Taylor Swift Pays Tribute to Kansas City Chiefs during her Eras Tour

The singer, 34, kicked off the European leg of her iconic stadium tour on Thursday, May 9, at París La Défense Arena in France. Swift surprised fans on the first night of her four-show run in Paris with plenty of changes, including an updated setlist with hits from her new album The Tortured Poets Department, released April 19, and gorgeous new outfits.

Fans anticipated new changes to the existing set list and predicted that the “Fortnight” singer would accommodate songs from the new album.

While many were sad to see favorite tracks like “Tolerate It” and “The Archer” removed from the show, others were delighted to see the new set for Tortured Poets Department — and plenty of sweet references to her boyfriend, Kelce, 34.

As captured by concertgoers on TikTok, during the song “So High School,” Swift and her dancers sat on bleachers-like steps and danced. At one point, the group broke into a leaning dance move that looked suspiciously like the “swag surf.”

Swift was seen at several Chiefs games at Arrowhead Stadium (and on the road) last year and in early 2024, supporting tight end Kelce. The pop singer was frequently sitting in a box, rooting on Kelce and his colleagues and accompanied by friends such as Blake Lively and Ice Spice.

During the Chiefs’ game against the Miami Dolphins on January 13, F.L.Y’s “Swag Surfin’” began to play, and Swift joined in the Chiefs’ custom of dancing to it. She was accompanied by her friend Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, who swayed from side to side.

In a January episode of Kelce’s podcast with his brother, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, he said that the song has been the Chiefs’ go-to hype music since his arrival in 2013.

The hip-hop trio Fast Life Yungstaz also praised Swift in February, when the track’s popularity skyrocketed 700% after a video of Swift performing “Swag Surfin’” went viral.
Swift’s use of the “Swag Surfin’” dance technique was just one way she paid respect to Kelce while also incorporating her new album into her extended tour. Concertgoers also saw the Chiefs’ colors, red and gold, throughout the Eras event.

Taylor Swift drops surprise Travis Kelce reference in Paris show of Eras Tour… with nod to Chiefs playoff win

Taylor Swift made sure to drop a nod at her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, while performing her song ‘So High School’ for the first time at her Eras Tour in Paris.

During her show on Thursday, Swift incorporated various songs from her new album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ into her setlist. Of course, the track rumored to be about her romance with the Chiefs star made the cut.

In the performance, Swift and her dancers broke into a ‘swag surf’ – a signature move by Kansas City fans at Arrowhead Stadium during their anthem ‘Swag Surfin’ by Fast Life Yungstaz.

Swift memorably joined the Chiefs Kingdom in the swag surf during their playoff win over the Miami Dolphins in February.

The 14-time Grammy winner and her entourage did the routine while standing on bleachers, swaying side to side and making wave-like motions with their hands.

Taylor Swift dropped a surprise reference to boyfriend Travis Kelce during her Eras Tour

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Taylor Swift performs “So High School” at the Eras Tour Show in Paris.
♬ original sound – Variety

Swift and her dancers broke out in a ‘Swag Surf’ during her song ‘So High School’ in Paris

Additionally, Swift had her dancer Kameron Saunders – brother of former Chief Khalen Saunders – imitate Kelce’s touchdown celebration during the lyrics: ‘You know what you want, and boy you got her.’

Their high-profile relationship stemmed from Kelce’s failed attempt to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his number during her show in Kansas City last year.

By late September, the pair were seen at a Chiefs game together for the first time as their fairytale love story began dominating headlines. Nearly a year since his first effort went in vain, the three-time Super Bowl winner now stars in the setlists for Swift’s sold-out shows.

Taylor Swift performs ‘But Daddy I Love Him’ for the first time

Thursday’s show marked the resumption of Swift’s record-selling tour after a two-month break

Thursday’s show in Paris marked Swift’s first performance after a two-month break from the record-breaking tour. The concert also kicked off a series of shows in Europe before she wraps the year up in Canada by December.

Although Kelce was absent at Swift’s show while preparing to defend the NFL title with the Chiefs, he did show support on social media.

After Swift’s guitarist Paul Sidoti posted a picture of himself on stage with the popstar to commemorate the tour resuming, Kelce took to the comment section and wrote: ‘LFG!!!’