"Anywhere She Goes Is a Security Issue": The Complex Task of Keeping Taylor Swift Safe

 

In 2010, I had a firsthand encounter with Taylor Swift's security detail while working for a teen magazine. Back then, her entourage was modest—just her mother, manager, publicist, and an assistant. I was even invited to an after-show party at the O2, but as the crowd thinned, a burly man with a headset politely but firmly told me it was time to go: "Friends and family only," he said as he ushered me out.

Fast forward 14 years, and Taylor Swift's star has soared to unimaginable heights. With 14 Grammys, a record-breaking tour, and the title of the first musician to reach billionaire status solely from her music, her security detail has had to scale up accordingly. Today, her security operations rival those of the British Royal family or even the American president. If I tried to get into an after-show party now, I probably wouldn’t even make it through the door.

This week, Swift was forced to cancel three performances in Vienna after Austrian police uncovered a plot to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.” Two individuals were arrested in connection with the planned attack. This follows a tragic incident just two weeks earlier, where three girls lost their lives at a Swift-themed dance club in Southport, England.

Swift’s fame and fortune make her a prime target for everyone from ambitious criminals to deranged extremists. Over the years, she has faced numerous stalkers and obsessed fans, prompting her security team to adopt some controversial methods to ensure her safety. In 2018, it was reported that Swift used facial recognition software at her concerts to prevent known stalkers from entering. More recently, in February, she took legal action against a student who tracked celebrity private jets on social media, accusing him of “stalking and harassing behavior.”

As security has become more sophisticated, rumors and stories about how Swift navigates public spaces have become legendary. In 2017, it was rumored that Swift was smuggled out of her New York apartment in a large suitcase by her security team. A more recent video from her Eras tour revealed that she hides in a broom cart to reach the stage unnoticed.

In fact, a video from a Zurich concert recently went viral on TikTok, showing one of her security guards following her every move on stage without ever taking his eyes off the crowd. Fans speculated that he either memorized her choreography or was receiving instructions via earpiece. Another viral moment in 2023 showed Swift waving to fans while her bodyguard intently scanned the crowd for threats. Fans were quick to praise his dedication, with comments like “Give this man a raise!” and “He is ELITE.” That particular guard has reportedly since left the U.S. to join the Israel Defense Forces.

"Anywhere she goes is a security issue," says Clark Hunt, chairman of the Kansas City Chiefs, the football team that Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, plays for. Hunt noted that his organization has even assisted Swift's security team during her visits to Kansas City games. Videos of the couple clubbing after the Super Bowl showed one of her security guards stepping between Swift and anyone who got too close—even casually dressed in jeans, the earpiece was a dead giveaway.

Kelce himself has spoken highly of Swift’s bodyguards, even joking about how careful he was not to provoke them. After a video surfaced of him gently placing his hand on one of her bodyguards to let him know he was there, Kelce quipped, “If I would have pushed him, he probably would have turned around and Tasered me.”

But protecting Taylor Swift is no joke. When she arrived in Cardiff in June for a show, her convoy of black-windowed cars reportedly received a police escort to the Principality Stadium, a level of protection typically reserved for the Royal family, cabinet ministers, or visiting dignitaries. If the fan who spotted the police flanking her convoy was correct, it seems Swift enjoys higher protection in Britain than any other civilian.

While she’s not the first superstar to enlist such high-level protection, the industry has evolved considerably in recent years. An experienced close protection officer (CPO) can cost around £800 a day or £80,000 a year. Insiders suggest that during her Eras tour, Swift has 83 full-time CPOs, including four personal guards at all times—a formation known as the “Quartet Formation.” Additionally, 140 extra personnel are deployed around venues whenever she needs access, coming close to the “Star of David” formation typically used for monarchs and presidents.

Swift’s security detail isn’t just for concerts. They also handle her safety at home and when she goes out to public places like clubs or restaurants. They often visit locations in advance and conduct thorough background checks on anyone she might interact with. Despite their vigilance, Swift occasionally has to ask them to stand down. During a 2023 concert in Philadelphia, she even stopped mid-song to tell off a security guard who was restraining a fan. “Hey, stop, she wasn’t doing anything,” Swift shouted.

However, her security team can relax a bit when Travis Kelce is around. A recent video from a gala dinner showed her CPO taking a moment to check his phone after Kelce returned from the bathroom and put his arm around Swift. Kelce admitted, “Whenever I’m on a date, I’m protective, yeah, sure… You’ve just gotta know where the exits are.”

In the high-stakes world of celebrity security, keeping Taylor Swift safe is a full-time job—and it’s clear that her team takes that job very seriously.

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