The exclusive performance came from night 1 of The Eras Tour in Glendale, Arizona, exactly two years ago today.
While Swift wasn’t in the building, she did send in a video message to thank iHeart and her dedicated fans.
“I’ve been doing a lot of processing since I’ve been off the road these last few months,” Swift said in the video. “And, you know, 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. And this tour was absolutely the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life. Three and a half hour show,s more shows than I’ve ever done on a tour, and it really was the most gratifying thing I’ve ever done.
“I think about that tour constantly,” she continued. “I’m so proud of it. And the only reason I was able to take on those challenges, among others, the ambition of the production, the length of the show, the amount of shows, all the different countries we played in, that’s all because of the fans. You made the songs for the last couple decades into what they became so that we could do a three and a half hour setlist. You had the passion and the generosity to care about traveling to see us on tour in all these places all over the world. It blows my mind. I’m never going to stop being grateful for it, and I appreciate this more than you know.”
Swift had a treat for the audience in her absence, sharing a video of her “Mirrorball” performance from night 1. Her second of two acoustic songs that night was her first single ever, “Tim McGraw.”
Earlier in the night, while accepting the breakthrough artist award, Gracie Abrams shouted out Swift for including her on The Eras Tour as an opening act throughout its two-year run, giving thanks “for the incredible artists who allowed me to share their stages at different times and in different ways — Taylor and Olivia [Rodrigo] and Noah Kahan and The National.”
Watch Swift’s acceptance speech below:
