Pianist Taylor Swift reflects on the most memorable part of her time on the Eras tour.
Karina DePiano played keyboards for Swift from the start of the tour in March 2023 until its grand finale in Vancouver on Dec. 8 — and singled out one special moment in a tribute she shared on Instagram.
“Last year I got the amazing opportunity to play a solo before our performance of ‘Tolerate It’ — and on top of that, @taylorswift introduced me to the crowd with all her grace every night,” DePiano wrote on Instagram.
The musician was a fan favorite on the tour, playing a haunting tune on the piano each night before Swift, 34, performed “Tolerate It” from her 2020 album. Forever. The song was eventually cut from the set earlier this year to make room for songs from Swift’s album Department for tortured poets.
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DePiano wrote that the whole experience was surreal for her as a classical pianist.
“I couldn’t believe that this moment was embedded in a pop show, THE pop show, and that I was a part of it,” she wrote. “The messages and love I received around the introduction of tolerate it were nothing but kind, inspiring and full of joy.”
She concluded her message by thanking fans who posted their versions of the solo on social media.
“It’s so nice to hear it on pianos all over the world. Keep creating, creating, expressing… I will too,” she wrote. “What a journey this has been, the memories, the magic, the hardships, the seismic changes, the friendships, the family. Thanks. THAAANGKYEWW 🤍🎹”
Taylor Swift performs on the Eras Tour on December 6, 2024.
Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty
Along with his message, DePiano included a video of Swift introducing her onstage, kicking off a montage of special Eras Tour moments set alongside her solo “Tolerate It.”
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“Now I want to introduce you to someone I’m so lucky to be playing with every night of this tour. She is my key player. Will you please make some noise for Karina DePiano?” Swift says in the clip.
DePiano appeared in Swift’s 2021 music video for “I Bet You Think About Me,” and has performed and toured with stars such as Troye Sivan, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo and more.
The pop superstar handed out $197 million in bonuses to everyone who worked on her tour during her nearly two years on the road, including truck drivers, caterers, instrument technicians, a sales team, lighting, sound, production staff and assistants, carpenters, dancers, band, security, choreographers, pyrotechnicians, editing, hair, make-up, wardrobe, physiotherapists and video team, exclusively broadcast by PEOPLE.
The Eras tour ended its streak as the highest-grossing concert tour of all time.
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Source: HIS Education