“an agonizing wait”, the pop star returns to the stage in London after a foiled attack

The American singer kicked off the first of five planned concerts at Wembley Stadium with her hit '22', wearing a T-shirt that read 'a lot going on at the moment', in apparent reference to the tumultuous period she had just been through.

“Encouraging to know security has been beefed up”

In addition to the events in Vienna, there are concerts in London two weeks after the deaths of three girls in north-west Englandstabbed to death while attending a dance class set to the pop star's music.

Since early afternoon, hundreds of “Swifties” have gathered around Wembley Stadium, which is expected to hold around 90,000 people each night for the final European shows of his tour, which launched almost a year and a half ago in the States United.

“It's crazy, it doesn't seem real,” exclaims Brodie MacArthur, a 23-year-old student from London. She is dressed in a long white dress, inspired by the album “Department of Tortured Poets”. Not far from her is Juan Ramirez, who came specially from California. “The wait for the concert was excruciating. But we are finally there! », rejoices the 28-year-old paramedic. He was afraid that the star would cancel his concerts in the British capital.

“After what happened in Vienna, it's reassuring to know that security has increased,” explains Brodie MacArthur. “We always have concerns in the back of our minds, but there are people there to ensure our safety.”

Guest Ed Sheeran on stage

London Police said they were preparing for the event, ensuring ticket checks would be strengthened, along with extra security measures around the stadium. On Wembley's website, ticket holders were warned that there would be “additional checks” at the stadium “prior to entry”.

The pop star did not disappoint her fans at the end of this highly anticipated concert. He brought the English artist Ed Sheeran on stage with whom he performed several songs on which they collaborated.

Some “Swifties”, who form a close-knit and active community on social media, have agreed to resell or even give tickets to the London concerts to others who missed out on their seats in Vienna.

London will conclude the European part of the tour, started in May in Paris. The global star will then travel to Canada in November for the final concerts of a resounding worldwide series, marked by the sometimes noticeable tremors locally as tens of thousands of spectators jump and dance together, but also by its huge economic consequences.