SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — A local Taylor Swift fan’s wildest dreams have come true.
Back in October, Katelyn McLaughlin created a sc-Eras-themed display based on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. She based it off Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” performance at the Eras Tour — her favorite number from the concert.
She handed out friendship bracelets on Halloween and met tons of fellow Swifties.
One of those Swifties was named Heather Corcoran. The two became fast friends and even sent each other Swiftmas Advent calendars. She said they’d open a Swift-themed gift each day leading up to Christmas.
McLaughlin messaged Corcoran one day and asked what she thought about applying to be a seat filler at the Grammys. They went for it.
“It’s like a 1% or less chance that you actually get picked,” McLaughlin said.
A month later, McLaughlin and Corcoran found out they had been chosen to go to the Grammys.
McLaughlin quickly ordered a dress for the event. It came on a Wednesday, and she was flying out on a Friday. But there was an issue: The dress was too long. Seat fillers at the Grammys cannot have dresses that drag on the ground.
She took it to East Towne Mall in Madison for an emergency hem. A seamstress there got the job done in just 24 hours to make sure McLaughlin would arrive in style.
“I bet she stayed up all night to do it for me,” McLaughlin said.
She flew to L.A. Friday to head to the awards show. It was also the first time she’d meet Corcoran in person.
It was a long day for McLaughlin. She said she was hoping to meet Taylor Swift, but her mindset changed as the night went on.
“Toward the end of the night, I was like, ‘I’m so done with all this craziness; I’m just going to go give Taylor the letter I wrote her and the friendship bracelet I made her and go and sit in the back,’” she admitted.
But she said she’s sure glad she didn’t.
She walked to a seating area, where she ran into Ed Sheeran. Just then, she realized the commercial break was ending. She panicked and sat down in an empty nearby chair.
“And two seconds later, Taylor comes walking over and sat directing in front of me," she said. "I was like, 'OMG, act natural.'"
Back at home, her family had been losing hope, too.
“They had been looking for me all night and almost gave up — and then my hubby spotted me right before the commercial break, which is when I had just sat down,” she said.
Then, the Grammys named Swift's “Midnights” Album of the Year.
McLaughlin was right behind her idol when her name was called.
“When she was opening the envelope, in my mind I was thinking, ‘Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift,’ like just over and over. I was really hoping she would win because I am such a huge fan, and then when she said her name, I just lost my mind. I was like, ‘Oh, yes,’” McLaughlin said. “I just started screaming and cheering. I was so happy to be right behind her because we were cheering so loud for her. You could so tell that we were big fans, and it was amazing. It was really fun.”
It was an enchanted evening for one of Wisconsin’s biggest Swifties.
This certainly isn't the end for McLaughlin's Swift-sightings. Looking back to December, she headed to the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers game at Lambeau Field, where she handed out friendship bracelets and dawned a special "Karma" tee. And of course, she saw the Eras Tour, too.
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