The 6 unexpected things we learnt from Taylor Swift's new docuseries.

The Taylor Swift: The End of an Era docuseries has landed, and buckle up, because we are finally getting the answers to the biggest question of the decade: How did one human being pull off a three-and-a-half-hour world tour worth billions?

This wasn't just a concert. It was an economic phenomenon, a culture-defining moment that broke every attendance and revenue record on five continents across 149 shows. 

Watch the official trailer for Taylor Swift: The End of an Era. Post continues below.

Everyone watched the TikToks and saw the scale, but now, thanks to this Disney+ six-part series, we get a glimpse into the insane effort, planning, and heart that went into the operation.

Here's the breakdown of some of the juiciest revelations we uncovered in Taylor's new doco. 

How much were the staff bonuses?

While Taylor was racking up billions from The Eras Tour, she made sure her loyal crew wasn't left out.

After each segment of the tour wrapped, she prepared hefty bonus payouts for every single musician, dancer, and technical staff member — and delivered them with her signature personal touch: a wax-sealed, handwritten note. 

Image: Disney+

According to Page Six, Taylor spent $295.5 million (US$197 million) on bonuses for her Eras Tour staff over the last 24 months. Her individual payouts were just as massive: in January, one lucky crew member allegedly banked a personal bonus of $150,000.

True to form, Taylor isn't just about her own success; she's about elevating her whole "Eras family."

Meeting the families of the victims of the London stabbing.

This part of the docuseries is profoundly impactful, showing the heavy emotional weight Taylor carried during the European leg. After the heartbreaking attack at a fan party in Southport, UK, and a foiled terror plot in Vienna, Taylor admitted to feeling like she was "skating on thin ice" ahead of her monumental London shows.

The series captures a truly raw glimpse of her private moments: we see Taylor meeting with the families who lost loved ones in the Southport tragedy before she took the Wembley stage. It's an intensely emotional scene, showing her in tears and being comforted by her mum, Andrea.

Image: Disney+

But the central, fascinating takeaway here is the enormous pressure she puts on herself to compartmentalise that pain. Taylor likened her necessary onstage composure to that of an airline pilot: she must project absolute, unflappable calm, even when she's terrified. 

"You just have to have a calm, cool, collected tone," she said. "Just keep your seatbelts fastened and welcome to the Eras Tour." 

Taylor's post-show nighttime routine. 

After giving her absolute all for three-plus hours, what's Taylor's cure for the adrenaline crash? Well, it's surprisingly relatable. 

Once off stage, she's filmed immediately jumping into a vehicle, getting her boots yanked off, and calling lifeline; none other than Travis Kelce, her fiancé, whom she lovingly refers to as her "vitamin drip."

Once settled at her hotel, her routine is surprisingly simple: a quick greeting to her cat, Benjamin Button, a bath, and make-up removal. 

Image: Disney+

"I don't do drugs, so I just let [the post-show high] ride," she explained. "I'll just go to sleep when I'm tired, and when I'm tired is at like four in the morning. So, I just watch tons of TV, I get room service in bed, I sign a box of 2000 CDs, and then I'm tired, and then we do the whole thing again."

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Travis' contact name in Taylor's phone.  

In one particularly sweet moment captured in the docuseries, Taylor is seen taking a phone call with Travis shortly after stepping off the stage. 

Of course, eagle-eyed fans went into immediate detective mode to zoom in on the screen to decipher his contact name. 

Image: Disney+

While there was some fun debate on social media about whether the name read "Sweetie" or "Baby," the general consensus among Swifties points toward it being simply "Travis" followed by three flaming heart emojis. 

The Emma Stone connection. 

A huge revelation from the docuseries is the superstar link that brought the iconic choreography to life: Taylor's longtime friend, Emma Stone, played matchmaker.

Taylor revealed that Emma personally connected her with the tour's lead choreographer, Mandy Moore (no, not the actress).

Moore is a huge name, famous for her work on So You Think You Can Dance and, notably, working with Stone on the Oscar-winning movie musical, La La Land. 

Image: Getty

Moore has also choreographed for films like Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, and even Taylor's recent music video for 'The Fate of Ophelia.'

The intensive preparation for special guests.

While the main structure of the Eras Tour was a finely tuned machine, the surprise songs and special guest appearances were the few moments fans truly couldn't predict. The docuseries throws open the doors on just how much behind-the-scenes effort these "spontaneous" moments required from Taylor, her crew, and the stars themselves.

Image: Instagram/florence

The BTS footage in the doco reveals Mandy Moore and the crew meticulously mapping out every detail of these surprise additions, including not only the complex choreography but the precise timing of the stage's rising and falling platforms.

When Florence Welch arrives for rehearsal, she is visibly stunned by the amount of work already completed, humorously admitting that for her own concerts, she mostly just shows up and focuses on having fun.

Feature Image: Disney+.