connection between the two tracks, with speculation that both are about Harry Styles. The songs explore the break-up of relationships, with’ Out Of The Woods’ signposting tumultuous events and ‘Is It Over Now?’ being about closure.
It would have been more natural to play the songs in the reverse order. However, Swift knows how to play her audience by eliciting audience reaction to an unusual surprise song before upping the ante as she played a fan favourite.
9. ‘King of My Heart’ / ‘The Alchemy’: London, Night 4
This was an easy-to-predict combination for die-hard Swifties as soon as Swift played the opening piano chords to the reputation track ‘King of My Heart’. The former is a track that explores finding a deep relationship while ‘The Alchemy’ (The Tortured Poets Department) describes the transformative nature of relationships. The speculation is that both tracks are about different relationships, Joe Alwyn and Travis Kelce, but the mash-up feels like a lover letter to her latest love, Kelce. The mash-up works particularly well because Swift switches between lyrics in both songs as though they were the same song.
8. ‘Clean’ / ‘Evermore’: Singapore, Night 2
This was a mash-up of tracks that didn’t seem like they would work together. ‘Clean’, a synth-pop ballad, merged with the ethereal folksong ‘evermore’ from the album of the same name. Played unaccompanied on piano, the two tracks explore healing and segue beautifully with a soft tender cathartic quality. Clean talks about being able to “finally breathe” after the “sky had turned black like a perfect storm” whereas ‘evermore’ begins in a “Gray November” and ends knowing that the “pain wouldn’t be for evermore”. Sang with a reflective melancholy tone, the songs intertwine as if they belong together, adding to the poignancy.
7. ”Haunted / ‘Exile’: Edinburgh, Night 3
The simplest theory about this powerful piano mash-up is that it is a merging of two songs about betrayal and longing. The mash-up has the fallout from a failed relationship from ‘Haunting’ (Speak Now) blended with the emotional distance seen in ‘Exile’ (folklore). However, whereas this mash-up was also played on night 3 in Sydney, the Edinburgh version adds additional Exile lines “I’m not your problem anymore, so who am I offending now? / You were my crown, now I’m in exile seein’ you out / I think I’ve seen this film before / So I’m leavin’ out the side door” and ends with “Cause I gave so many signs, so many signs, so many signs”.
The lyrical switches plus the angry tone of delivery created the fan theories that Swift was delivering a message. Questions arose about whether the combined lyrics highlight the betrayal within the industry, the behaviour of some fans or simply relationships. Whatever the truth, it makes for a powerful performance.
6. ‘The Great War’ / ‘You’re Losing Me’: Liverpool, Night 2
Swift brings us another goose-bump-inducing piano mash-up and, once again, the significance of these two songs has been pored over. ‘The Great War’ (Midnights) is an anthemic ballad about conflict and the artist stunningly merges it with elements of ‘You’re Losing Me’ (Midnights) which focuses on the impact of drifting apart. The conspiracies suggest that the mash-up is aimed at Swift’s frustration with life in the music industry and the battles she has faced. Others take the songs at face value, two tracks about troubled relationships and loss. The passionate delivery created another mash-up classic.
5. ‘You’re In Love’ / ‘Cowboy Like Me’: Amsterdam, Night 2
Once again, Swift combined a dreamy synth-pop number, ‘You’re In Love’ (1989) with the grounded earthy tones of ‘Cowboy Like Me’ (Evermore). Swift blends the two songs together, switching between them which creates subtle shades and textures; the dreamy romantic imagery of the former song is balanced by the more understated connection of the latter. The piano mash-up makes the list as an example of two tracks from different eras coming together in perfect synergy. At the end, the two songs merge into a single celebration of falling in love as the lyrics from both choruses interchange “You can see it with the lights out // You’re a cowboy like me // And you are in love, true love”.
4. ‘Fifteen’ / ‘You’re on Your Own, Kid’: Singapore, Night 4
Some mash-ups should work but don’t, witness the mash-up of ‘thanK you aIMee’ and ‘Mean’ (London Night 2) which explore the same theme but feel like two songs bolted together. Contrast that with this piano medley of two songs which deal with growing up and self-discovery. Separately both songs are beautiful, ‘Fifteen’ (Fearless) is particularly heart-wrenching for anyone with children, but together, they are a beautiful poignant emotional masterpiece. ‘You’re on Your Own Kid’ (Midnights) has been a popular choice for Swift Eras Tour mash-ups but here, it works perfectly as a letter back to the earlier song. As the singer navigates the challenges of adulthood she speaks back to the younger more naive self on ‘Fifteen’ who has beautifully captured the innocence of youth.
3. ‘White Horse’ / ‘Coney Island’: Sydney, Night 1
Unlike on previous tours, guest stars have been a relative rarity on the Eras Tour. On the first night in Sydney, stormy weather forced opener Sabrina Carpenter to cancel her set but her moment was to come when Swift invited her out to duet with her while she played piano. Together they duetted on ‘White Horse’ (Fearless) which Carpenter had revealed was one of her favourite songs while growing up and the song beautifully segued into ‘Coney Island’ (folklore). Even without the duet, the songs blend perfectly with their themes of regret and missed opportunities. The way their voices complimented each other was beautiful but was enhanced by the way that Swift gazed at the younger singer in such a proud supportive manner. It felt like the audience was witnessing the passing of a musical baton.
2. ‘Everything Has Changed’ / ‘End Game’ / ‘Thinking Out Loud (with Ed Sheeran)’: London, Night 4
To mash up these three songs makes little sense, lyrically or musically given the only link binding them together is Ed Sheeran. Bring out the man himself for a guest appearance and suddenly you have one of the musical and emotional highlights of the entire Eras Tour. For longstanding Swifties, it was a poignant moment seeing Swift and Sheeran play out their duet of ‘Everything Has Changed’ from the Red tour days but for everyone, it was a joyous moment seeing the connection of friendship and musical synergy. For ten minutes, the screaming crowd were treated to an acoustic duet of two of their collaborations (from ‘Everything Has Changed’ (Red) and ‘End Game’ (reputation)) together with Sheeran’s own song ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
This concert was the first event following the cancelled Vienna shows and Swift had appeared emotional at times, but here her happiness shone through. This was two friends fully celebrating their music and giving 90,000 fans a moment never to forget.
1. ‘I Hate It Here’ / ‘The Lakes’: Cardiff, Night 1
Given the number of mash-ups performed on the Eras Tour, to top any list requires something special. Swift treated the Cardiff crowd to a piano mash-up which took two songs from different eras and blended them into a cohesive reflective ballad exploring the theme of escape and longing for solitude. The challenge of Swift’s personal relationships and those she has with the music industry itself has formed a recurring theme within her music. Here, the singer used ‘I Hate It Here’ (The Tortured Poets Department) to highlight the feeling of being trapped and the need for solitude, “Like you are a poet trapped inside the body of a finance guy”. ‘The Lakes’ (Folklore) provides that escape, “Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die.”
Artists have long used song mash-ups as a way of playing more of their songs within a shorter time frame, whilst also adding a new perspective to older songs. The beauty of the mash-ups on the Eras Tour is that Swift has managed to create links and connections that enhance the messaging and, in some cases, create such cohesion that the songs tell new stories.
Words and photos by: Andrew Butcher
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