Opening for Taylor Swift 'a dream come true' for METTE

Mette, a woman, wearing a white vest while sitting on a black leather sofa looking to the left.Image source, Becca Wheeler
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METTE has been announced as a Taylor Swift support act

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Opening for Taylor Swift is a dream for many up-and-coming artists.

And for METTE, that’s going to become a reality when she opens the stage for Taylor’s first night at London’s Wembley Stadium on 21 June.

The Cruel Summer hitmaker announced three more acts to join Paramore, who have been the main support during the European leg of the Eras tour.

Along with METTE, fans can see Griff on 22 June and Benson Boone on 23 June.

METTE tells BBC Newsbeat that she’s very aware she’s about to have more eyes and ears on her than ever before.

"The first thing that popped into my head was: 'oh, my gosh, there's going be a lot of people in that stadium'.

"And a lot of Swifties that don't know about me and don't know my music. And I get an opportunity to share my music with people."

For Swifties who haven’t listened to METTE, she describes her sound as pop music with a hint of R&B.

"Because that's my lineage and the things I grew up listening to. If you want to boogie on down, you listen to a METTE record."

Image source, Getty Images
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Taylor Swift's first show in the UK is on 7 June

One person who understands the pressure METTE is about to face is Beabadoobee, who supported Taylor on some American tour dates in 2023.

Signed to the same label as Matty Healy’s 1975, the Take A Bite artist has been performing for years, but she told Newsbeat at Radio 1's Big Weekend how nerve-wracking it can be playing those huge support slots.

"I remember someone telling me by the first show, you would be fine.

"And I just wasn't fine, I was terrified. Every time I stepped foot on that stage, I was clenching my butt cheeks.

"But it was fun, the crowd were really welcoming."

After hearing what Beabadoobee said, METTE jokes: "Well, my butt cheeks will also be clenched, because I'm going to be twerking and dancing.

"But I can understand how those types of venues and [that] many eyes can be a bit daunting."

Like Beabadoobee, METTE is no stranger to the stage but she's more used to dancing than singing.

And she feels that experience as a backing dancer will help her, because she's played at Glastonbury and Wembley before.

"And no, I didn't have the microphone in my hand. But I had six years where I could become comfortable being witnessed in that way."

She is now glad to be getting recognised for her music instead.

"I'm just really excited because over the last five years of making music and writing these songs, I get to perform on the stage now.

"This is truly the epitome of my dream come true," she says.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Beabadoobee supported Taylor Swift in some US performances

METTE's support slot isn’t the first time she will meet Taylor, working with her before on the 2019 film Cats.

And she says it's going to be nice to reintroduce herself.

"It feels like lifetimes ago now," she says.

"I've always had a respect for her as a musician. And getting to work with her and experiencing her level of professionalism and talent when we were working on that film.

"But now, it's like I get to introduce myself as a musician.

"Because at that time, I wasn't making music and it’s something I always wanted to do.

"It's going to be a really cool kind of reintroduction," METTE adds.

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