Who Taylor Swift Gives The “22” Hat To In The Eras Tour Movie (Tragic Backstory Explained)
Summary
- In The Eras Tour movie, Taylor Swift gave the “22” hat to the late Kobe Bryant’s 6-year-old daughter, Bianka Bryant.
- Swift’s personal connection to Kobe before his and Gianna’s tragic passing adds a deeper meaning to Bianka’s special moment, reflecting the pop star’s close relationship with the Bryant family over the years.
- The recipient of the “22” hat at Swift’s concerts does not usually have a personal connection to her, but the gesture is always heartfelt.
The tragic backstory behind the recipient of the “22” hat in the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert movie makes the moment even more special. Filmed over the course of the first three shows at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on the Eras Tour in August 2023, The Eras Tour movie brought Swift’s showstopping concert experience to the big screen. Divided into ten separate sections, The Eras Tour concert features almost every Taylor Swift era of her lengthy music career, including the Red era.
At every show on The Eras Tour, one lucky fan is selected to receive the hat that Swift wears while performing “22” from her fourth studio album, Red. The fan is brought to the edge of the stage, where Swift kneels down and places the black fedora on their head before giving the Swiftie a big hug. It’s always a touching moment at every show, but the one “22” hat recipient from Swift’s taped L.A. shows who was included in The Eras Tour movie is extra special because of her family’s personal history and relationship with the pop star.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)
releases on Disney+ on March 14, 2024, at 6pm PST/9pm EST.
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Taylor Swift Gives The 22 Hat To Bianka Bryant, The 6-Year-Old Daughter Of Kobe Bryant
Taylor Swift has maintained a close relationship with the late Kobe Bryant’s family
In The Eras Tour movie, Swift gives the “22” hat to the late Kobe Bryant’s then 6-year-old daughter, Bianka Bryant. Bianka, who is now 7, attended The Eras Tour with her mother, Vanessa Bryant, and her sisters, Natalia and Capri, at SoFi Stadium on August 3, 2023. It was an especially sweet gesture on Swift’s part to give Bianka the “22” hat since the popstar had a close relationship with the little one’s father before his tragic death. On January 26, 2020, Kobe, 41, and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna tragically passed away in a helicopter crash.
Prior to the NBA legend’s untimely death, Swift and Kobe were well-acquainted. Their friendship dates back to 2015 when Kobe joined Swift onstage for the first of her five stops at the Staples Center (now the Crypto.com Arena) on her 1989 Tour to present her with a “championship” banner commemorating her record-breaking 16 sold-out shows at the arena over the course of her career. Kobe also spoke highly of Swift in a 2019 interview on The Jordan Harbinger Show, and they’ve both shown mutual love and respect for one another’s drive and success over the years.
At the Eras Tour, Vanessa donned a jacket with an image of Kobe and Swift onstage that night at the Staples Center.
Knowing Swift’s history with the Bryants before and after the family’s heartbreaking tragedy, Bianka’s “22” hat moment takes on a much deeper and even more special meaning.
Since Kobe and Gigi’s passing, Swift has remained close with the Bryant family. Vanessa posted a photo on Instagram of her and her daughters posing backstage with Swift (in which Bianka is wearing the “22” hat) with the caption, “Always love.” Natalia also posted a picture of her and Swift at the Eras Tour along with a throwback photo of them from the 1989 era with the caption, “Now & Then with @taylorswift.” Knowing Swift’s history with the Bryants before and after the family’s heartbreaking tragedy, Bianka’s “22” hat moment takes on a much deeper and even more special meaning.
When Taylor Swift Goes Back On The Eras Tour & How Many Dates Are Left
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How Taylor Swift Typically Chooses Who Gets The 22 Hat In Her Eras Tour Concerts
The “22” hat recipient doesn’t always have a personal connection to Swift
Of course, Bianka was specifically selected as the “22” hat recipient at the Eras Tour show she attended (and was likely planned to be included in Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour ahead of time) because of Swift’s connection to the Bryants. Swift has also given the “22” hat to other young attendees she knows personally, such as her best friend Selena Gomez’s 10-year-old sister, Gracie, who attended the final show of the first leg on August 8, 2023, at SoFi Stadium. Though it’s not always a little girl like Bianka and Gracie, the recipient is usually on the younger side.
Most of the time, Swift’s team seems to simply pluck one lucky fan out of the crowd to come up to the stage and participate in the special “22” moment.
However, Swift doesn’t always give the “22” hat to someone she knows. Most of the time, Swift’s team seems to simply pluck one lucky fan out of the crowd to come up to the stage and participate in the special “22” moment. That said, some selections don’t appear to be completely random, such as Mikael Arellano, the TikTok creator behind the viral dance to Swift’s song “Bejeweled.” Swift actually incorporated the creator’s moves into the official choreography of her “Bejeweled” performance during the Midnights era on the Eras Tour, so choosing to give Arellano the hat was no doubt intentional.
Source: The Jordan Harbinger Show, Instagram
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a film rendition of the colossal worldwide event that sees the legendary pop star hit the stage in a specially curated film event. Performing the hits of her over seventeen-year career in music, The Eras Tour highlights Taylor Swift and her team as they put on a show of a lifetime.
- Director
- Sam Wrench
- Release Date
- October 13, 2023
