PARIS, France — Following a two-month hiatus, the Chairwoman reignited her tour to immense anticipation. All eyes were on Taylor Swift as she took the stage at La Défense Arena on Thursday, with fans eager to see if she would incorporate her 11th era album into the Eras Tour set.
And incorporate it she did, and then some.
Swift expanded the set list to include 46 songs, introducing a new era for "The Tortured Poets Department," removing several songs, and rearranging most eras, including merging the sets for "Folklore" and "Evermore." Throughout the performance, she unveiled numerous new outfits.
Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's dedicated Taylor Swift reporter, provided live updates from inside La Défense Arena in Paris, with assistance from Swiftie and trending reporter Anthony Robledo.
Here are the highlights from the first Eras Tour meeting in Paris, France: Swift adhered to her original set list for the "Midnights" era, performing "Lavender Haze," "Anti-Hero," and "Midnight Rain," culminating in a powerful rendition of "Karma."
Fans were treated to a surprise when Swift played the heartfelt song "loml" on the piano during her secret set, which also featured the bonus song "Paris" from her "Midnights" album.
The new "Tortured Poets" set list showcased tracks from her latest album, including "But Daddy I Love Him," "So High School," "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me," "Down Bad," "Fortnight," "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived," and "I Can Do It with a Broken Heart." This new set concluded with an animation on the stage backdrop.
Swift combined the "Folklore" and "Evermore" albums into one section, naming it "Folkmore," representing spring, summer, fall, and winter. The set list included eight songs and concluded with "Willow."
The order of eras was shuffled, with the "Red" era unexpectedly appearing third instead of "Evermore." Swift's concert covered 18 years of music, including a surprise inclusion of the "Speak Now" era.
Paramore opened the show with a set list that included covers of Blondie and Talking Heads, energizing the audience ahead of Swift's performance.
The Eras Tour has been globally followed by thousands of fans on digital platforms, with dedicated livestreamers providing a custom show experience. Swift Alert, an app, also notifies fans of major announcements and special performances.
La Défense Arena, the venue for the concert, is Europe's largest indoor arena, accommodating over 40,000 fans.