Petra Huisman & Stefan Stanisic: Our 5 best tips for Swifties in Stockholm
Publish date: 7 May 2024
Petra Huisman and Stefan Stanisic, the minds behind the Taylor Swift-themed club party "Ready For It?", share their best Stockholm-tips.
This May one of the world's biggest artists visits Stockholm – and Sweden – for the first time: Taylor Swift brings The Eras Tour to town during its European leg. What at first was supposed to be only one concert was extended with one more date, and then another. And still, 150,000 tickets sold out almost immediately.
The anticipation is not exclusive to Tay Tay's Swedish fans either. As with the Beyoncé concert of 2023, thousands of fans from all over will land in Stockholm to experience Swift's three-concert stint. Approximately Swifties of 120 nationalities will arrive to sing along in Bad Blood and Delicate or pop the question to their significant other with Love Song to set the mood.
Some feel the hype more than others, like Petra Huisman and Stefan Stanisic. Not just for the concerts, but also because the duo returns to Debaser with their club Ready For It?, a party wholly dedicated to Taylor Swift.
"We're not your typical clubgoers, really", says Stefan. "I'm an awkward dancer and feel uncomfortable at techno dance floors, while Petra is at the back, sipping a beer. But we share a common love for Taylor."
Petra Huisman and Stefan Stanisic's 5 best Stockholm tips
- Yasuragi: "A night at a spa is a good option if you haven't booked a hotel before or after the concert. Some spas might even be a more affordable choice than an inner-city hotel. We have booked a night, with a three-course dinner at Yasuragi in Nacka. A great spa, in lovely surroundings and a fantastic view."
- Djurgården: "Begin the day of the concert with a brisk walk! Start at The Royal Dramatic Theatre at Nybrokajen, continue along Strandvägen, and cross the bridge to Djurgården. Then continue by taking a lap around the island of Djurgården, maybe even taking a detour to enjoy the view from Skansen. A lovely way to get some fresh air, experience nature and lovely views, and stretch your legs before a six-hour concert."
- Secondhand shopping on Södermalm: "Anyone missing an outfit for the concert, in need of some last-minute shopping, will surely find something nice and affordable at Stadsmissionen's second-hand on Nytorget. If you're on a bigger budget, the great Lisa Larsson vintage store is just one street over."
- Omnipollos Hatt: "A great way to start the concert evening is with a pizza and beer at Omnipollo. Small, yet cozy, with tasty and surprising pizzas."
- Debaser + Ready for it?: "Is it okay if we do some shameless self-promotion? If so, Swifties should check out Debaser. We're doing three separate parties; a pre-party and club on the 16th, an all-ages day party featuring a Taylor quiz on the 19th, and a big afterparty on the 20th".
Ready For it? had its premiere night in November 2021, in Malmö. Petra had been organizing the power ballad club The Power of Love for some time already, which Stefan had guest-dj'd at. But the duo had low expectations leading up to the first Taylor-themed party.
"We thought 10 people might show up. 50 would've been a success. Instead, 350 clubgoers turned up, and things have only escalated", Stefan says.
Since then, Ready For It? has toured Gothenburg, Malmö, Oslo, Trondheim, and Stockholm. The club's regulars descend from all over Europe for a night of dancing, singing, karaoke, and all-around good vibes. Stefan and Petra explain how Swifties book a solo weekend trip to wherever the club is headed and invite other fans for warm-up parties at their hotel before heading out.
"It's become more than a club; a community and a gathering place for Taylor's fans", explains Petra. "Fans who often feel like oddballs."
Last year alone, Taylor Swift topped Spotify's Wrapped-charts with over 26 billion streams (!). And that's only one streaming service. To say that she's one of our time's most popular, and influential, artists seems like a gross understatement. Still, says Petra, Taylor Swift (and by extension all her millions of fans) haven't always been taken seriously.
"We've been asked if we're being ironic. Maybe it's because Taylor makes mainstream pop that, at times, has been aimed at teenage girls. But in my book, there isn't a better lyricist alive right now than Taylor Swift or Kendrick Lamar. She's the Leonard Cohen of her generation. But it has become better. And, to quote an article I read recently, 'Not all dudes and music journalists need to 'get' Taylor Swift'."
"It's as if her artistry and musicianship have been justified when people noticed that she's a savvy entrepreneur, continues Stefan. "But let's not forget that she first and foremost is a fantastic artist and musician."
Visiting Stockholm for the concerts? Find more tips in our guide to Swiftholm.