Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is no ordinary concert run – it’s earned more than a billion dollars, boosted the local economies of dozens of cities across the US, Latin America, Asia, Australia and continental Europe, and cemented her status as this generation’s biggest popstar.
The 34-year-old pop behemoth has delighted fans across the UK and Europe over the past few months, but now, the end is in sight. Swift will perform the final five nights of the tour’s European leg at Wembley Stadium from 15-20 August.
But Swift’s near-two decades of chart-toppers aren’t the only musical draws to the Eras tour. The starry support acts lure in their own fans – whether they’re newcomers in need of a publicity boost (Swift’s US openers, Gracie Abrams and Sabrina Carpenter, have both become stars in their own right since the tour began last year) or established award-winners (like Paramore or HAIM) – and promise to ramp up the energy long before Swift arrives on stage.
Here are all the support acts for the remaining London dates
Paramore (all European and UK dates)
The Tennessee rockers may seem, at first glance, an odd choice for the primary opening act of the highest-grossing pop tour in history. But the band, who burst into the mainstream in the early Noughties with a run of deliciously rebellious, angst-ridden albums (2005’s All We Know is Falling, 2007’s Riot!), have a long history with Swift personally. Flame-haired frontwoman Hayley Williams, 35, is widely regarded as one of the most influential women in modern rock: Paramore have numerous Grammys, NME and MTV Awards, soundtracked the mega-successful Twilight films, and headlined Reading and Leeds festivals.
She’s also been friends with Swift since they were teenagers and coming up together in the Nashville music scene. Paramore’s influence is keenly felt in much of Swift’s work, from the pop-punk tinged Haunted or Better Than Revenge, on 2010’s Speak Now to upbeat poptimism on 2019’s Lover. After Paramore opened the Eras tour in Glendale, Arizona in March 2023, Williams featured on Castles Crumbling, a Vault track from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) released last year – the pair have yet to perform it as a secret song. For the European leg, Swift even reportedly petitioned Williams to put Misery Business – Paramore’s pop-punk anthem that they stopped playing because of the “problematic” lyrics – back on the setlist. Paramore’s entertaining blend of rock instruments and pop beats is the perfect energiser for a tour that requires pure stamina.
Paramore’s current setlist for the Eras tour: Hard Times, Burning Down the House (Talking Heads cover), Still Into You, That’s What You Get, Running Out of Time, The Only Exception, Misery Business, Ain’t It Fun, This Is Why
Sofia Isella, Wembley Stadium (15 August)
Aged just 19, the Californian singer will kick off the second leg of Swift’s record-breaking run at Wembley Stadium in London. Possessing powerful vocals and a background as a classically trained violinist, Isella – who also describes herself as a “s–t for words” is sure to get the crowd going.
Song to listen out for: Everybody Supports Women
Holly Humberstone, Wembley Stadium (16 August)
The British singer-songwriter is the latest up-and-coming artist to be announced as one of Swift’s supports. Originally from Grantham, Humberstone is a former recipient of the Brit Rising Star Award and released her debut album, Paint My Bedroom Black, last year. Describing her excitement, she wrote online:“The hardest secret I’ve ever had to keep. As if I get to support Taylor Swift at The Eras Tour!!!! pinch me!! Taylor thank you thank you thank you I am eternally grateful and what an honour. I have no words and I can’t fuckin wait for the 16th! See you at Wembley!”
Song to listen out for: The Walls Are Way Too Thin
Suki Waterhouse, Wembley Stadium (17 August)
The British actress, model and singer also happens to be one of Swift’s close friends, and the Eras tour support slot marks her return to playing live after she recently gave birth to her first child with boyfriend Robert Pattinson. Similar to the ethereal, Seventies-tinged vibe she brought to Amazon Prime Video’s hit series Daisy Jones & the Six last year, Waterhouse is known for being a thoughtful performer uninterested in gimmicks.
Song to listen out for: Good Looking
Maisie Peters, Wembley Stadium (19 August)
One of Britain’s foremost rising talents, the West Sussex-born singer has previously supported Ed Sheeran and became the youngest solo British female artist to top the album charts in almost a decade with 2023’s acclaimed The Good Witch. She brought a dose of welcome teen angst to last year’s Glastonbury, and her set at the Eras tour promises to be filled with similar odes to growing up, falling in love and falling straight back out of it.
Song to listen out for: Lost the Breakup
Raye, Wembley Stadium (20 August)
A record-breaking six awards at this year’s Brits, a writing credit on Beyonce’s smash country album Cowboy Carter and swirling rumours that she could be doing the next Bond theme – it’s been quite the year for Croydon-raised singer-songwriter Raye. With her uber powerful, silky-smooth vocals and hard-hitting lyrics, Raye is sure to hold her own against both Paramore and Swift.
Song to listen out for: Worth It.
Potential secret guests
Swift has brought a number of famous guests on stage to sing with her throughout the Eras tour – typically artists with feature credits on her songs. The National’s Aaron Dessner, who produced much of her lockdown albums Folklore and Evermore, appeared in Santa Clara, California, to perform melodic break-up ballad Right Where You Left Me. The National are in Europe throughout the summer for their own gigs and festival performances – including a Sunday night headline slot on the Other Stage at Glastonbury – so he could make a surprise appearance again.
Then there’s sister-indie trio HAIM, who are personal close friends with Swift and featured on No Body, No Crime. Other potential secret guests range from Lana Del Rey (who sang on Snow on the Beach, and is in the UK in August for Reading and Leeds festivals, so it could work), Ed Sheeran (Everything Has Changed), Jack Antonoff (Getaway Car and more) and Zayn Malik (I Don’t Wanna Live Forever).