As we learned earlier today, Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” is the biggest in music history, grossing over $2 billion in ticket sales. While the singer pocketed plenty of that money herself — enough, in fact, to become the world’s richest female musician — she also spread the wealth.
According to People, Swift gave out $197 million in total bonuses to individuals working on the tour, including truck drivers, caterers, instrument techs, merch team, lighting, sound, production staff and assistants, carpenters, dancers, band members, security personnel, choreographers, pyrotechnics, riggers, hair styles, make-up artist, wardrobe stylists, physical therapists, and members of her video team.
Swift previously gifted members of her crew bonuses totaling $100,000 each upon the completion of the first leg of “The Eras Tour” in August 2023.
During Sunday’s “Eras Tour” finale in Vancouver, Swift delivered an emotional farewell speech in which she thanked her fans for “being part of the most thrilling chapter of my entire life to date.”
“Making friends and bringing joy to each other, that is, I think, the lasting legacy of this tour, is the fact that you have created such a space of joy and togetherness and love,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud of you, honestly, that is all you. That is what people think about when they think about this tour, is how they felt out in the crowd with you. I just want to say that, you’re why this is so special. And you supporting me for as long as you have is why I get to take these lovely walks down memory every single night because you cared about every era of my entire life that I’ve been making music, so thank you.”