American pop star Taylor Swift offered fans a glimpse into how she thanked the people who worked behind the scenes of her record-breaking Eras Tour. In episode 2 of the newly released six-part Disney+ docuseries, The End of an Era, Taylor revealed that she personally gave bonuses to her tour crew after months of working together on the road.
The episode, which dropped on December 12, showed Taylor gathering her crew in a quiet moment away from the stage. Standing in a circle, she handed out handwritten letters that she shared took weeks to complete and personally thanked the crew before her.
“Before you open yours, I just want to say you guys this leg of the tour has been harder than anything I've ever done in a live setting and you guys have taken this on with such excitement, such curiosity and the endurance you've shown. The spirit you've shown. How much you've given to these crowds, that gives me every single night. The tour has done really well thanks to all of our hard work,” Taylor said in the episode before asking some of them to read them.
As the letters were opened, one crew read his note, capturing the sentiment behind the pop star’s gesture: “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 [bonus amount] just to say thanks. Love, Taylor.”
READ: Taylor Swift rewards crew with ₱11.43 billion in bonuses following Eras Tour conclusion
While Taylor did not disclose exact figures in the docuseries, reports from December 2024 by PEOPLE said that she had distributed $197 million or ₱11.43 billion worth of bonuses across her tour workforce over the past two years, including dancers, musicians, technicians, production staff, security personnel, among others, on top of their salaries. The reveal also follows earlier reports that Taylor had given substantial bonuses to her truck drivers during the U.S. leg of the tour, highlighting a pattern of recognition for those supporting her performances offstage.
Taylor later explained why giving bonuses was important to her, calling it a deliberate choice tied to the values she wanted to set for the tour.
“Bonus day is so important because setting a precedent with the Eras Tour is really important to me,” she said. “If the tour grosses more, they get more of a bonus. And these people just worked so hard and they’re the best at what they do.”
READ: Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ earns ₱116 billion, the biggest in history
She also shared how personal the process was for her, from writing each note to thinking about what the crew had sacrificed while being on the road.
“So, every single person on the crew I’ve handwritten them a note. It took me a couple of weeks but it's fun to write notes. It's fun to think about everybody's lives that they're going back to, the time off they're going to have, the kids they haven't seen because they've been away for months – making that worthwhile for them. It feels like Christmas morning when you finally get to say thank you,” she added.
The episode showed raw reactions from the crew as they read their letters and learned about the bonuses. Many were visibly overwhelmed, covering their faces and breaking down in tears as Taylor hugged each of them. One crew member was even heard saying he felt like he might pass out from the shock.
The Eras Tour marked a historic run for Taylor, grossing a record-breaking $2 billion or ₱116 billion from 149 shows across 21 countries over 21 months. The tour began in March 2023 in Glendale, Arizona, and concluded with its final show in Vancouver in December last year.
READ: https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/12/13/taylor-swift-reflects-on-monumental-moments-that-happened-in-her-life-this-year-1730
Beyond the docuseries, the “Opalite” singer has also been reflective about recent milestones in her life. In a separate interview, she spoke about reclaiming ownership of her master recordings and getting engaged with Travis Kelce in 2025.
“[It's] a good year... Like getting engaged to the love of my life, gettting all my music back, those were two things that just never could have happened. They could've just never happened. It wasn't like, oh it's just a matter of time. Like both those things could've just never arrived in my life. And I am so grateful for both of those things happening, and my fans are why I was able to get my music back, you know, that's how I spent my Eras Tour money,” she said.