Holly Humberstone Shares An Exclusive Peek Behind The Scenes Of The 'Eras' Tour
'I feel so privileged to have been hand-selected by Taylor Swift to perform one of the Eras tour dates,' 24-year-old Holly Humberstone tells ELLE UK, fresh from Wembley Stadium. The singer-songwriter, who has taken the charts by storm since the release of her 2020 debut EP Falling Asleep at the Wheel, was one of a clutch of rising stars chosen to play before Swift took to the stage.
'I love that she champions girls and new music and I’m so inspired by everyone else who opened on the other nights,' Humberstone says of her fellow support acts, Raye, Suki Waterhouse, Maisie Peters and Sofia Isella. 'It truly was a night for the books and I’m so grateful to Taylor for having me and for being so supportive and kind. Taylor’s show was, of course, an absolute spectacle and I am still floating on a cloud.'
A natural storyteller, of course Humberstone kept a diary while supporting Swift. Here, she takes ELLE UK behind the scenes to show the process and preparation that went into her Friday night performance.
Soundcheck at Wembley Stadium
Never ever in my life did I think I’d be here. I released my first song ‘Deep End’ a little over four years ago and I’m so grateful for everything it has brought me. I remember being pretty intimidated by the scale of the stadium, but also couldn’t wait to get out there and perform to so many Swifties.
Me on stage
Having the absolute time of my life! This must have been during my last song 'Scarlett'. I couldn’t wait to celebrate with the band whilst watching my two faves, Paramore and Taylor. That's literally my dream lineup.
Rocking out with my guitarist Jack during my set
I didn’t quite realise the day I was in for at this point.
My band and I rocking out during soundcheck
My parents and a load of friends had come down from home in Lincolnshire to see me perform. I was beaming all day: how lucky can one girl get?
getting my makeup done by my incredible friend and makeup artist, Emma
We were on Pinterest and decided to do a dramatic eyeliner with lots of glitter (obviously). Getting my makeup done is always a nice moment for me to relax a little and mentally prepare before a show.
Taking some pictures in the backstage area with my photographer, Charlotte
We didn’t have a lot to work with as the dressing room was literally a football changing room so we went into the toilets and found a plain background. It’s always nice to get creative with portraits before a show as it means I have them to look back on. It’s also nice to document everyone else’s work. Hair, makeup and styling take a lot of work as I definitely don’t show up looking this put together.
Caught in the moment in soundcheck
Here I am, caught in the moment.
My outfit waiting for me to put it on
My stylist Lauren and I had worked with an incredible designer called Rafaela Pestritu. I’d seen an outfit she’d done for Charli XCX and fell in love with her work. I wanted to go for something flowy and feminine with earthy tones as I was inspired by Taylor’s album Folklore.
Playing 'The Walls Are Way Too Thin'
'The Walls Are Way Too Thin' is the opening song of the set. I remember getting up there and realising that there was actually no reason to be nervous as Taylor’s fans made me feel so welcome and I decided to embrace the experience and just enjoy every second of it.
My band and I before we went on stage
I don’t think I can remember ever being that nervous (in a good way) before a gig. We were all just buzzing to be there. I love my band so much. They’re all incredible people and amazing musicians in their own right. I couldn’t imagine playing Wembley alongside anyone else.
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