TAYLOR SWIFT Blows The Roof Off + Sets Record At Staples Center, Los Angeles – Brings Out Surprise Guests MARY J. BLIGE, Orange Is The New Black’s UZO ADUBA And More!

The Queen of Pop, Taylor Swift’s 1989 World Tour can only be described (by me at least) as Broadway meets Disneyland /Vegas/ your most intimate journal / wildest dreams. Ms. Swift truly has the gift of making even The Staples Center Los Angeles (as opening rock babes Haim) described as “a living room party in the San Fernando Valley” with like, 20,000 of your closest friends / fans.

Taylor is a mega star but the look on her face as she pauses throughout the show to truly “take it all in” combined with the absolute “WHAT EVEN IS THS LIFE?!?!” face shows that she is just like us in that respect. And as a fan herself, when she brought out surprise guests Mary J. Blige and Orange is the New Black actress Uzo Aduba (who for those that are not aware has roots firmly planted in Broadway) we watched and enjoy her totally GEEK OUT and SPAZ OUT once again, like the rest of us too!

And if that wasn’t enough to make the 25 year old girl from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania lose her mind, she was also surprised and presented with a Championship banner by Kobe Bryant the night before. The banner recognizes the pop star who is in the midst of performing the fifth show of a nine-night residency — for having set a new record with her 16th sold-out show at the 20,000 seat arena at Staples Center, the most sellouts by an artist in the arena’s history!

Taylor curated a night to remember with ahhhhmazzzing openers like Australian swoon-tastic guitar AND ukulele playing Atlantic Records artist, Vance Joy who warmed up the arena with his hit “Riptide“, new single, “Fire and the Flood” and his beautiful cover of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me.”

Just a little “bass face” from the HAIM.

Complimenting Vance Roy’s performance was the rockin’ guitar goddesses HAIM that now have me wanting to run out and start a band. The three HAIM sisters (Este, Danielle and Alana) along with drummer, Dash Hutton are accomplished musicians in their own right. Danielle Haim in particular has worked in the past as a successful touring guitarist with the likes of Jenny Lewis, Cee-Lo Green and Julian Casablancas of The Strokes as well as collaborating with Major Lazer on their track,”You’re No Good” off  Free The Universe. The band as a whole has also collaborated and/or performed with The New Basement Tapes (T Bone Burnett’s super musical group made up of members Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons), Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) and Rhiannon Giddens) as well as Kid Cudi for the song, “Red Eye” off his album, Indicud.

HAIM‘s effortless cool combined with their total and absolutely incredible guitar skills was a highlight for me early on in the show. I loved the fact that even Taylor’s younger fans (I’m talking 7 and 8 year olds) were aware of HAIM and sang along to songs like “The Wire” and their Calvin Harris collaboration, “Pray To God” which I might add was pretty dope hearing the less EDM infused version this time around. The sisters played off one another with such love and glee it was a total party their entire set that left you absolutely wanting more!

Taylor Swift fan-girling out with Ms. Mary J. Blige

The 25-year-old pop superstar invited Mary J. Blige on Saturday night onstage to perform the legendary R&B/hip-hop singer’s “Doubt” and “Family Affair,” and also brought out Orange is the New Black actress Uzo Aduba for a duet of her 2008 Fearless track “White Horse.”

“That was such an amazing experience performing w/ @taylorswift13 at the @STAPLESCenter! Congrats on your historic 1989 Tour!” Blige tweeted  after the show.

 

A truly hilarious sight to behold was for her performance of “Style,” Swift was joined by a “bro squad” which included comedian Chris Rock, actor Matt LeBlanc and model Sean O’Pry, who appears in her “Blank Space” music video who all “shimmy” and “sashayed” down that arena runway like a regular Victoria’s Secret pro giving Lily Aldridge, Karli Kloss and Cara Delevingne a run for their money!

For a gal to combine heartbreak, hope, love, angst, pain, rage, and beauty into her music and make even this gal shed a tear multiple times last night just seeing how much she adores her fans and they do her, I must say it was quite a special night to be apart of. All I can say is, thanks Taylor for being you and being a fearless, fun and fabulous female and letting us all live vicariously through you on that stage! Rock it sista’!

Written by: Nicole DeRosa

Video of Taylor Swift, Mary J. Blige, Chris Rock, Matt LeBlanc, Sean O’Pry courtesy of: Shine On Media

Video of Taylor Swift, + Uzo Aduba courtesy of: omgitskrysten ( YouTube)