Workers on various different jobs along Taylor Swift‘s cross country and soon-to-be international “The Eras Tour” told TMZ that they all received $100,000 bonuses for their work. The act of kindness comes ahead of the near end of the U.S. leg of the tour in Los Angeles, California.
Taylor Swift gave her #ErasTour truckers a bonus of $100k each, TMZ reports.
Sources also say she gave a “very generous amount” in bonuses to band members, dancers, lighting and sound technicians, caterers and others.
????: https://t.co/ju1nMdEdhB pic.twitter.com/R7uAhF0wL9
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 1, 2023
Truckers driving merchandise and equipment vehicles were the first to disclose the generous payments. There are approximately 50 truckers employed by Swift for the important task, meaning that the singer could have payed five million dollars to the trucking staff alone. An anonymous source additionally told TMZ that dancers, lighting technicians, sound technicians, caterers, makeup artists, and other jobs were paid generous bonuses, though the amount was not disclosed.
“The Eras Tour” has raked in one billion dollars in sales thus far, and has been credited with helping balance the U.S. economy post-COVID-19 lockdown. The tour is on track to become the highest grossing tour of all time.
Social Media Reactions
Swift is receiving praise for her act of kindness. Amid the ongoing joint WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike, IATSE, which represents several crew positions in stage and television productions, continues to strike in New York. Swift’s consideration for her crew members is seen as a beacon of light amid the recent difficult months for many entertainment workers.
She’s so generous and kind
— steven ❀ (@arianaunext) August 1, 2023
Others shared stories about family members and friends who worked on the tour for Swift, stating that they had universally positive experiences.
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I spoke with a guy who works for the company that manages all of the stage lighting for the Eras Tour. He said he loved working with Taylor’s team because of how professional they are. Very considerate of others time and kind. I was happy but not surprised to hear this!
— Amanda Moss (@afmoss10) August 1, 2023
Others shared memes about their eagerness to apply for a job on Swift’s tour given the high salary benefits.
Me learning how to be a truck driver pic.twitter.com/rskyyTD5D8
— #HiFelicia (@BBAmbersMan2) August 1, 2023
https://twitter.com/id_lie13/status/1686289510236135425?s=20
Throughout the lengthy tour, Swift ambitiously tackles over 40 songs in a three-hour long set composed of material from all 10 of her studio albums. The show is complete with album themed sets, costume changes, and an entourage of back up dancers and band members.
Celebrity Comparisons
Elsewhere, some took the good news as an opportunity to compare tour pay with that other famous artists. Actor Elliot Page‘s ex-wife, choreographer and dancer Emma Portner, once alleged poor treatment at the hands of Justin Bieber. The singer allegedly paid dancers such low salaries that they could not afford to eat.
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she’s so generous. justin used to pay his dancers less than the minimum wage ???? pic.twitter.com/Xr339piosY
— bouvier beale (@bartierkit) August 1, 2023
Others alleged that while Beyoncé frequently works with local charities in the cities she stops in along tour, she does not pay her crew as well as Swift. This claim remains unconfirmed.
Beyoncé would never be this generous. Instead she yells at her employees and treats them like dogs
— josh (@belgorodjosh) August 1, 2023
The news of Swift’s act of kindness comes amid a mounting lawsuit against Lizzo from three former dancers on her tour team. The dancer’s alleged that they were weight shamed, racially shamed, shamed them for their personal lives, harassed, and paid poorly by Lizzo and her dance team’s captain, Shirlene Quigley.
i really try not to idolize celebrities bc anyone can be a horrible person but lizzo really has knocked the wind out of me as someone who has gone out of her way to be perceived as a safe space and an ADVOCATE for all people… it’s insane how two faced someone can be.
— siyyan (@siyyaninaas) August 1, 2023
The Lizzo allegations have Swift’s fans feeling grateful that their favorite singer appears to literally keep her side of the street clean. “The Eras Tour” concludes its U.S. leg at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on August 9.
