Megan Weiland has made a friendship bracelet for every Taylor Swift album.
The Regina woman has also crafted one in Saskatchewan Roughriders green and white 鈥� an homage to the mega-pop star鈥檚 football-playing boyfriend Travis Kelce. There is also one in pink and green to give the effect of watermelon, something Rider fans are known to wear on their heads at games.
Weiland鈥檚 bracelets, and hundreds more, have been strung together around a spool, reaching 100 metres in length 鈥� or about the size of a football field.
It鈥檚 like a long love letter: Please, Taylor, you belong with us.
鈥淚 think if we collectively as a province wave our Taylor flag, something might happen,鈥� Weiland said in an interview.
鈥淵ou never know, right? Travis didn鈥檛 think he鈥檇 land the most popular woman on Earth, but he did.鈥�
Since June, Saskatchewan Swifties have been wooing the star to once again make a stop in the province.
Swift has been on her Eras world tour, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans from London to Tokyo. She is coming to Canada later this year, to perform in Toronto and Vancouver.
She鈥檚 not coming to Saskatchewan but there鈥檚 a wellspring of never-say-die Swifites promoting events and ideas to find ways to lure the star 鈥淏ack to Saskatch.鈥�
Swift referred to the province as Saskatch when she was last here in 2009 for the Craven Country Jamboree, now known as Country Thunder.
She had also said that year she liked antique shopping in Saskatoon.
鈥淚 like to shorten Saskatchewan. Like 鈥淚 got this lamp in Saskatch,鈥� she wrote on social media.
Z99 morning show host Greg Moore, known as Wheels, said when he heard she loves Saskatchewan, the idea came to try to bring her back.
Swifties also bring good energy, he said.
鈥淭he world needs more of that, and to spread this kind of joy is a win-win,鈥� Moore said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 palpable and you see it everywhere.鈥�
For instance, hundreds recently gathered 鈥� about a fortnight ago 鈥� at Regina鈥檚 downtown mall to make the bracelets, which are commonly exchanged at Swift concerts.
They also held a massive dance party at this year鈥檚 Country Thunder.
There鈥檚 been a corn maze mowed south of Regina with the words Corn Era Tour carved into the landscape in hopes Swift sees it from her private plane.
A minor league baseball team recently wore 鈥淏ack to Saskatch鈥� eye-blacks for a game.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been surreal to watch it grow, week after week,鈥� Moore said.
Even those who don鈥檛 care for the singer-songwriter are willing to shake it off.
The City of Swift Current has promised to temporarily change its name, possibly to Taylor Swift Current or Swiftie Current, should she make an appearance.
Mayor Al Bridal said he didn鈥檛 even know who Swift was.
鈥淚 had to go online to see a picture of her. I didn鈥檛 know what she looked like. She鈥檚 34 and I heard she has a boyfriend in the NFL,鈥� Bridal said.
Kelce plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.
鈥淏ut I just went with it and said, 鈥楪o ahead.鈥� It鈥檚 a fun thing and hopefully gets to Taylor Swift鈥檚 (public relations) people.鈥�
City councillor Ryan Switzer, who convinced Bridal to agree to change Swift Current鈥檚 name, said the economic spinoffs would be huge.
Switzer said he鈥檚 also a fan.
鈥淪he has a lovely voice and there are few songs of hers that I turn up when they come on the radio,鈥� he said.
While Swifties wait to see whether their work has paid off, some think she might have already noticed.
Swift recently wore a green and yellow outfit 鈥� Saskatchewan鈥檚 colours 鈥� for one of her shows. At a separate show, on the same day the Roughriders were playing, she wore pink and green.
鈥淒oes she see us? Suddenly is she working on something?鈥� Moore said.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know at this point, but knowing Taylor Swift and her ability to have fun with fans, I wouldn鈥檛 put it past her to close this loop on the story and say, 鈥榊ou know what, I鈥檓 going to come back at some capacity because I love you, too.鈥欌��
Weiland, who scored concert tickets to see Swift in Toronto later this year, said she hopes for good karma.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of work being a Swiftie. You got to stay on top of it,鈥� she said.
READ ALSO:
