"She cares a lot" — NEEDTOBREATHE witnessed Taylor Swift doing soundcheck with nobody around but pretending there was a crowd

Rock band NEEDTOBREATHE formed the opening act for Taylor Swift's 2010 tour called Speak Now. The band comprised of Josh Lovelace, Randall Harris, Tyler Burkum, Seth Bolt, and Bear Rinehart.

In a recent interview with Us Weekly dated June 7, 2024, at the CMA Fest, Bear Rinehart commented on behalf of the rock band that they learnt a ton during their collaboration with Swift. Commenting on what people say about her is true, Rinehart told the publication that Taylor Swift works "incredibly hard" and that:

"She cares a lot. She’s the most professional [and] the first time we saw her, she’s like doing soundcheck with nobody in the arena and she’s acting like there are people."

Rinehart recalled that the band members looked at each other thinking this was the "weirdest thing" they had ever seen.

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"That’s why she is who she is" - NEEDTOBREATHE's Bear Rinehart praises Taylor Swift's commitment

Recalling working with Taylor Swift during her Speak Now tour, NEEDTOBREATHE's Bear Rinehart mentioned that one eventually starts to appreciate the way Swift works. Rinehart told Us Weekly:

"Man, the commitment to what she gives the audience and the way she cares about fans and that’s why she is who she is.’”

Moreover, Rinehart also mentioned how NEEDTOBREATHE became a part of Swift's roster of performers for the Speak Now tour which comprised Danny Gokey, James Wesley, Adam Brand, David Nai, and Frankie Ballard, among others.

The NEEDTOBREATHE member told the publication that they became a part of Swift's tour because "she liked the band".

Rinehart stated that most business people advised Swift against making the band a part of her tour, to which Taylor Swift used to say:

"I like this band. I wanna bring them out."

Additionally, the rock band and its members gave an interview to Lexington Herald-Leader in November 2015 wherein they gave their raw reactions on being roped in to perform at Taylor Swift's tour.

In the interview, Joe Stillwell, member on the acoustic drum kit, mentioned that in her show, Swift said that NEEDTOBREATHE is one of her "favourite bands on the planet".

Stillwell also mentioned one of Swift's now-unavailable tweets wherein she hoped to find a spot on tour to attend one of NEEDTOBREATHE's shows.

The rock band has always mentioned Taylor Swift's contribution to enhancing their popularity and also credits the Love Story singer for giving them lessons on touring. In an interview with The Local Spins in 2023, ahead of the band's own tour, Seth Bolt mentioned:

“Touring with her was inspiring. It was the biggest production we’d ever seen. It was sort of a master class on touring and performing, and we got a front-row seat on how to tour on that level.”

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Taylor Swift doesn't shy away from giving other artists the exposure she thinks they deserve. In a recent instance, she gave We Don't Talk Anymore singer Charlie Puth a mention in her song The Tortured Poets Department. This gesture led to Puth releasing Hero, and he took to social media platforms to address how Swift's shoutout pushed him in the right direction.

Additionally, the Fortnight singer has earned praise from celebrated artists including Jon Bon Jovi, Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, and Paul McCartney.