O’Connor: Irene spends a good 10 minutes trying to become friends with these 10-year-olds. She’s giving them friendship bracelets, flash tattoos, and even sunglasses! I swear, one more heart-hand exchange and she would have given them her credit card.
Kim: It was so cute. Turns out, though, that Gen Alpha doesn’t know how to make the Gen-Z heart. They just make the classic heart, and are confused when I send them a Gen-Z heart back.
O’Connor: True investigative journalism happening over here.
6:40 p.m.
O’Connor: Gracie Abrams has entered the chat. Now, in full transparency, Irene and I did see her at Radio City Music Hall a couple of weeks ago (I swear we have other friends, too…), so we are excited but, you know…we are practically a part of her tour at this point.
Kim: When we saw her last, she mentioned she was surprised that she sold out Radio City. But tonight she has the entire stadium singing along to “21” and “Close to You.” Florence and I also see the bow revolution that took over RCMH a few weeks ago in action in Miami. The first time Florence and I went to the Eras tour, in 2023 (separately), the crowd didn’t feel quite this enthusiastic for Gracie?
O’Connor: We spend a lot of her set trying to spot Paul Mescal..but no dice.
7:38 p.m.
O’Connor: Picture this. I’m in line for the bathroom and I get a text from Irene, saying that the countdown is on: 2:23 minutes until Taylor steps on stage. Chaos erupts. But instead of turning against each other in this moment of panic, the Swifites come together. “We’ve got this,” someone cries behind me. “Just pee super quickly!” “We are in this together,” the 11-year-old girl in front of me promises—once again proving that Swifities can overcome anything.
Kim: Florence RUNS back to the suite, arriving just in time for Taylor to perform the first song: ”Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince.” There are very beautiful, cotton candy-colored clouds on the stage before Taylor actually comes out.
After the Lover era, we enter the Fearless era. At this point, neither of us is keeping track of the time anymore.
Kim: “Love Story” was the first-ever music video I watched on my family’s shared desktop computer (yes, you read that right), and I find it insane that the pre-teens I befriended are also able to sing along to this song??? Also, how do I remember every word of it but none of the pythagorean theorem?