Taylor Swift made a surprise return to the stage Tuesday night in Nashville, delivering a live rendition of her 2014 hit “Shake It Off” at the Tight Ends & Friends concert, an event tied to her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s annual Tight End University (TEU) summit.
The performance marked Swift’s first public appearance onstage since ending her record-breaking Eras Tour and regaining control of her master recordings.
🚨| The way she’s singing “ITS GONNA BE ALRIGHT”!!
— Taylor Swift Updates (@TSUpdating) June 25, 2025
Held at the Brooklyn Bowl in East Nashville, the benefit concert drew roughly 1,200 attendees and featured appearances from country stars including Kane Brown, Chase Rice, Sophia Scott, and Jordan Davis.
Swift’s entrance came midway through Brown’s set, when he teased the crowd with the announcement of a “really, really, really special guest.” The singer then brought Swift onstage, prompting roaring cheers from the audience. Swift, dressed in a black mini dress and boots, asked playfully, “Theoretically, how loud can we get?” before launching into her chart-topping anthem.
“We would like to dedicate this to our favorite players who are going to play, and these are the tight ends,” she said before starting the song.
According to People, “Taylor surprised the crowd by joining Kane Brown onstage for ‘Shake It Off.’ The crowd lost their minds! At the end of her performance, she made sure to thank the band and gave each one of them a hug.”
Swift arrived at the event with Kelce in a black SUV. The two were spotted together at the venue’s VIP area, chatting with guests and fellow athletes.
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“Travis and Taylor stayed by each other’s side all while chit-chatting and catching up with everyone,” the source added. “Taylor’s face lit up around Travis,” the insider continued. “She enjoys letting him shine.”
Founded in 2021 by Kelce, George Kittle, and sportscaster Greg Olsen, TEU is a three-day camp hosted at Vanderbilt University for NFL tight ends to train, collaborate, and build community. This year’s camp welcomed over 80 players and their partners.
During the concert, Swift was also seen dancing on a balcony to Chase Rice’s performance of “Cruise,” drink in hand, and singing along with Kittle.
“Taylor was having the best time watching all the country music artists and showing her support for them,” the source told People.
The concert preceded the official start of TEU and was part of the event’s opening festivities. A video posted by Tight End University’s Instagram captured Swift and Kelce walking the red carpet hand in hand the night before the show.
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This latest public appearance continues the high-profile couple’s streak of headline-grabbing moments, following their dinner date in New York earlier this month.
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