Taylor Swift called a routine 'Eras Tour' crew meeting — she had a $197M surprise waiting for them

It's always important to show gratitude to people who work for you, and Taylor Swift knows it better than anyone else. After her Eras Tour ended in December 2024, reports suggested that she had rewarded $197 million in bonuses to everyone who helped make the concert happen, according to PEOPLE. The "Love Story" singer also wrote handwritten notes and prepared special gifts for every team member, leaving them overwhelmed.

In her documentary series, "The End of an Era," Swift revealed how important it is for her to reward people who worked with her on the tour. She said, "Bonus day is so important, because setting a precedent with The Eras Tour is so important to me, because people who work on the road, if the tour grosses more, they get more of a bonus." The crew was obviously shocked seeing the gifts, especially the money the singer gave away as a gesture of gratitude. In fact, Max Holmes, a production assistant, was so stunned that he said he was almost going to faint while opening the envelope. The "Blank Space" artist didn't shy away from introducing her team to the world. In fact, in the docu-series, she called her on-stage crew to give them their bonuses personally. 

Interestingly, the letters weren't generic. They were addressed to each crew member specifically. For instance, Kameron Saunders, a dancer, received a letter which read, "Dearest Kam, we’ve traveled the world like we set out to do. We’ve dazzled the crowds, but we’ve missed family, too. My full gratitude doesn't come from a bank, but here’s [redacted] dollars just to say thanks. Love, Taylor." The staff couldn't control their tears seeing an arist pay so much attention to their efforts. It's not every day that you see an artist go out of their way to honor their teammates. Swift taking out time to individually write down letters to every team member proves how deeply she is invested in taking care of the crew. 

Apart from her team, Swift has always appreciated her fans for their support and her art. In fact, during her tour, she said, "We have toured the entire world. We have had so many adventures. It has been the most exciting, powerful, electrifying, intense, most challenging thing I've ever done in my entire life." Notably, the singer started the tradition of bonuses in August 2023. That time, she had given more than $55 million after the North American leg of the tour. When we say 'team,' she also includes the truck drivers whom she gave almost $100,000 each, ahead of her performance in California. Mike Scherkenbach, the person who runs the transportation company that worked on the tour, told Rolling Stone how beneficial the money was to the drivers. He said that the life-changing amount also gave many drivers the confidence to buy a house.

"That's what makes me really happy. That generosity is a game changer for these people," Scherkenbach added. It's gestures like these that make a team fall in love with their work. That's perhaps what Swift's appreciation did to the crew member. For example, an American survey found that employees who feel their organization cares about them are 69% less likely to leave and actively search for a new job. Moreover, the study found that 71% are less likely to report burnout. In fact, when an employer respects and cares for the employees, they are five times more likely to strongly advocate for their company as a place to work and three times more likely to be engaged at work. 

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