There’s a fair amount of etiquette Taylor Swift fans should familiarize themselves with before attending a show on the Eras Tour. First, bring thousands of friendship bracelets to exchange with all of your new besties, and then make sure you know when to scream, “Taylor, you’ll be fine,” and all of the other fun things that turn the show into a mind-altering experience. Another special moment that happens each night is when the artist chooses a young fan to receive her “22” hat, and it was Kobe Bryant’s daughter Bianka who received the honor during one of her stops in Los Angeles. You can see the sweet moment below.
The iconic musician is in the midst of several Eras Tour dates at Sofi Stadium near Los Angeles, and the celebrities have been turning out for Taylor Swift. Vanessa Bryant, whose husband Kobe Bryant and 13-year-old daughter Gigi died in a helicopter crash in 2020, was in attendance with her daughters 20-year-old Natalia, 6-year-old Bianka and 4-year-old Capri. One fan captured the special moment during “22,” when Swift made Bianka’s night:
@skibiscuit ♬ original sound - Jeff Skibiski
This was definitely a special moment for the 6-year-old and the rest of the Bryants, but I can imagine it was a pretty emotional experience for the rest of the crowd as well (at least those who realized who the lucky little lady was), since Kobe Bryant contributed so much to the city of Los Angeles during his 20-year career as a Laker.
Bianka was all smiles during that sweet gesture, and in several photos and videos that her mom posted on Instagram. Vanessa Bryant also included a throwback video that showed just how much of a full-circle moment this was for Taylor Swift and the Bryant family. Back in 2015, Kobe Bryant surprised the Midnights artist with her own championship banner in the Staples Center, after she sold out a record-setting 16 concerts in the venue.
It’s pretty clear why Bianka was chosen to receive the special black hat on that particular night, but the process that goes into who Taylor Swift chooses is largely unknown. The hat often goes to a young fan, like in the case of Grace DelVecchio, a 12-year-old from Yorktown, New York, who was picked by Swift’s team after her speech pathologist tried to reach out to the singer and the New York Post took notice, publishing a story about them.
In another case the hat went to 22-year-old TikToker Mikael Arellano, who created the viral “Bejeweled” dance that Taylor Swift added to her Eras Tour choreography.
However this moment came to fruition, it’s likely one that Bianka Bryant won’t ever forget. A number of other celebrities have also made appearances at the Eras Tour’s L.A. dates, with Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Seth Green reuniting for the show, and Mindy Kaling living her best Swiftie life.
Whether or not you were able to nab the hottest concert ticket of the year, those hoping to get a taste of the performer’s live shows can relive the magic of the Taylor Swift Reputation Stadium Tour with a Netflix subscription, and see all of the upcoming Taylor Swift music and other projects to look forward to.
