Entertainment

Taylor Swift welcomed to Scotland with bagpipe rendition of hit Love Story

Taylor Swift will kickstart the UK leg of her tour at Edinburgh’s esteemed Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium on Friday, June 7.

The band wore ‘erafied’ kilts to perform the song (Smarts Studio)
The band wore ‘erafied’ kilts to perform the song (Smarts Studio)

Taylor Swift has been welcomed to Scotland ahead of her Eras Tour with a bagpipe rendition of her hit Love Story.

The Tortured Poets Department singer will kickstart the next leg of her tour at Edinburgh’s esteemed Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium on Friday, June 7.

To give her a “Scottish welcome”, The Reel Time Band, an 11-piece band made up of eight highland bagpipers and three drummers, performed her song Love Story on the steps outside the venue, while wearing “era-fied” kilts.

The singer disclosed that she has Scottish ancestry at a gig in 2015, so the stadium sponsorship signage was also changed from Scottish Gas to Scottish Lass to highlight her link.

Band members performing ahead of the UK leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour (Smarts Studio)
Band members performing ahead of the UK leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour (Smarts Studio)

Roddy Deans, pipe major of The Reel Time Band, said: “Taylor’s tunes translate surprisingly well to traditional Scottish instruments.

“We’re all huge music fans, so we’re delighted to help welcome Taylor to Scotland in the best way we know how.

The band played Swift’s hit Love Story (Smarts Studio)
The band played Swift’s hit Love Story (Smarts Studio)

“It’s been a lot of fun recreating Love Story on the bagpipes and putting this ensemble together.”

It took the band 32 hours of rehearsal to practise their take on Swift’s song, and they have played for people across the world, including the royal family.