"I understand why people are laughing at it": Taylor Swift fan speaks out after her breakdown during "Exile" goes viral

A Taylor Swift fan, Madison Blackband, who went viral after getting emotional over the singer's surprise performance of Exile at her show in Sydney, has spoken out about the incident. The moment occurred during Swift's final Eras Tour concert in Australia on Sunday, February 25, 2024.

Blackband shared the viral clip on TikTok with the caption:

"My reaction to Taylor singing Exile (also known as the song that saved my life)."

In the clip, Blackband is seen seated between her two friends outside Sydney’s Accor Stadium. As she hears Taylor Swift singing the notes of her duet with Bon Iver, she starts crying inconsolably, collapsing into her friend.

The 20-year-old Swiftie later interviewed with Rolling Stone, where she opened up about people calling her embarrassing.

"I understand why people are laughing at it. I laughed at the video myself once I first watched it back," she said.

The original TikTok video has garnered over 1.1 million views and has been widely reshared across various social media platforms.

---

Netizens call Madison Blackband's reaction to Taylor Swift's Exile "performative"

Taylor Swift's Exile is a single from her eighth studio album, Folklore, featuring the American band Bon Iver. Written by Swift, the band's frontman Justin Vernon, and Joe Alwyn, it is an indie-folk ballad about two estranged lovers.

The Australia-based fan was surprised that her video went viral. She told Rolling Stone:

"I went on X and the first thing that popped up was this video. And I was like ‘Oh, it’s happened.’ I posted it intending it for like 200 people, not millions."

Since going viral, Madison has become internet-famous, with many people using the clip as a meme.

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/@arcsession)

However, not all comments were positive, and several internet users criticized Madison, calling her "performative," "overdramatic," and "embarrassing." While many laughed at her expense, some criticized her friend for not showing enough support.

While Swiftie has since disabled comments on the post, she explained it's:

"Not because I can’t handle what people were saying, but because I just don’t see the point."

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/@Coltonblack)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/@Popmvsics)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/@andrewscomet)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/@bruceHebrew)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/@DIVINIUM)

Addressing the criticism and the reactions, the Taylor Swift fan explained:

"There’s no point letting it upset me. I reacted the way I reacted. I know my friends weren’t judging me. That’s just me. I’m just a passionate person."

However, Blackband stated that people calling her embarrassing did not mean anything to her because she never believed she was behaving as such. She elaborated that she was not going to think it was embarrassing just because others suggested it. She further added that Exile means a lot to her and called it her "safety blanket."

---

Taylor Swift is currently on a week-long break before resuming her Eras Tour. Her next performance is scheduled to take place in Singapore on March 2, 2024.