But when her life came to a tragic end just weeks prior, it was up to her closest friends to ensure she still enjoyed the show.
During Taylor Swift’s Brisbane concert on Saturday the superstar paused in front of 50,000 screaming fans to say “this is for Rachel,” before launching into a powerful performance of her hit song Mine.
Although not everyone knew what she meant, there were a group of best friends in the crowd with tears in their eyes knowing that Rachel was right there with them.
Year 12 student Rachel Erlandsen and her mum Dixie died tragically in a car accident in Coffs Harbour on Friday the 20th November after they collided with an Ambulance.
“Taylor Swift, our best friend Rachel and her mother died in a car accident last week,” the late teen’s friends wrote on social media.
“Growing up, your songs documented milestones in our lives and we had planned a trip to your concert since we were 13 years old.”
“Mine had touched Rachel in a profound way. She felt that it was the story of her life, but it was cut short before she could fulfill the rest of the song,” the viral post continued.
The social media post that captured Taylor Swift’s attention and heart.
“She was a pillar of strength and love, touching us all. Rachel was the purest, most selfless soul we have ever met, an optimist, a divergent.”
Rachel’s friends managed to get the post shared hundreds of times and got the hashtag #MineForRachel trending resulting in Taylor Swift herself reading their story.
17-year-old girl Rachel Erlandsen from Valla Beach in NSW passed away on November 20th when the car she was driving collided with an ambulance.
The pop star, who has time and time again proved how much she values her fans, took to the stage at Suncorp Stadium and belted out the song just for Rachel – and although physically, she wasn’t there all 50,000 people felt her in the room that night.
