Some may scoff at the thought of Taylor Swift and roll their eyes at fans who spent days queuing to get tickets to her Eras tour stop in Singapore.

However, Swift means so much more than a pop icon to her fans, also known as the Swifties.

On Dec. 13, 2023, Swift's 34th birthday, about 200 Swifties gathered at Peace Centre to celebrate with cake, music and giveaways.

At the venue, different areas were set up to reflect Swift's different album.

The walls around the space had projections of Swift from different eras, with her songs blasting through the speakers.

There was also a photo booth set up where they could take home a picture with a Taylor Swift Frame.

More people began to stream in from 3pm onwards, and the place started to fill up. Fans took photos with each area they loved and danced to the songs playing on the speaker. There was even a cake to commemorate the event.

@mothershipsg cray cray for tay tay on a wednesday for her birthday #tiktoksg #sgnews #taylorswift #swifties #sgswifties ♬ original sound - Mothership

However, there was one spot that was my favourite — yes, I'm a Swiftie — and that is the friendship bracelet wall.

Friendship bracelets and dress-up

Dotted with fairy lights, friendship bracelets hung across the wall where Swifties can swap handmade friendship bracelets.

The tradition came from the lyrics of "You're on Your Own, Kid" from her Midnights album.

The specific line that kickstarted the trend was :

"'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned

Everything you lose is a step you take

So make the friendship bracelets

Take the moment and taste it

You've got no reason to be afraid"

One 17-year-old girl, Ellie, shared that she spent three hours a day for a week to make 54 bracelets to exchange.

It took her about 15 to 20 minutes to make one bracelet.

For her, exchanging bracelets is a "cute, fun way" to bond with other Swifties as they get to know each other and discover other fans' favourite albums.

Beyond friendship bracelets, Swifties came dressed up, inspired by their favourite eras.

For one group, Swift's latest re-release of her album "1989 (Taylor's Version)" was their inspiration with pastel blues and whites.

Another pair of friends dressed up in Swift's "Reputation" Era and "Speak Now" Era.

They even had a little black car inspired by Swift's song "Getaway Car".

What Taylor Swift means to her fans

Owner and founder of local fan club SgSwifties, Sherry Lim, started the group after watching Swift's Eras tour concerts on TikTok.

Speaking to Mothership, Lim shared that she created a Telegram group to find like-minded fans to talk to. The group blew up even more when she made a TikTok video about having a picnic with other Swifties in Singapore.

The Telegram group has about 4,000 members.

As for the event, Lim organised the party so Swifties could come together to celebrate the birthday of their favourite singer.

"Organising was really fun, we actually started planning this three weeks ago. It was kind of crazy [and] hectic but overall I would say that it was [a] very enjoyable experience," she added.

When asked what Swift meant to her as a fan, 30-year-old Lim candidly said that the musician was a very important figure in her life since she became a fan at the age of 15.

"[Swift] actually helped me in a lot of ways. Her music kind of 'saved' me because I went through this really horrible break-up last year... She has always been a huge influence in my life. She has always been very wise. Her philosophies, her moral values, and what she projects out, I really respect and admire her a lot."

Friends Danielle and Aisha have been fans since they were five and six.

Aisha shared that she was who she is today because of Swift's influence on her life. Through Swift's music, she learned the importance of feeling and expressing all her feelings.

She opened up about how she was bullied growing up for liking Swift, but despite what others say, Aisha "sincerely loves her and her art".

"That's what she taught me — to just be my authentic self and to just keep believing in yourself."

For Danielle, Swift taught her how to be comfortable in her own skin and love who she is.

The one thing that stood out was Aisha describing how she never felt more safe amongst like-minded fans.

"We're always looked down [on] for liking Taylor Swift, it's like 'basic', so being here with everyone and making new friends, I really enjoy it. I feel so loved and so safe."

"Being here today makes me feel so comfortable and just makes me feel at home," added Danielle.

Top photos via Hannah Martens