How Taylor Swift is preparing for her UK Eras Tour

Taylor Swift has arrived in the UK to perform her epic Eras Tour live on stage for her British fans, with The Tortured Poets Department singer kicks off a total of the UK leg of the 15-date tour in Edinburgh this Friday, 7 June.

The 34-year-old pop star is rumoured to have rented a romantic £3.3m cottage in the Cotswolds – with neighbours including The Beckhams and Jeremy Clarkson – to rest her head in between shows. But this will be no holiday for Swift.

Her Eras concerts last around three hours and 15 minutes and include 46 songs from the 10 albums she has released in her 18-year career to date, with about 16 outfit changes.

Swift has a strict regime she abides by on tour to ensure she is in peak physical condition to perform for her fans. Here's what Tay-Tay makes herself do to be ready for it before she walks out on stage and makes the whole place shimmer.

Workout

The Eras tour sees Swift run and skip along a huge catwalk stage, while she sings and dances live, as well as playing the guitar and piano. In order to prepare herself The Alchemy star spent six months singing the songs from the show while running on a treadmill, to ensure she could perform them while dancing at the same time.

She told Time magazine she ran, "Fast for fast songs, and a jog or a fast walk for slow songs.” She added: “I knew this tour was harder than anything I’d ever done before by a long shot. I finally, for the very first time, physically prepared correctly.”

Swift also followed a tailored strength, conditioning, and weights programme and three months of dance lessons with with choreographer Mandy Moore, who was recommended to her by La La Land star and friend Emma Stone.

Selfcare

Swift has revealed that she gave up drinking before and during the tour to make sure she was at her best.

The Blank Space singer has also revealed she takes a "dead day" in between each leg of the tour to recover in which she just stays in bed all day.

In 2010, Swift revealed the first thing she does when settling into where she is staying is unpacking. "I do it everywhere I go," she said at the time in an interview.

She told Webmd: "I really like the way it feels to have my clothes put away in drawers and my shoes in the closet." We are sure her top two travel essentials - candles and her music - are still the same now 14 years later.

Backstage rituals

Swift has a "good vibes" huddle before she goes on stage. She has revealed that before every show: "I warm up my voice, then I stretch and then my band, dancers and I get in a huddle and it's just good vibes."

Good luck charms

Once upon a time, Swift used to write 13 on her hand before heading out on stage in the early days of her career - although this isn't something she does now. However, many of her fans will be penning a number 13 on the backs of their hands when attending Swift's Eras concerts.

Unlucky for some, 13 is considered extremely luck by Swift. The Shake It Off singer revealed to MTV News in 2009 why the number is so special to her. She said: "I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first No. 1 song had a 13-second intro. Every time I've won an award I've been seated in either the 13th seat, the 13th row, the 13th section or row M, which is the 13th letter."

Although she hasn't been seen with a 13 on her hand, it's still very much her lucky number. In February this year, Swift gushed about 13 being her lucky number when winning a Grammy Award. She told the crowd: "This is my 13th Grammy. Which is my lucky number. I don't know if I've ever told you that."

Read more: Taylor Swift

• Taylor Swift-themed London events to get you in the Eras tour spirit (Evening Standard, 2 min read)

• Taylor Swift 'books £3.3 million Cotswolds cottage' for UK leg of Eras tour (Gloucestershire Live, 5 min read)

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