The Eras Tour Is Over And Yes, You Probably Have Post-Eras Blues
While the rest of Northern Hemisphere is experiencing a serotonin dip due to bracingly cold weather and endless grey skies, my significantly low mood and winter blues are due to a force of nature of a different kind: the end of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. After 149 performances across five continents, the last show took place early this morning (UK time) in Vancouver.
If this sounds completely ridiculous, let me be the first to say: no one is quicker to dismiss this particular feeling of sadness than me. Surely, as a grown adult in her 30s, I am immune to the intense emotions that come with being a part of a fandom?
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But I’m not alone. ELLE UK art designer and fellow Swiftie Lily Pichon-Flannery tells me that she’s also experiencing a markedly rapid, post-Eras mood decline. Next to attending the shows, she’s been watching almost every single performance through live streams.
‘I miss it so much. I went three times, each in a different area of Wembley stadium and I experienced three amazing sets of surprise songs (acoustic numbers that aren't on the setlist). I was also there on a fuzzy Tik Tok livestream when 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was announced. I’ll never forget it,’ Pichon-Flannery shares. Like many, she’s also embraced the activities around the concerts: trading bracelets, forming friendships, and planning Eras Tour make-up for each show she attends.
I was wrong to discount our collective Post-Eras sadness, because as it turns out, there is a valid explanation behind it. ‘When something that sparks so much joy and meaning for us comes to its inevitable end, it can be helpful to do some self-reflection,' says Jodie Cariss, therapist and co-founder of mental health service, Self Space. 'Often, these powerful experiences can set us alight, they can bring out the best versions of ourselves and we deserve to create these moments of joy.'
‘But like any feelings, joy can be transient and to let these times go can often feel like a form of grief - whether it’s grieving the feeling of elation, the deep connection we feel that is evoked by music, the version of ourselves in that moment - it can feel like shedding a skin.’
It’s similar to having a parasocial relationship, which are the ‘one-sided emotional connection that people form with a public figure, celebrity, or even a fictional character. It feels deeply personal, even though the person on the other side - like an artist or musician - might not even know you exist,' says clinical hypnotherapist Anna Lancaster. And while parasocial relationships are often discussed in context with a specific person, it is possible to experience a similar feeling to an event, too.
‘Swift’s Eras Tour is so much more than a concert. It’s become a cultural moment that fans have poured their hearts into, whether by attending live, watching online clips, or sharing in the excitement on social media,’ explains Lancaster.
I’ve attended my fair share of live shows, but not one has affected me as much as The Eras Tour. Aside from being a loyal fan, the magic of Eras lay in the way it connected Swifties not just to Swift herself, but to one another.
‘The tour was a space for self-expression, shared joy, and even healing,’ says Lancaster. ‘Whether attending in person or following online, it became a highlight of the year for so many, uniting fans around the world in a shared experience. When something so joyful and meaningful comes to an end, it’s natural to feel a profound sense of loss—not just for the music, but for the community and memories it created.’
Since the first showing on March 17 2023, clips of Swift performing have been my bedside companion every single night, without fail. Despite listening to her music since I was 13, I’ve never been so deeply entrenched in the fandom than I have been the past 18 months, living vicariously through fans who attend her show globally.
If you’re devastated it’s over, you’re not alone. Just as the tour provided a safe, judgement-free zone for us to be ourselves, do take solace in the fact that your post-Eras blues are completely valid and there are millions of us in the community feeling the same way.
So, Swifties, what next? According to Cariss, it helps to remind ourselves that ‘you deserve joy, you deserve to set your own world alight - the ebbs and flows life brings with it are fleeting but at the same time the memories live with us.’
She adds that the people we don’t know (like celebrities or public figures) can act as ‘vehicles for our own inner worlds’. While it’s completely normal to feel the blues, if it is all-consuming and taking control of your daily life, it might signal something deeper that’s happening internally. ‘If you experience deep feelings and find it especially hard to overcome them, therapy can help you work through that,’ says Cariss.
As Swift sings in her final acoustic set: 'It's the end of an era, but the start of age'. The Eras Tour is over, but the Swiftie community is anything but. Lancaster suggests planning a watch party to relive the highlights (or perhaps a night in watching the concert film?), revisiting her music to keep the energy alive (I’m on it), or even channeling your feelings into something creative. Shares Lancaster: ‘Remember, this connection isn’t truly over - it’s transformed. Use this as a chance to embrace gratitude for what you experienced and seek out new things that spark that same excitement.’
As the confetti falls to the ground, we’ll keep making the friendship bracelets, we'll hold on to the memories and find peace in knowing that the kingdom lights did shine for us. Long live.
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