How are fans chosen for 22 hat moment?

Not only meet her, but also to keep her iconic black hat. The special moment has become a trademark of the Eras Tour, the most recent having been shared with three last weekend.

Swift’s shows attract tens of thousands of people – her Melbourne shows – most of whom are dressed in their best Swift garb and screaming along to every lyric.

So how is one individual chosen from the sea of adoring fans? And, for those with tickets to her upcoming Sydney dates, could it be you?

Is it really a random act of kindness?

Neither Swift nor her team have publicly explained the mystery behind the 22 hat, leaving it to Swifties to theorise how and why certain people are chosen. The most common theory is that it’s actually just random.

According to fan speculation, Swift’s mother, Andrea, often searches for diehard fans in the crowd before and during shows. Those with the best outfits or energy would therefore have the highest chance of making it to the stage. Once she selects the lucky fan, they supposedly inform security or venue staff who escort them to the stage.

This theory tracks with two of the chosen Melbourne fans, who were simply young girls thoroughly enjoying the concert. , 9, hugged her idol at the first Melbourne show after being approached by Swift’s team during the concert. It was random enough that Bruno initially thought she was “getting told off” for dancing on her chair.

What about the lucky fans who are a bit more famous?

However, the person selected at the second Melbourne show seemed less random.

Oliver Mills, a New Zealand TikToker who has posted videos of himself singing Swift songs in the car, received the hat after being hand-picked by Swift and her team. shows the pop star saying, “I love your videos, you’re so funny”, meaning she already knew of – and enjoyed – Mills’ content.

This seems to suggest Mills’ moment in the spotlight was pre-ordained rather than coincidental. Though the details of his story remain relatively vague, Mills told various media outlets he had been invited , where he was supposedly told ahead of time he would receive the legendary hat.

Similarly, TikTok star Mikael Arellano scooped the hat during one of the Philadelphia shows. He had caught Swift’s attention before the concert by posting a , which the singer incorporated into the official Eras Tour choreography.

Some other recipients of the 22 hat (which is also signed by the star) during the US leg of the Eras Tour seemed intentional in a different way. For example, the daughter of the late Kobe Bryant, Bianka, was given the fedora last year, when she attended the first show at SoFi Stadium in California.

Bianka and her sister had also been watching the show from the special VIP tent. Kobe, who died in a helicopter crash in 2020, had appeared on stage with Swift in 2015 to at what was formerly the Staples Centre.

And during Swift’s concert in Cincinnati in July, 16-year-old . She had a rare form of soft tissue cancer at the time, and had been specifically picked out of the crowd by Swift’s mother. On November 13, five years after her diagnosis, Anderson died.

Are the odds in your favour?

Whether random or of a mastermind’s design, there are noticeable patterns. Throughout Swift’s 53 shows in the US last year, she handed the hat to 29 young girls. This is based on footage of each show, meaning there is no way to be sure of each child’s age; however, they appeared to be between the age of about seven and 15.

In comparison, only 12 girls aged 16 and over were given the hat, as well as 12 boys of any age. Therefore, a fan is generally more likely to receive the 22 hat if they’re an adorable young girl.

They are also more likely to be selected if situated on the floor, or in the arena seating, of the venue. Most of the chosen fans so far have been seated closer to the stage, making it easier for staff or security to escort them to the front in time for the hit song.

However, sitting in restricted-view or “nosebleed” seats does not entirely exclude Swifties from possible perks. 3AW presenter Jacqui Felgate posted a , which explained how one woman and her daughter were given surprise access to the VIP section by Swift’s father, Scott, on Friday, despite only having “cheap, restricted seats”.

Ultimately, whether you’re a popular TikToker or a nine-year-old girl who simply loves Swift, you’re in with a chance to don the iconic hat. But beware: tens of thousands of other Swifties are too.

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