Taylor Swift is taking fans back to the opening night of the Eras Tour. During the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards, the singer was honored with the Tour of the Century distinction for her globe-trotting show, which kicked off two years ago.
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In a pre-taped acceptance speech, Swift gushed about “how much this means to me” before reflecting on the impact of her most recent tour.
“This is actually the two-year anniversary of the first show of the Eras Tour. I’ve been doing a lot of processing since I’ve been off the road these last few months,” she said. “People often say that sometimes the greatest challenges in life end up being something you’re so proud of or end up being the most gratifying feeling in the end if you can rise to the occasion.”
Swift said she found that to be true in relation to the Eras Tour.
“This tour was absolutely the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she said. “It’s a three-and-a-half hour show. [It was] more shows than I’ve ever done on a tour. It really was the most gratifying thing I’ve ever done. I think about that tour constantly. I’m so proud of it.”
Swift said “the only reason” she was able to put on the show was “because of the fans.”
“To the fans, you made these songs for these last couple of decades into what they became, so that we could do a three-and-a-half hour set list. You had the passion and the generosity to care about traveling to see us on tour in all these places all over the world,” she said. “It blows my mind. I’m never going to stop being grateful for it. I appreciate this more than you know.”
🚨| Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for "Tour of the Century" for 'The Eras Tour'! #iHeartAwards2025
— The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) March 18, 2025
"This is actually the 2 year anniversary of the first show of The Eras Tour. I've been doing a lot of processing"
pic.twitter.com/oyG7EuZRY7
Taylor Swift Shares Performance of “Mirrorball”
In recognition of the honor, Swift decided to “revisit the very first night of this tour and give you an exclusive performance from the first night of the Eras Tour two years ago.”
That performance, which took place on March 17, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona, was of “Mirrorball,” a song off of her 2020 album, Folklore. Swift performed the track during the surprise songs portion of the evening, when it was just her onstage with her guitar.
“I was thinking about what song to play first and I was thinking about how one of the songs that I wrote with you in mind during the pandemic was one of the first songs I wrote on Folklore,” she said while introducing the track. “It was me writing about how badly I crave the connection that I feel from the care you have directed my way. I’m trying to tell you I love you and I’m babbling.”
“I was trying to think of a sort of eloquent way to say that I love you and I need your attention all the time,” Swift continued. “I came up with, ‘I’m a mirrorball.’”
With that, Swift launched into the acoustic performance that captivated fans in both 2023 and 2025.
mirrorball – Live from TS | The Eras Tour pic.twitter.com/xC4W44TYbY
— Taylor Swift in 4k (@4k_taylorr) March 18, 2025
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
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