- Lainey Wilson and Taylor Swift shared the stage at the Tight Ends & Friends concert in Nashville.
- The duo sang Taylor’s hit “Love Story.”
- It was a full-circle moment for Lainey, who remembers seeing Taylor perform when they were both teenagers.
Nashville witnessed a new level of excitement at the Tight Ends & Friends Concert, presented by Reese’s, on Tuesday, June 23. Five words: Taylor Swift and Lainey Wilson.
As a refresher, Tight End University is the three-day training camp led by Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Greg Olsen. The camp launched in 2021 and, as entertaining as clips from it are year after year, this year’s event caught even more attention when Lainey Wilson welcomed Taylor Swift on stage—not for a solo performance, but for a duet!
“The very first year that I came [to CMA Fest], I got to see this act down on the Riverfront Stage,” Lainey told the audience after performing her own set. “She was 16, I was 14, and there was like 30 people there, and four of the 30 was me, my mama, my daddy, and my sister. And I knew that day that [she was] something really, really special. And it has been so cool to see what she has done. And she is just as kind as she is talented. Y’all welcome to the stage, my friend, Taylor Swift.”
Taylor walked on stage in an asymmetrical black midi dress with silver tinsel fringe. After hugging Lainey, Taylor took a mic and told the crowd that they’d be performing “Love Story”—a “special request by a very special tight end” (aka George Kittle). Naturally, the crowd erupted in excitement and cheers, with social media users experiencing massive FOMO from behind their screens.
“This song hit different this time,” one Instagrammer commented on PEOPLE’s post from the night. “Absolute MAGIC,” someone else chimed in. “The most insane full circle moment ever,” another fan wrote.
This is Taylor’s second year performing at TEU. Last year, she surprised guests with a rendition of “Shake It Off.” The beauty of this year’s song choice is that Taylor and Travis are winding up for their wedding, with many fans speculating that the nuptials could take place over Independence Day weekend, fitting for Taylor, who is known to hold epic Fourth of July parties every year. Plus, George may have accidentally dropped a hint. “She’s such an awesome person to give us her time this close to their wedding, so we’re just so thankful that they’re here,” he told PEOPLE on Tuesday ahead of the concert event.
As for Lainey, she perfectly summed up the performance in three words: “that was funnn! ❤️”
