June 26, 2025: Pop icon Taylor Swift gave football fans and athletes a surprise to remember with an impromptu acoustic performance of her smash hit “Shake It Off” at Tight End University, a three-day training event co-founded by her boyfriend and Kansas City Chiefs star, Travis Kelce. The performance took place on Monday at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where the annual event transforms the campus into a networking and skill-building hub for NFL tight ends.
Though Swift wrapped her colossal 149-date Eras Tour last December, her surprise set proves she isn’t ready to step away from the spotlight just yet. According to DJ Mike Fresh, who played at the event, “There are Monday fun days, and then there are Monday fun days when Taylor Swift is in the building partying to your set.”
In addition to performing, Taylor made her red carpet debut with Kelce, marking a rare public appearance as a couple. The event also came on the heels of one of the biggest business moves in her career.
Just days earlier, Swift made headlines by announcing she has officially regained ownership of her original master recordings—a deal reportedly worth $360 million. She shared the emotional news via her official website, describing the moment as something she had “daydreamed about, wished for, and pined away for” over the past 20 years.
“I really get to say those words. All of the music I’ve ever made … now belongs… to me,” she wrote in a heartfelt message. The deal grants Swift full ownership of her entire early discography, including music videos, concert films, unreleased tracks, album artwork, and photography. She described the collection as representing “the memories, the magic, the madness, every single era, my entire life’s work.”
Swift’s battle for her masters began in 2019 when music executive Scooter Braun acquired the rights to her first six albums for $300 million, a move she publicly denounced. The rights were later sold to investment firm Shamrock Capital. Refusing to back down, Swift began re-recording her early albums under her new label, Universal Music Group and Republic Records, with the goal of reclaiming artistic control.
As Swift continues to make headlines both on and off stage, fans eagerly await what’s next — whether it’s another surprise performance, a re-recorded release, or more bold business moves.