For three days, and three days only, The Grove hosted Spotify’s installation of a library dedicated to Taylor Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” Taylor Nation began spreading the message on Monday. It was set to run from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. from April 16 to 18.
The first thing you notice as you stroll through The Grove — a lively outside mall in Los Angeles — in search of the pop-up is the sound of Taylor Swift songs playing over speakers.
Next, if you enter from the valet circle, you notice the smaller-than-expected display. As you continue advancing towards the “library,” there’s a line in front of the pop-up with people waiting to circle the rectangular structure and take pictures.
The line, at first glance, appears short… then, you look past that surprisingly small line and down the main street of The Grove. That’s when the reality of the situation hits. The line did not start there, it wrapped around the corner and continued for at least another block further.
Velvet ropes. Security guards. Spotify. Grove management. Swifties. And more Swifties.
Samantha Shields, with MKG marketing company, saw long lines, “a million Swifties,” dogs with wagging tails and the installation of new props covered by umbrellas to prevent fans from seeing the new pieces before each reveal.
“My favorite part has been meeting all the Swifties,” Shields said. “I did not understand how well-loved Taylor Swift was until I worked this event. […] I didn’t expect so many happy people to be out here.”
Mothers, fathers, daughters, sons. Friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, grandparents, husbands and wives. Casual outfits and cardigans, themed outfits and friendship bracelets. People of all ages and genders were grasping onto pieces of cardstock with “TTPD” song titles, checking off their most anticipated song while waiting in line.
Matthew Wallace, a Swiftie in the making, drove in from Santa Monica — streaming Swift on the way there — so his wife and daughter could experience it.
“I’m excited. I love to support their interests,” Wallace said. “[I’m most excited about] hearing my daughter sing all the songs around the house.”
Mack Moore, 24, and Karina Marino, 21, were excited to share this experience together since the two best friends originally bonded over their shared love for Swift.
“It means a lot to me to be able to participate in stuff like this and kind of just have fun with it, especially because I feel like I grew up with Taylor,” Moore said. “[Karina and I] are best friends because of Taylor.”
Nine Eras Tour shows and a six-hour drive from San Francisco to participate in the pop-up madness later, it only made sense that the dynamic duo came dressed up as tortured poets with a pink aesthetic — inspired by Swift
“She takes her joy seriously. She takes how she wants to approach life seriously,” Marino said. “She chose it... and I think that’s very inspiring that you continue to choose your own happiness, but also be so vulnerable about your own sadness.”
Liliana Ruiz-Garcia drove in with her friends from Laverne, California. During her time in line, she reveled in the presence of the Swiftie community.
“It feels like we’re all meeting each other for the first time. But we all, like, know each other,” she said.
Other fans took the opportunity to gather with fellow Swiftie friends. Joy Pangilinan, who is only three days younger than Swift, created the SoCal Swifties Club to connect with other fans in a judgment-free zone.
“You can just sing and dance and kind of do whatever you want [because] they’re not going to judge you for who you are,” Pangilinan said.
After minutes, hours or days of waiting, you finally reach the front of the line.
Today was Andrea Rosenthal’s third day in line. The Santa Clarita resident drove an hour there and back on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
She was in line Tuesday morning at 7:45, camped out for the first-day opening. On Wednesday, she scoped out the line in anticipation of bringing her friend the next day.
“It’s exciting because you catch [easter eggs] you didn’t catch the first time,” Rosenthal said. “You’re always with new people in line, so a lot of the fun is singing along with the songs or [...] walking through The Grove and seeing other people mouthing the words.”
First, there is a photo opportunity in front of bookshelves and a TTPD wall. The picture, “From the Desk of Taylor Swift,” is printed out and handed to you as Spotify workers nudge you further into the “library.”
Gray walls, gold accents and shelves filled with books varying in color — gray, white and black — with multiple Easter eggs nestled amongst the nooks and crannies. Easter eggs included a black peace sign hand, which fans speculated indicated a double album release.
Books lined the top of the wall. Typewriters, candle sticks and library cards filled the walls. TTPD signs were splashed throughout the entire pop-up. Stone busts were front and center in some of the shelves.
As you leave the library, you get another photo opportunity, this time next to a giant picture of Swift. Exiting, you are handed one last keepsake: a bookmark with the song tracks.
While the line certainly looked tortuous, the Swifites were in an infectiously good mood — laughing, talking, smiling and, of course, trading friendship bracelets.