Could Taylor Swift perform in Charlotte? Why Swifties think she’s prepping a surprise show

The countdown is on to a new music festival coming to Charlotte — and now fans have hope that a surprise artist will be added to the lineup: Taylor Swift.

Over 40 pop, rock and rap stars will be performing at the inaugural Lovin’ Life Music Fest in uptown May 3-5, but some Swifties now believe that’ll include a special appearance during the opening night.

“I think Taylor is performing with Post Malone on 5-3 – May 3rd— 14 days from the release of Tortured Poets Department, which happens to be a fortnight which is the song Taylor does with Post Malone on the album,” @bookbeedani said in a TikTok video that’s going viral.

Swift is infamously known for dropping hints, and as @bookbeedani explains in the video, there have been several that could point to a surprise performance.

“We have the five and the three through the ‘So High School’ lyric video … Taylor Nation has been tweeting a ton and they just tweeted this with her pressing the three,” she explained in the video.

“The Lovin’ Life music festival posted this video of Post with the hand heart … Stevie Nicks is actually performing the second night of the Lovin’ Life music festival which is 15 days from the TPD release and the 15th lyric line in ‘Clara Bow’ is when she says ‘You look like Stevie Nicks.’”

Other (just as hopeful) fans in the comments agreed. Now dozens are wishing that the theories prove to be true, especially since the Carolinas haven’t been a stop on her world famous tour.

“If this woman is about to pop up unannounced in the ONE major city she skipped for eras [tour] I will lose mind,” one person commented.

Another said: “My ears perked up the second you said Charlotte … don’t get my hopes up.”

Since then, fans have been on high alert to look for more clues that she could be performing, including posts from Post Malone and Noah Kahan, who will also be performing at the festival.

When asked about the rumors of having Swift as a surprise guest during the festival, organizers told us: “Wouldn’t that be a nice surprise,” the team replied. “We’d love to have her.”

So for now, you may just have to wait and see if it’ll be “another fortnight lost in America” without her in the Queen City.

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Editor’s note: @bookbeedani is the tiktoker who made the video with the theory about Taylor Swift coming to Charlotte. An earlier version of this story had an incorrect name.

This story was originally published April 24, 2024 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Could Taylor Swift perform in Charlotte? Why Swifties think she’s prepping a surprise show."

Chyna Blackmon

The Charlotte Observer

Chyna Blackmon was a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA. Support my work with a digital subscription