Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are tired of being pitted against each other, too. On Oct. 11, Swift celebrated the world premiere of her “The Eras Tour” concert film in Los Angeles, where she was joined by none other than Queen Bey on the red carpet and in the theater. Aside from the fact that photos of the duo hold immense power – the two are arguably the biggest female pop stars in the world right now – their public support for one another confronts the constant comparisons surrounding their success.
“She’s been a guiding light throughout my career and the fact that she showed up tonight was like an actual fairytale.”
Let’s set the record straight: Swift and Beyoncé are both wildly talented and successful in their own right, and they clearly respect each other for their own craft. Following the premiere, Swift expressed just that in an Instagram post giving credit to Beyoncé for paving the way for female artists like herself. “I’m so glad I’ll never know what my life would’ve been like without @beyonce’s influence,” she wrote alongside a video of the two. “The way she’s taught me and every artist out here to break rules and defy industry norms. Her generosity of spirit. Her resilience and versatility. She’s been a guiding light throughout my career and the fact that she showed up tonight was like an actual fairytale.” For Beyonce, who’s rarely seen at events as it is, to support Swift in this way is meaningful to not only the BeyHive and Swifties, but also the general public.
The musicians’ so-called tension dates back to the 2009 VMAs, where Kanye West infamously jumped on stage in defense of Beyoncé as Swift accepted her award for best video by a female artist. Beyoncé even gave Swift her moment to shine later that night. No drama was exchanged, but following the show, the public repeatedly found ways to position them as competitors.
Swift and Beyoncé are not rivals, and they’ve never suggested that may be the case. Since the 2009 VMAs, they’ve gifted congratulatory flowers, shouted out achievements, and generally expressed nothing but admiration for one another. Yet, they’ve battled comparisons for years. This has been especially apparent this year, as both embarked on their own record-breaking tours and subsequently announced accompanying concert films.
Despite the world’s desire to pit them against each other, it’s inspiring to see the love and support between these two powerhouses. Get a closer look of the pair at the Eras Tour movie premiere ahead.
Related: Is Post-Concert Amnesia a Real Thing?
