Every Single Album - Charli XCX's Birthday Party, Katy Perry's Bungled Album Rollout, and an Eras Tour Update | Every Single Album

Episode Date: August 16, 2024

Nora and Nathan cover a range of pop music news from the last few weeks, including Charli XCX's star-studded birthday party (1:00), who made it onto Barack Obama's annual summer playlist (17:16), why Katy Perry got in trouble with Spain because of the music video for her second single "Lifetimes" (23:45), and the Eras Tour shows that got canceled in Vienna (35:11). Hosts: Nora Princiotti and Nathan Hubbard Producer: Kaya McMullen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the fall of 2014, a group of hackers pulled off the biggest Hollywood heist of all time. They broke into computer servers belonging to Sony Pictures and released hundreds of thousands of top-secret documents. The attack would cause an international incident, upbend thousands of lives, and changed the movie industry forever. From Spotify and the Ringer podcast network, I'm Brian Raftering, and this is the Hollywood Hack. Listen on the big picture feed, starting August 19th. And welcome to every single album. I'm Nora Pinciotti. And as always, I am joined by Nathan Hubbard. Nathan, happy August. Happy second week of August. How are you doing? What are we doing, Nora? No. No, we're not doing this again.

Did you see Billy at the closing ceremonies in Long Beach? I did see Billy at the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. Did you see what song she played? She played your fave. She did play my fave, and that song is starting to crush its way up the Billboard Hot 100. And I think that that was pretty well telegraphed, which song she's going to push through as The One.

That's very cool. You've now hijacked my podcast opening. Oh, sorry about that. That's okay. That's okay. No, I did think it was, I thought it was very cool. I thought of you. It seems like we're going to get a lot of Billy in the ramp up to the LA Olympics in 2028, which is fun. Love me some Billy Eilish.

Yeah. Los Angeles. More Billy, maybe just slightly less snoop. I love Snoop, but I don't need that much Snoop. It's really a lot of Snoop. Can I tell you something that I learned over the course, and now we are really off topic, something I learned over the course of the Olympics is that Snoop Dog and I wear the same perfume. Wait, what? It's a feminine-leaning scent. Like, this is, this is more unexpected for him than me.

It's just, that's just not, that's not something that I expected to be true. But I was reading an article and it came up and... The scent is weed? No, that's not what it is. It has, it's called the lie. It has, like, a bunch of stuff in it. It's fine. And that's what Snoop rolls with.

Yeah. Do you see what I mean? I could use just a little bit less snoop. Yeah, I guess that's fair. I don't know. He's such a good vibe. He's having a good time. Great vibe. Great vibe.

Let's just mix a minute. Let's do our podcast about pop music now. Okay. Here's the deal. This is a news and notes episode. A lot to get to. A lot going on. As usual, a lot going on at the moment.

And so we are going to talk about Brat Summer, which is she's still really going strong in a number of ways. She made the Obama play. She made the playlist of Barack Obumpin that. It's there. 365 party girl. And then we have a Katie Perry update. And then we're going to talk about the Erez tour.

Obviously what happened in Vienna. And then also just sort of what's happening as the shows are heading to London, which is interesting just in the aftermath of the threat of the attacks and the cancellations in Vienna, but also just as something that we've been looking forward to for a long time. And then I wanted to end us on a cheery note just after a very scary week of shows that ended up not happening. So we have some fun listener contributions to the pot at the end. However, it is Brat Summer. Yeah, it is.

And we're starting with Charlie, who is now 32 years old. Happy birthday, Charlie XX. And last week, I believe this was last week, she had a birthday party in Los Angeles. Yes, she did. Star-studded, some might say. Yeah, so let's talk about these pictures. There's lots of pictures that are rolling out of that.

First of all, do you like guests? Don't have to guess. I do like guess. I liked guess originally and I like guests with Billy. What do you think of the video? It's a good time. They're, you know, they're rolling around with some underwear. They really are.

I think it's like the video is, the video is not that. The video is fun. It's fun. Like I think Billy is having a really, really good time and that's cool. It's not as funny to me as the 360 music video. So I don't think that it's one that I will like revisit that much because it doesn't necessarily like it matches kind of the vibe of what's fun about that song, but doesn't necessarily like add anything in particular to it.

whereas there will probably be moments over the course of my life where I want to talk about Brat Summer and Will Shoehorn how funny the intro to the 360 music video is into a conversation. I don't know that the guest video is going to have that type of life, but it came out after,

I think, the way that they're promoting it together ends up sort of doing the work of that anyway. So it's fun. I mean, it debuted at number one in the UK. that's the first time she's had a song, do that. So whatever you think, it worked. Do you like guess?

I do like guess. Yeah, on first listen, I was like, okay, it's enough already. But then the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. I don't know why I think that's a really funny reaction to that song. It's like enough already. Well, I do think, I mean, knowing where it went, I see very much why that would be the song that

Billy would want to get on. It's an interesting choice because it ended up having this big moment and I think it had kind of been rising even before but it's one of those things we're in hindsight. It's like, oh yeah, that's the right, like they picked the right song for her to hop on.

Yeah, well, as she had articulated in the Apple interview, it was a fan and it took a lot to get her in the studio but when Billy Eilish is piggybacking on Brat Summer, you know it's Brat Summer. Yeah. Our conversation about, you know, and two things can be true.

But the summer of Sabrina, summer of espresso, Brat Summer, I do think the pendulum has shifted a little bit. Like, it's amazing that Brat, when we first reviewed it, was in this space of, like, critical acclaim.

It's the cool album. It's this kind of like synthesis of all the Charlie musical ideas, but we're so into it because she's talking about things that she's never talked about in her art before. And somehow it has like gone mainstream but stayed fun in a way that's kind of a coup. And having a big 30 second birthday party with like every young famous person is probably a good example of that. Okay. So talk to me about who was there. Was that Gracie? Was that Gracie smoking a cigarette?

Presumably. Rosalia brought Charlie a bouquet of flowers, except it was a bouquet of cigarettes. So, you know, I think they were there to go around. Did she show up with the guy from the bear? No. I don't know. I don't think he was there. I don't, it's a good question. And there were a lot of photos of her because she's holding this like bouquet. of, I think like cala lilies,

but then there's cigarettes poking out of all of them. And he's not there. Have you seen these photos? You look stunned. I saw it. I just like, I don't know how to describe with it. It's like almost something that like, I don't know, like a stepmother would give you that.

Anyway, whatever. It's a weird thing to show up with, but I guess it was brat. I mean, it's certainly more brat than olives. She didn't show up with a jar of olives, did she, Nora? Well, Rosalia did. However, I wouldn't be shocked if there were olives there. You don't think they have a little food to snack on?

I know you wouldn't. I know you wouldn't. Gracie Abrams was there. Gracie Abrams. Now, okay, we often steer clear of like the Des Mois universe on this show. There's a lot on Gracie right now. We're diving in for this episode. We're diving it. It's harmless.

It's the Charlie XX's birthday party. I wouldn't be shocked if there was some like official sanctioning of that going on anyway. But competing accounts. on Des Mois about one facet of the Charlie birthday party I'm interested in, there was a blind item that Gracie Abrams and one Glenn Powell were like flirty canoodling. However, there was also a blind item that Glenn Powell showed up, took a photograph, and left immediately.

Well, and we've seen some photos of Gracie and Paul Meskell, right? Yeah. So what's going on there? I think people are just sort of inventing ways to associate themselves with Gracie. Or maybe it's the other way around. The war with Glenn Powell. I believe doesn't he,

he's either done some work with JJ or is doing some work with JJ. So I'm sure there's like eight bagillion ways that they could know each other. I also think like brat energy probably makes everybody look like they're flirting with each other because they're all kind of sweaty

and they're all kind of like buzzed. But I like, I just, I don't even really care which one it is. I just like, those two competing vignettes of like Glenn Powell showing up amid, I mean, he's having quite the summer and either getting into it, flirting with an up-and-coming person in the sort of like Charlie Pop Girl orbit, hanging out being part of the party, or simply showing up and being like,

all right, I'm getting my brat summer cred for being here. Let me get home and sit on my couch as fast as I possibly can. I honestly don't know which one of those truths I prefer. I don't know what to tell you. What would you have done? If I was him? Yeah, would you have stayed or would you've gone home? I think I would have chatted up many people at that party. If I'm Glenn Powell having a Glenn Powell summer. Yeah, I got to say, like, I'm fully aware that celebrities going to events are often of the mind of like, what's the fastest I can get out of here. And maybe I'm just falling for the vibes of it all. Don't you kind of want to go to the Charlie X, CX party?

Like, don't you want to be there? Doesn't that look actually fun? Aren't those people actually cool? Yeah, I'm just afraid of the cocaine. But otherwise, yeah, let's go. Cocaine bear got the invite to the birthday party probably. Yeah. But.

What would you have worn? I don't have a wardrobe for that party. I know. That's why I'm asking you. I don't know. When's the last time you were that far east in Los Angeles? I've been that far east. Fairly recently. Fairly recently, he says not naming a time. I'd have to think about it, Nora.

I don't like this party shaming. I don't like this party shaming at all. I wouldn't want to go to any party that would invite me. I think a lot of parties that would invite you would be worth going to. I think you should have been invited to the Charlie X-EX birthday party. All right. Am I missing anything? Was there anything?

I mean, Lord, very much there. Yeah. I mean, it feels like pox's romantic. Everybody's getting along. Charlie has really bent lots of folks to her will. Seems like she and George are doing well. The only thing that really hasn't come out. I mean, do you think that she and Taylor have communicated?

Because sympathy is a knife, to me, is one of the best songs on the album. And it just has not really gotten the attention as to whether that... Like, is there a world in which there was going to be the sympathy as a knife remix with Taylor Swift? No, no, but more so do you think Taylor reached out? Or do you think she reached out to Taylor and just said, hey, in the same way that there was back channel communication with her and Lord. You know, my honest answer is I have no idea, but my gut feeling would be that I doubt it.

Because I think she and Lord just had a lot more of a pre-existing sort of relationship, even if it had been back and forth, like they'd been more recently legitimate friends and kind of felt like peers, whereas it seemed like, and I don't think this is like wrongdoing, by Taylor, it doesn't seem like Charlie thinks that at all. But it just seems like that moment on the rep tour when she was an opener. Like, she didn't, I don't think she enjoyed that.

And I don't know, like, I can't name you that many instances of them being directly in each other's orbit since. So I just, I just don't get the sense that there's, like, as much preexisting context to be like, hey, is this song about me? You want to talk about it? And given that it's not exactly like a scorched earth thing at all, I don't know.

Taylor's got a lot going on. Yeah, but couldn't even be here if I tried. Grace is at the birthday party, lords at the birthday party. Who knows what the relationship there is given that George is in the 1975 and they're clearly still close with Maddie and I think Gabriette was there, right?

And yes. So, I, I'm not sure that anybody's had to pick sides, but I wouldn't, I don't know, it seems to me that Taylor's pretty good about that stuff. So it wouldn't surprise me if there's been some communication. Wait, so you think that that means that it's more likely that there's been communication that like all of these people where there's maybe at least some degree of tension are kind of in Charlie's camp. You think that Taylor would respond to that by sort of trying to. I think the fact that Lord reached, that she, she and Lord communicated? I'd actually be surprised if Taylor, if she and Taylor hadn't communicated,

especially after the remix happened, it would seem that with a lot of friends of Taylor's, close friends of Taylor's, as we understand it, at that party. Well, like, are you talking by which you mean Lord? Lord, Gracie, right? Yeah, that's true.

Taylor's got a lot of friends in the Hollywood scene for sure. Although, do we have a lot of, I mean, Gracie was at the party. do we know much to indicate that like Charlie and Gracie are directly channeling all that much? No, she got an invite. I just, given that Lord and Charlie ironed it out for the better, I would be surprised if there wasn't some back channel. Hey, love you. I hope there's no hard feelings.

Whatever. If we hear in an interview in two years or two months or whatever, like, oh, Taylor sent me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers. when the album came out or when the album reached XYZ milestone, I would not be remotely surprised by that. I also don't really, like, I don't think it's necessary, but I wouldn't be surprised by that at all. I do think, I guess the point that I'm trying to make is, I think the Taylor situation and the Lord situation seem pretty fundamentally different.

Because even if you think about the songs, girl so confusing is telling this story of like kind of an on again off again friend a little bit but like two people who are in and out of each other's lives in an active way where like I think the Taylor depiction is much more like you know during the fortnight such as it was boom all of a sudden we're backstage

together and it's bringing up all this stuff like that just doesn't seem like the same thing to me but yeah Perhaps we'll find out someday. Yeah, it is what it is. I still am just flabbergasted that the former president of the United States put 360 on the summer playlist. I mean, it's awesome. It should be on... No, he put 365.

Which, by the way, I still struggled at, like, 365, 365. I still can't do it. It was 365. Wait, it was? Am I crazy? I'm looking this up right now. You have to be crazy. No, I swear.

It is 365. It is 365. Yes. No, like, that's what's the craziest part about it. The song that is just about doing cocaine. There's no way. Yes, I'm telling you. I know that I am seeing very clearly from his Twitter feed that that is what he did.

There is no way that he changed. shows this. This is how strong Barack Obama's 2024 summer playlist song. This is an intern's fault. It's first of all, it's no one's fault. 100%.

He has Shibuzzi, a bar song. That's number one. And then number two is 365 by Charlie XXX. Yeah. Telling us something about

Barack Obama's current mindset. Well, and then if you're reading it that way, then way in the back is Texas Hold'em. I don't know. I think this thing has become... I'm not reading it as like a ranking of... Larger than life. I'm not reading it as a ranking, but I'm perhaps reading it as a sequencing. This is larger than life. This is taken on a life of its own. They just come to him and he's like, yeah, okay, cool.

Can we please make sure Jill Scott is on that? I am a 365 party girl. It's absolutely bonkers to have 365 on there. First of all. I had the same processing moment of like, oh, Obama put Brat on the playlist. Like, he's so Julia. Does that say 365? Is that a 5 on there?

His daughters played a prank on him. And he was like, what should I put on there? I'm hearing about this Brad Summer. and they were like, should we make him put the cocaine song on there? Do you think anyone will know? Because they're probably like,

everybody on his staff, everybody on his staff has heard about three, six, something. So if we give him three six, five, they won't know that we were supposed to give him three six zero, will they? Let's just see if we can get this one past the goalie.

That's what happened here. His daughters played a prank on him. I don't think so. I don't think so. I think he's elder statesman Obama. he's doing whatever he wants and cocaine Obama Obama

bumping that bumping that bumping that bumping that the song we're not alleging anything it's fantastic it's so good Brad Summer continues she's really won

and I'll say this I think the album's got to get an album of the ear nod we need to over the course the next couple weeks do a little bit of thinking a rethinking of the album of the year conversation that we had because I have now heard another post Malone song

and it is fucking great and every single one that he is putting out is melodically awesome the reviews that are coming in about this album are really strong we already address the fact that all the features are impressive and interesting and going to be fun we know that he's worked with the best songwriter

in Nashville, I think F1 trillion is going to get a nomination. I think it's going to be hard to keep it out based just on the quality of the music that we've heard so far and the fact that I had some help is killing it right now. And it looks like they've got some more bullets in this gun. So for the first time in a long time, the album of the year, even with eight of them, there's going to be some musical chairs game here where somebody is left out in the cold who I think it's going to be a very strong set of nominees, and there's going to be some controversy for sure,

because slots six, seven, and eight could go to probably six different albums. I think, and one of them is tortured poets. Yeah, and I think tortured poets, you know, we'll see. I think tortured poets will get nominated. I think that the Taylor Block is a powerful block. Yep. I just, when you talk about six, seven, and eight, I don't think, like, I think, I think one through five are different albums. And so then it's sort of like you're in that territory of, is it one of the handful that sneaks in?

Is there a world in which it's just missing the cut? I don't really think so, but I think it's more in that tier where it's kind of borderline. I would like to be in slot six, seven, and eight because I could see a Harry's house kind of thing emerging where, you know, there's some split votes across some really strong numbers in one, two, three, four that weaken the overall votes on those and somebody else jumps through. Well, although in a sense, you know, a win is a win, but does that mean you want to be in slot six, seven, and eight, or does that mean that you don't?

Yeah. Well, we'll see. It's going to be fun, and I think we need to revisit this Post Malone record because it is sounding fantastic. You know how else we know that an intern didn't do the Obama playlist? How? No chapel Rome. It's an interesting omission. I noticed it. I mean, I don't think there's anything to read into there, but I'm just saying.

Maybe Sasha and Malia aren't into chapel. Or maybe Barack isn't into chapel yet, you know? It'll be there. Next year, 2025. He's trying to get through the election first. All right. A story that I just really wanted to talk about. I think you should talk about it.

Because it contextualizes everything we've been talking about this summer. So have at it. Am I talking about the same thing that you're talking about? I'm talking about Katie Perry. I'm here to ruin another Katie Perry Tuesday. Yes. Okay. And it is.

I'm so curious how this contextualized. is everything we've talked about this summer. Katie Perry, this is what's written on my little bullets. Katie Perry has run afoul of Spain because she danced on some ecologically protected sand dunes in the Spanish Islands while filming a new music video for the second single. lifetimes. I have to tell you, learning about this story is how I learned that there was another

song out from that album. Well, you haven't been following her Twitter feed like I have or her Instagram like I have. But yeah, it's problematic. And the reason that it encapsulates everything we've been talking about this summer is that there is literally nothing Katie Perry can do to force her way into the conversation. She tried to force her way into the Kamala conversation. she's tried to force her way into the pop, and all well-intentioned, not like,

this is not, I don't know. It doesn't feel conniving or evil or anything. I mean, she's trying, she's putting in the work. But I just don't think. It feels clueless.

I don't think it feels conniving or evil. It feels very clueless. And let me show you who did it differently. Miley Cyrus, just this week, accepted the award for Disney legend. She's the youngest ever recipient

of that award. she got choked up as she talked it through guess who gave the opening speech for her? Chapel fucking Rhone and what did we talk about just a few pods ago? Miley Cyrus knows to pick her spots when she shows up, it matters and she showed up at this thing

to remind everybody in some capacity that she's actually had a very long career she was a little bit self-deprecating of years 2013 to 2016 she was emotional about it and she got a bunch of flowers for herself without trying to force music into the conversation. She made a decision to kind of remind everybody why you care about Miley Cyrus, what the origin story is, to position herself as somebody who's looked up to by this next generation that has taken all of the oxygen out of the room.

And Katie Perry is walking into a carbon dioxide filled room trying to breathe, and it's just not working. There's no air. It's not going to happen. She should go kill a bunch of baby seals and nobody's going to pay attention. No, she shouldn't. Leave the seals alone. Nobody's going to pay attention no matter what she does, right?

Well, I don't know that that's right. I think a lot of people are paying attention. I just don't think in the way that she wants that. But it's over. It's over, right? It's just like it's a little bit like when somebody breaks up with you and you refuse to take the hint. And so you just keep showing up with bouquets of flowers or like asking them out or dropping into their DMs. And it's just like at some point, somebody's got to grab you and be like,

dude, it's over. It's not going to happen. Let it go. And she will not let it go. Right now, she is still hoping that we are going out on Saturday. Yes. Except that instead of DM sliding, she's like jumping out of helicopters into the Mediterranean with her husband. And Jeff Bezos. Yeah. And then making this goofy music video, which is actually sort of fun. Like the irony is that... It's all fun. She's fun.

She's fun. I would not say that all of it is fun. Like, woman's world is not fun. No, the music is not fun. This music is not fun. That is like so, that puts me off so much. And there is something about Katie Perry who's like spending her summer yachting around and having a great time, which seems lovely.

Like, not knowing that this is a protected space and it's ecologically important and she's like contributing to erosion and just thinking that she can like hop up on any stretch of beach she wants to film a music video. Tromping through a sea turtle mating ground. Yeah. That I think speaks to the same just like cluelessness and. not having any idea what she's doing. That was present in a woman's world. I will say like, and maybe I don't understand the issue with the dunes well enough.

This to me plays as much more like wacky, whereas just the Dr. Luke of it all was so gross. Now, he produced this song too. I will say like it doesn't land quite as horribly because it's not explicitly of female empowerment anthem. Yeah. It's not landing with anybody. Kind of boilerplate and no one's going to care. If she'd put this song out first, she would be in a better place than she is now.

I think that's right. It was poor A&Ring, poor decision-making. But still, it's just not time for that. This is a summer where Chapel and Sabrina are taking it. Did you see Sabrina and Casey Musgraves at Outside Lands? I did. I did. Yeah. Kind of a nice little, these boots are made for walking.

I'm not sure I agree. with your like thesis of the case here. I don't think that this is like no one is interested in hearing from Katie Perry right now. I think Katie Perry herself has bungled this. I just would say there is not a lot of space for much more than Chapel and Sabrina and Taylor and Beyonce and Billy.

There just isn't Elaine right now and I think Miley recognizes it. And I just don't think Katie and her team did. And that's okay because I don't think she's doing permanent damage. But I do think there's going to be a need to step back and sort of line. Oh, I think she's doing. I think she's doing some real damage, but. I just don't think it's permanent. I don't know that I think it's like fatal, but I think, it's sticky. Like, she just seems part of her thing has always been a sort of like ditsiness.

Yes. This is like every Katie Perry story over the last. month plus makes her seem like she does not live in objective reality like she can't put two and two together and understand

the implications of her actions which is like a fairly unattractive quality. I don't know. Maybe you're right. I'm not paying enough attention to have that.

I just think the songs are mediocre. The first single was totally tone deaf and it just feels like she's trying too hard. And we're in a summer of authenticity

where we're getting it from a lot of our pop stars where Chapel Rhone is on stage at every single festival on her knees in tears singing the subway song and everything else too.

She got away. And if you're not buying that, you don't really have a heart. And once you've bought into that, it's hard to go back to some of the plastic pop from somebody who is a full generation and a half older who hasn't reestablished why we should care.

Yeah, it's interesting. I actually do see it kind of differently. I think there was like, I agree with you that she hasn't reestablished why we should care. But from my vantage point, I think we talked about this before, like there was, there was, there was excitement for her to come back. And there was like, there was kind of a vibe to how she was. starting to pop up here and there.

And I think it's not that she chose to enter a crowded field. Now, that's challenging. And maybe that is also a mistake. But I don't think, I don't think this started as like Katie Perry deciding to walk up and knock on a closed door, like a door that was already locked to her of entering. this, like the musical ecosystem of this summer. Like I don't, I think, I just think if it had been better executed, there would have been space for that. And yes, it's very different from chapel.

It's not that different from Sabrina in some ways. And that's so exciting to people. There's a certain amount of, of, it's not brat energy, but it's sort of adjacent. where Katie Perry is good at some things that play into some of the dominant themes of what culture has been interested in this summer. I just, I think she seems like she doesn't know up from down.

And like this is a person who, you know, almost two decades ago got away with, I kissed a girl and I liked it. And you're so gay. You're so gay. And it was a different time. And she got away with it and it was fine.

But if she's like, the problem is it's not a first, it's not a first instance of her just seeming like she just doesn't get it. Unfortunate. It does seem like she's having a good time in Spain. Good for her. I like Katie Perry. I in some ways love Katie Perry. Katie Perry will always be a source of joy to me.

I just, I, I don't know. I have a real hard time thinking that, like, she has the ability to process the world around her. Okay. I'm sorry if I've ruined a Katie Perry Tuesday for you. Yeah, I mean, God, I'm going to go fucking listen to wide awake, for sure. It's Tuesday. I mean, I got to go do it.

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag? Okay. Well, I don't feel too bad for you, Nathan, because. You are off in a couple of days to London for the Ares Tour. Is that correct? That is correct. Are you excited? I am really, really excited. I'm excited to be in London. I am excited to see Suki Waterhouse open for Taylor. I am excited about all the openers that are, Holly Humberstone is playing Friday night, and Holly is one of my favorites right now. We haven't done a lot of talking about Holly,

but she is a monster in the best possible way. So Taylor picked great openers, and I think the energy and vibe there for a whole bunch of reasons is going to be great, and I'm excited to be there. So you will be, will you be at the opening show? Or it'll be the second show that she does? No, I'll be there on the weekend, yeah.

Okay. So it won't be the first show after the Vienna shows were canceled, but it'll be the first... slate of shows the first stop on the tour. Do you think that we will have heard from Taylor? Not just by the time, obviously, that you get in there over the weekend, but before the first show in London. Do you think that we will hear something from her about Vienna, about the aftermath of that,

just about how she's reacting to the threat, the fact that they caught them, the fact that she canceled the shows, anything? I think what you're asking me is, why haven't we heard from her? Yeah, that's true. I find it surprising. And look, I think there's a large portion of the fan base that is asking that question, and I would just respond with this. If you have been paying attention for years, both Taylor and her concerns about event safety have been on display for all to see.

It's something they care deeply, deeply, deeply about. And there, you know, without any detail, there is technology, and there are people that you don't know about who every night are keeping her. And I think equally importantly for Taylor, her fans, safe, there have been instances, interviews over the years where she's sort of dropped that there's a lot of stuff you don't know about, but that she does everything possible to make those events safe. And, you know, you now have... Yeah, even there's that interview in Miss Americana where she's talking about... Absolutely. Or is it it's that or is it in... maybe like some of the

reputation tour video stuff where she's talking about how the lengths and the amount of people who work on the events to make sure that everybody's safe, but also where, and I think she's pretty young when she's talking about it,

but where she just mentions, like she always has pepper spray on her, which to me is revealing. Well, she's now the most famous person in the world. She is a woman. and with that alone would come a threat every single day that you have to take seriously, probably times 10 or more.

When you are also hosting what has become a cultural phenomenon and a gathering of joy around the world, yeah, there's going to be some threats. There's going to be things that you have to take seriously. And what I would just say to the rest of the fan base is she cares about this, her team cares deeply about this, they are going to make the right decision every time. And so if she's not saying something,

it's because that's the right decision. And on this one, you don't have to trust that the t-shirt's going to arrive exactly on time right now. But on this issue, trust her, trust them. If there's something to say, if it's the right thing to do to say something, she will. If the right thing to do is to cancel the show, as it was last weekend, they will do that.

But if she's being told that for whatever reason, the right thing to do is to not speak, then let her not speak. If there's danger around the show, they would cancel it. If the shows are on, you can feel sure that her team and she feel good about it. This is one where it is their job to make those decisions. And if you feel uncomfortable for some reason, don't go to the show. But I think the borderline shaming and screaming from the fan base around whether or not she ought to be coming out and saying something.

Like, take a step back. This is a literally unprecedented level of fame in an unprecedented moment of interconnectivity and technology and security and all these things. Trust that these people who have operated what is in many ways the biggest tour of all time are going to be. going to make the right decision. And if she's not speaking, neither should you. I also think, I mean, I think, I don't know, I think in part because they were in Vienna, they were in a place. I actually, I have an editor here at the Ringer who is there with her daughter, and they made the best of it, and they hung out with all the swifties and the squares, and they danced and they sang, although it was obviously very sad and scary.

but one thing that she remarked on was that, you know, there's not like the media apparatus and the sort of like professional ecosystem of people who figure out and report what's going on is just different. You know, some things are in a different language. You're figuring out like when the press conferences and all of that. So there's kind of a, there's kind of, there's been a strange for as big of a story as as it was and it is. There was kind of. There was kind of. of a news vacuum. And I think a lot of people sort of rush to fill those types of spaces, even if it's sort of hard to figure out exactly what there is to say. I have to imagine, I think she will say something before she gets on stage. Now that we've talked about this, I'm sure 45 minutes after we fucking wrap this podcast, as per usual, there will be news. Right. Right. Yeah. She may. But if she doesn't, it's for a purpose. And I would encourage people to think deeply. about what that purpose might be

and to be at peace with it and let her do this because she cares, she has expressed to you through the years that she and her team are on this. They care.

And also look, like, it's hard to find the right balance of it's horrible and sad and scary. And also, we know that we know that these types of threats

are a part of our world and that a lot of the impulse behind them is to disrupt spaces of joy disrupts people feeling like they can just live their normal lives. So there's something, like I think she's going to say something, like you said, it's probably going to be 15 minutes after we wrap this podcast. But I also do think that there is something to, you know, she'll be in London.

So keep calm and carry on. As long as it's safe and they are better positioned than, you know, pretty much any entity to figure that out and to figure out what the right thing is there. but I do think that there is something to not turning it into the story of the end of this leg of the tour because that is part of the reason why people plan attacks like that. That's exactly right. Yeah. Well, and they have some look, like it was a scary situation and people had worked their way into some of the interleaders.

layers and that's scary and presumably something that people have to kind of get to the bottom of and maybe there's information. The answer is truly we don't know, but what I do feel like we know is that there are competing, competing interests of not succumbing to making it the whole thing and also communicating with fans who probably could stand to hear something and probably will eventually. Yeah, I think there will be a communication at some point. I would just say right now, she does not need the money from these shows. It's probably a burden at this point. Their only concern is putting on the show for the fans who want to see it and making absolutely sure that they can do that safely. And if they can, the show will go on and the shows are going on in

London. I'm bringing my two daughters. And if there is a reason, you know, again, if she's not communicating, I just would encourage people to think about that maybe it has purpose. And she will communicate in time. And nobody feels worse about everybody flying to Vienna who did and not being able to see a show than Taylor Swift and her team. They feel terrible about that. They wear that for sure. But they would have felt a lot worse if they'd put those shows on. Yeah. Do you have surprise song thoughts? Come on. You know what I want. No, I don't. I mean, we're going to get some London songs Disco round. I think we'll get some So Long London. I don't expect London boy.

Now why? Just because it's... Because you don't think she's going to be able to say, I love my London boy. Let's see. I just, but, you know,

she's done enough recycling at this point. I think she's just having fun with the songs that flow well together. Yeah. See, I wonder if she might even do a London boy so long London mashup. She might,

which would be terrific and people would go nuts for it. and it will tell us that she's got plenty of space from that song, you know. But, no, I have no predictions other than, I think, just like Los Angeles, where she was very purposeful about the songs that she picked, I think she's done a lot of thinking about this, and I think each night's going to be special and different. And I hope that she plays the Black Dog when I'm there. And I hope it's shitty in the Black Dog when someone plays the starting...

Can't believe you. Reputation question mark? I don't see it. We're still in tortured poets full cycle and I don't see it. When is your current prediction

for when Reputation Taylor's version comes out? I'm not going to hold you to this, but just tell me where your gut is right now. I could see it coming at the end of the tour. I could see it coming at the end of the tour. Okay. Okay. Well, a lot to watch, a lot to pay attention to. I'm going to wish you Bon Voyage at the end of this podcast. However, because it has been, I think it's fair to say, a somewhat trying week plus in Swiftyland. I just thought it would be a good occasion to do something that I've thought would be fun to do for a while, which was just to reach out to some of our listeners and see if people would send over.

some fun anecdotes of some of their favorite memories from the Erez tour this summer or over the past year plus as the tour has been going from seeing the show live, from the movie. And I'm just going to read a few of the fun responses because, you know, look, I can't imagine how sad I would have been if I'd been in Vienna and had tickets and couldn't go and was also scared. I will say I thought it was pretty magical to see all of the people coming together

and comforting each other and supporting each other. And it's a nice reminder that, you know, this tour has just brought people together in a lot of ways. So I asked for a few. I got a bunch of very good ones. One from Kara.

My best friend surprised me with tickets a week before. We've both been Swifty since debut. and I'd resigned myself to not seeing the tour after I couldn't get tickets. It was the surprise of my life, and I'll never forget it. Love sent a great pick.

Everybody's wearing purple. Did you, by the way, Nathan, did you put a call out for this on threads? No, I did not. What did you put on threads? You can come over to threads and figure it out for yourself. I'm just going to ask someone to do it for me. Why? Why wouldn't you come join threads?

Because I've already staked my claim here. Now you're just being stubborn for no purpose. Quite possibly. Come over to threads. Okay. Another one from Joe. My friend worked on some of the visuals and we were able to go together

to see his months of hard work live. We got our whole section to cheer for him when his visuals appeared. That my tears ricochet whirlpool nearly broke him, but damn did it turn out cool. It did turn out cool. I love the whirlpool.

It's a cool world pool. It is a cool world. This is the problem. Now I want to ask people questions because I would love to know if this guy's friend has any insights into the swimming tunnel. What goes on under the stage, you mean? Yeah. I don't mean like what, no, I mean like the vision, just how the whole thing works with the swimming.

Okay. Okay. I think she dives into a pit. She rolls off. She gets on the jet sled. I think I have an understanding of what she. He does, but the whole thing is just cool. You think it's like a magic trick?

I'm ignoring you. We're going to hear from Daniela. I saw Taylor for the first time in Lisbon with three of my friends. Our Swifty's WhatsApp group has seen us through some extremely tough times, so tears were shed when we finally were all together at Erez. Liz, our chief Swifty, had made a color coordinated spreadsheet so we were able to get tickets. In the time since we'd bought the tickets, a lot in caps, had happened, including a brush with death for me in which Liz drove me to the hospital.

Oh my gosh. Listening to Taylor, getting hyped for Erez, and every single album has been a constant comfort. So holding hands singing cruel summer together was a very special moment for us all. We were meant to be going to see her again Monday, but Liz is now having surgery tomorrow. She saved the last episode of the pause. Oh my God.

This is going to make me cry for her last hospital trip. So we'll be very glad this new pod is coming while she recovers. Oh, Liz. Get well soon. I also went to Erez with my seven-year-old goddaughter and the look on her face during, I can do it with a broken heart when she heard the swear words for the first time

was priceless. Danielle! What a nice note. That was a good one. That was very sweet. Okay. I'll do two more. There are a lot of these and they're just like,

I just had so much fun reading all of them. So thank you to everybody who sent them. And maybe we can do this again because it's just nice to hear from people. I don't want to drone on forever and ever, but I just love it. all of the sentiments. Claire attended Gillette

Night 3 with my then-fiance oh, now husband. I was like, oh, drama. Sorry, Claire. Congratulations on marrying your husband. Wow. And it was so special getting to sing along to lover,

which was the first dance at our October 2023 wedding. Cool. Good job, Nora. Okay, one more so that I can recover from that. Here we go. Holly. Hi. Scored Vienna tickets over a year ago with a friend. We made a trip out of it and then when the news broke, one of the first things we said was hope there are dance parties tomorrow or at least Swifty meetups in the lobby. And we were blown away by the reaction. I think one of my faves was seeing all the little Swifties who often had received tickets or the trip as Christmas presents, so eager to trade bracelets, share their favorite songs and show us their newly acquired bracelets in the lobby and talk through their swiftly related plans for the day. You can choose to be sad, which we were, or you let the littles remind you there is fun to be had and new friends to be made. A good sweet lesson and reminder, the city and community really showed up.

Nice. You know, it's all part of the community that has made this thing so great, which is why I think London is going to be a really wonderful celebration. Even though there are more shows, she's coming back to the U.S. and on and on. There is something, I mean, she took the whole crew last night in London for like a rap party, I think. And I think it's, it definitely, pardon the pun, feels like a little bit of an end of an era. And although she'll do obviously some more shows, but we're getting towards the end of this thing. It's both hard to believe and it's also hard to believe that it is still happening. I know. Did I pick you up at the end there from ruining

your Katie Perry Tuesday? No, you've destroyed my Katie Perry Tuesday, but I'm going to, I'm going to salvage my Katie Perry Tuesday by putting on a bumping ass playlist and eating some tacos. I love that. Go have fun. Happy Katie Perry Tuesday to you, Nathan. This has been every single album. As always, he's Nathan Hubbard. I'm Nora Prenciotti. Thank you to Kai McMullen for producing this episode. And we'll talk to you next week.