DINH DOONG

Yes, Taylor Swift, the very woman who could once sell out stadiums in minutes and crash ticketing websites just by announcing a tour, now finds herself struggling to fill venues. The pop icon’s decision to wade into the murky waters of politics has left her fanbase divided—and, if ticket sales are any indication, more than a little disillusioned

Swift’s political endorsement, delivered with her signature polished poise on Instagram Live, was meant to be a moment of empowerment and clarity. But instead of rallying her legions of fans behind her, the pop queen’s bold support for Vice President Kamala Harris has apparently triggered a backlash that no one—least of all Swift herself—saw coming.

“I think Kamala Harris is the perfect role model for our country,” Swift had said, smiling confidently into her phone camera. The moment was pure Taylor: perfectly crafted, socially conscious, and delivered with just the right amount of charm. But then, like a bad remix of Shake It Off, things went south. Fast.

Swifties, it turns out, aren’t as monolithic as the star might have believed. While some cheered her on for standing up for what she believes in, others weren’t so pleased about the injection of politics into their pop star’s glitter-filled world. Almost immediately after the endorsement, social media platforms lit up with angry comments, memes, and—worst of all for Swift—refund requests.

The fallout from the endorsement has been swift (pun intended), with ticket sales for the Eras Tour plummeting to an all-time low. For a woman who once commanded the attention of millions of fans who would camp outside stadiums just to catch a glimpse of her glittering microphone, selling only 2,000 tickets is nothing short of shocking.

Fans who had eagerly awaited the Eras Tour, ready to belt out “Love Story” in unison with thousands of strangers, are now finding themselves second-guessing their loyalty. “I just can’t separate the music from the politics anymore,” one disgruntled former fan wrote in an online forum. “I was here for 1989 and Reputation, not for political endorsements. Now I feel like every song is a campaign slogan.”

Another fan, who requested a refund for her VIP package, commented, “I loved Taylor for her music, not her political opinions. I’m not spending hundreds of dollars to watch her promote a candidate I don’t support.”

It’s become clear that the Eras Tour backlash is more than just about politics—it’s a full-blown Swiftie civil war. Fandoms are rarely known for their subtlety, and Taylor’s fanbase is no exception. Social media has been flooded with debates, arguments, and fan fights that make even the wildest Reddit threads seem tame

On one side, you have the “Political Swifties,” who are praising their queen for using her platform to promote change and social justice. These fans see the backlash as a necessary evil in the fight for progress. “Taylor is being brave,” said one Twitter user, armed with a profile picture of Swift and a bio full of #GirlPower hashtags. “This is what being a role model looks like.”

But on the other side, there’s the “Keep the Politics Out of My Pop” faction. These fans are furious that their beloved singer has strayed from the realm of break-up anthems and love ballads into the arena of endorsements and political discourse. “She’s a singer, not a politician,” raged one user. “I came for the music, not the lectures.”

It’s as if Taylor Swift has turned into the Yoko Ono of her own fandom, inadvertently splitting her followers into warring camps, and causing endless online skirmishes between those who want to sing along to You Belong With Me and those who want to march to The Man.

The real-world consequences of this fan divide are starting to hit Swift where it hurts—her bank account. With only 2,000 tickets sold so far for a tour that was expected to sell out instantly, promoters are reportedly scrambling to figure out how to salvage the situation.