It was a cloudy Saturday evening in June, and I (Sarfraz) found myself in an Edinburgh rugby stadium, surrounded by glitter-clad young women, pink stetsons, and homemade friendship bracelets. This was far from my usual crowd, but I was here with my 12-year-old daughter, Laila, to see her idol, Taylor Swift, perform. Laila had been waiting for this night for months, eagerly watching live streams of the Eras tour. However, nothing could prepare her for the sheer excitement when Swift appeared on stage. As the crowd erupted to Cruel Summer, I saw Laila’s face light up. It was clear this was the best day of her life.
It’s hard to remember a time before Laila became a “Swiftie.” Taylor Swift has become a staple in our household, featuring in nearly every conversation and car journey. Her music wasn’t always an instant favourite for me, though. About two years ago, Laila discovered Taylor Swift while browsing the Guinness World Records. Swift had set the record for the biggest stadium tour of 2018. Curious, Laila delved into Swift’s music, and her enthusiasm quickly became infectious.
Laila’s obsession with Taylor reminds me of my own teenage years when Bruce Springsteen’s music first captured my soul. I was 16 when I first heard Springsteen, and it changed my life. I’ve written about this experience in my memoir Greetings from Bury Park, which inspired the film Blinded by the Light. Back then, I devoured Springsteen’s bootleg recordings and read everything I could about him. Similarly, Laila searches for unreleased Swift songs and listens to podcasts. We both love collecting merchandise and attending concerts—Springsteen for me, Swift for her.
I took Laila to see Taylor Swift, but in July, the tables turned as she accompanied me to a Bruce Springsteen concert at Wembley. I had been seeing Bruce live since 1988, but this time was special because Laila was by my side. Despite the lengthy concert, Laila stayed with me, singing along to Dancing in the Dark and Hungry Heart. It was a moment of connection I could never have imagined sharing with my father, who didn’t understand my passion for Springsteen.
Music has been a powerful force in our family. If Springsteen created a divide between me and my parents, Taylor Swift has bridged the gap between Laila and me. Through her music, I’ve gained insight into Laila’s world and watched her develop her own creative voice. Swift’s songs have inspired Laila to write her own, and she now shares with me not just her love for Taylor’s music, but also her innermost thoughts.
In this shared journey of music, I’ve come to appreciate Taylor Swift’s brilliance. From the pop anthem Style to the heart-wrenching All Too Well, her music has universal appeal. For Laila, Swift is a role model; for me, she’s a link to my daughter’s inner life. Together, Springsteen and Swift have become the ties that bind Sarfraz and Laila’s relationship, a reflection of the way music transcends generations and connects us.
