Taylor Swift has spoken out about her cancelled Eras Tour Vienna shows. (Getty)
Taylor Swift has explained her reason for not previously speaking out over her cancelled Eras Tour shows in Vienna after a foiled terrorist plot, telling fans: “Let me be very clear.”
The “Cruel Summer” hitmaker took to Instagram on 22 August (Thursday) to commemorate the end of the European leg of her critically acclaimed The Eras Tour. Swift shared her “pride” for the hard work and dedication of her crew and performers to make her shows — which saw the recent inclusion of her “entirely new era” The Tortured Poets Department — come to life.
However, the star addressed the “rollercoaster of emotions” she felt when walking on-stage in London after Swift’s Vienna shows were cancelled due to a foiled terrorism plot.
Swift wrote: “Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating. The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows.
“But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives,” she said.
She continued, reflecting on how her fans banded together despite the recent events in Vienna. “I was heartened by the love and unity I saw in the fans who banded together. I decided that all of my energy had to go toward helping to protect the nearly half a million people I had coming to see the shows in London.
“My team and I worked hand in hand with stadium staff and British authorities every day in pursuit of that goal, and I want to thank them for everything they did for us.”
Swift then addressed the criticism from onlookers who noted that she did not speak on-stage about the events in Vienna, explaining that her reasons for being silent came from a place of safety. “Let me be very clear: I am not going to speak about something publicly if I think doing so might provoke those who would want to harm the fans who come to my shows.
“In cases like this one, ‘silence’ is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to. My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that.”
Swift was scheduled to play at Ernst Happel Stadium on 8, 9 and 10 August, but concert organisers cancelled the shows on 7 August after city officials announced that they had made arrests over the planned terror attack.
Swift is returning to the US and Canada to wrap up the final leg of The Eras Tour, headlining three nights at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium from 18-20 October before performing in New Orleans and Indianapolis.
She’ll then head to the Rogers Centre, Toronto for six nights starting 14 November, before heading to Vancouver for three dates in December.