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04
Jun 2024
Harrogate woman launches Taylor Swift tribute act
A Harrogate woman has begun a Taylor Swift tribute act.
Taylor-mania is sweeping the nation as the American superstar arrives for the UK leg of her sell-out Eras tour this week.
Anna Lewis, 32, is making the most of the opportunity by supplementing her day job in the arts and education sector.
She began her act after singing at weddings and seeing the Eras Tour three times at the cinema.
Her love for performing and, of course Taylor Swift, led to her realising “that there was definitely an audience for a tribute act”.
As a self-confessed Swiftie, Ms Lewis debuted as Taylor Swift Tribute by Anna at a launch party at independent Harrogate bar Starling in April.
Her debut celebrated the release of Taylor Swift’s latest album The Tortured Poets Department.
She said:
It was so much fun singing Taylor songs with people who love her as much as I do. Because I am such a Taylor fan myself, I have worked hard to get her mannerisms right, and the audience loved that.
I want it to feel as authentic as possible, so if you got Eras tour tickets you can relive the excitement, and if you didn’t you don’t have to miss out on the fun.
Anna Lewis, Photograph by David Lindsay
She added that she has already had a lot of bookings for children’s parties and said:
It’s amazing to sing with a new generation of Swifties, being around everyone of all ages, who had dressed up to see it and were singing along to every word.
Ms Lewis said her favourite song is All Too Well, specifically the 10 minute version due to its “emotional journey”, while her favourite to sing is You Belong With Me because of the positive reaction it gets.
Learning to mimic the pop icon was no hardship for Ms Lewis, who said:
I learnt to mimic her by watching recordings of her performing and lots of practising strutting round the kitchen. My background is in drama so I love the theatricality of her performances.
Anna Lewis at her debut event at Starling- photograph by Tom Morris
Ms Lewis added she loves to share the joy Taylor Swift brings to the "Swiftie Community". She said:
I think she has a song for every moment, which is why I think so many people feel so connected to her music. She has songs about love and heartbreak, but also grief, anxiety, friendship, and so much more.
It's so fun to be a part of the Swiftie community and experience the joy with others as they sing along to me singing Taylor songs.
For more information on Harrogate's Tylor Swift click here.
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