Taylor Swift fans criticized for 'abhorrent' tribute to her grandmother during concert
Taylor Swift fans who attended her concert in Nashville have sparked backlash with their efforts to pay tribute to the singer's late grandmother.
Swift has been performing a huge range of tracks from her back catalogue while on tour across the US, entertaining fans with all of her popular hits as well as some lesser-known songs.
One of the tracks on the setlist is titled 'Marjorie'; a song featured on Swift's 2020 album evermore which pays tribute to her grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, who died when Swift was in her early teens in 2003.
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Footage from Swift's show in Nashville on 5 May showed fans marking the heartfelt track by lighting up the stadium with their phone torches, but some attendees went a step further.
The singer was clearly stunned when fans held up pictures of Marjorie while Swift performed on stage, with her mouth dropping in awe as she spotted her grandmother's face looking back at her.
She managed to stay focused enough to keep performing, but later acknowledged the tribute by saying: "What are you trying to do to me? Oh my god, that was so beautiful.”
Offering a bit of background, Swift added: “So that song, Marjorie, that was a song that I wrote about my mom’s mom, my grandmother. She was a singer too. And she passed away when I was 13.
"I just know that my mom, right now, is just like bawling and has been for the solid last five-and-a-half minutes, and I love you guys so much. That was so meaningful and so special."
Though Swift's reaction at the time was a positive one, the tribute has sparked criticism after footage was shared online with many slamming the decision to present Swift with pictures of her grandmother, describing the move as 'not even remotely okay'.
"Every time there's a line, hardcore Swifties cross it," one fan wrote. "This is not even remotely okay, and it's honestly kind of scary. Poor Taylor, it's one thing to be a fan, but it's entirely different thing to pretend you're her close, personal friend. She deserves privacy and respect."
Another shocked viewer wrote: "If someone held up photos of my dead nan whilst I was trying to perform I would have a mental breakdown and throw my microphone at someone's face."
A third added: "Given that this Marjorie is a now deceased family member of Taylor Swift, this is actually one of the most abhorrent things i've ever seen a fan do, i don't even care if she appreciated it, how the f*** does this go through your mind?"
The tribute is believed to have been led by one fan who brought the images to the stadium and passed them out to fans at the concert.
Topics: Taylor Swift, Music, Viral
Emily Brown