In a surprising twist that no one saw coming—except maybe her angriest fans—Taylor Swift’s once sold-out concert venues have turned into a ghost town after her high-profile endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. The pop sensation, who has long been celebrated for filling stadiums and breaking attendance records, now finds herself staring out into a sea of empty chairs, wondering if maybe the politics wasn’t the best idea after all.

Just a few weeks ago, Swift was riding high. Her Eras Tour was smashing records, fans were clamoring to buy tickets, and the world seemed to be completely under the spell of her glittering pop prowess. But then, she made the ultimate faux pas (according to a large chunk of her fanbase): she dipped her toe into politics.

It all started with a seemingly innocent social media post. Taylor Swift, known for her activism on social issues, decided to take things one step further by endorsing Kamala Harris for the upcoming presidential election. “Kamala Harris is the leader we need,” Swift wrote to her 200 million Instagram followers. “She stands for equality, justice, and progress. I’m proud to support her and I encourage all of you to vote for her.”

Cue the Swiftie meltdown.

Within minutes of the post going live, Swift’s comment section became a battleground. Longtime fans, who had stuck by her through every boy-band breakup, every song lyric dispute, and even the Kanye West feud, suddenly felt betrayed. “I came here for the music, not politics!” one fan commented angrily. Another, more succinct, simply wrote: “Unfollow.”

It didn’t take long for the fallout to escalate. Hashtags like #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty and #BoycottTaylor started trending on Twitter, with fans pledging to abandon the star they once adored. Swift’s endorsement of Harris, it seemed, had pushed some of her most loyal fans over the edge.

At first, it seemed like just social media noise—after all, celebrities face backlash all the time, right? But the real sting came when Swift showed up for her next concert on the Eras Tour. Where there once were thousands of screaming fans, there were now rows and rows of empty seats.

One concertgoer described the scene as “eerie,” noting that the arena, once packed to the brim, had entire sections that were completely vacant. “It was like the world’s biggest Taylor Swift karaoke party, but no one showed up,” said the fan, who attended out of curiosity rather than dedication.

The performance itself didn’t help matters. As Swift belted out her classics, her voice echoed around the hollow venue. “We could hear the feedback bouncing off the walls,” said another fan. “It was almost like Taylor was singing to herself.”

Even the stage crew seemed to have given up hope. At one point during the concert, Swift paused between songs to address the audience—what little of it was there. “Thank you all for coming out tonight,” she said, glancing awkwardly at the empty seats in the back. “I know times are a bit… tough, but we’ll get through this together.”

One fan shouted back, “Play ‘Love Story’ and leave politics out of it!”

Perhaps the most telling sign of Swift’s decline in popularity post-endorsement has been the dramatic drop in ticket sales. Once the hottest commodity on the market, tickets to Swift’s shows are now going for a fraction of their original price—if they’re selling at all. On resale sites, tickets that once sold for thousands of dollars are being offered for less than $50, and even then, they’re not moving.

“I bought tickets months ago thinking this was going to be the concert of the year,” said one former fan. “But after the Kamala post, I couldn’t even give them away. No one wants to see her now.”

Swift’s team has reportedly tried to spin the narrative, claiming that the low attendance is due to “unforeseen scheduling conflicts” and “local weather conditions,” despite the fact that her concerts are indoors. But fans aren’t buying it. The reality is simple: Swift’s decision to wade into the political waters has alienated a significant portion of her audience.

Of course, not all of Taylor Swift’s fans have abandoned her. In fact, her more politically aligned supporters are doubling down on their love for the pop star, praising her for using her platform to speak out on important issues. “Taylor’s doing the right thing,” said one die-hard Swiftie. “She’s standing up for what she believes in, and if people don’t like it, that’s their problem.”

But this division within the fanbase has led to a new kind of tension—one that Swift herself may not be able to mend. On social media, Swifties are now at war with one another, debating whether or not their queen has strayed too far from her music roots.

“Music is supposed to bring people together,” wrote one fan on Twitter. “But now, I feel like Taylor’s driving us apart. I used to come to her concerts to escape politics, not to be reminded of it.”

The controversy has also spilled over into the media, with pundits weighing in on whether or not celebrities should stay out of politics altogether. “Taylor Swift is a perfect example of why musicians should stick to singing,” said one commentator. “The second they start endorsing candidates, they lose the one thing that made them great: their ability to unite people through music.”

So where does Taylor Swift go from here? The pop star has yet to publicly address the sharp decline in concert attendance, but insiders say she’s well aware of the backlash and is “devastated” by the response.

“She thought her fans would rally behind her,” said one source close to the singer. “She didn’t expect this kind of backlash. It’s been a real wake-up call.”

For now, Swift seems to be focused on finishing her Eras Tour, though whether or not she’ll be performing to empty arenas remains to be seen. Some have speculated that Swift may even cancel the remaining dates of the tour, citing “personal reasons,” though no official announcement has been made.

As for her music, Swift is reportedly already working on new material—though it’s unclear whether the political themes that have caused so much controversy will continue to play a role in her songwriting.

“I think she’s realizing that maybe mixing politics with pop wasn’t the best idea,” said the insider. “But knowing Taylor, she’ll turn all this drama into a hit album. She always does.”

If there’s one thing Taylor Swift is known for, it’s her resilience. Over the years, she’s bounced back from public feuds, personal heartbreaks, and career missteps with an uncanny ability to turn adversity into chart-topping success. But this time, the challenge may be bigger than any breakup song can fix.

Will Taylor Swift be able to regain the trust of her fans and return to her sold-out stadium days? Or has her political endorsement of Kamala Harris marked the beginning of a long-term fallout? Only time will tell, but for now, one thing is certain: Swift is facing the toughest performance of her career—and it’s happening in front of an empty audience.