Vanessa Bryant is enchanted by Taylor Swift’s show of support.
In a scene from the Grammy winner’s docuseries The End of an Era, she dons a sweatshirt highlighting the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, which was renamed following the deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant in a January 2020 plane crash. And that subtle display for the organization wasn’t lost on the NBA legend’s widow.
"What a gift," Vanessa wrote on her Dec. 31 Instagram Story alongside a screenshot of the clip, where Taylor is playing guitar while wearing the blue crewneck. "We love you @taylorswift!!!!!!"
She tagged the foundation and followed up with a second story post with a screenshot of the docuseries title on her TV and a "we love you" graphic, tagging Taylor in the sweet shoutout.
Vanessa, also mom to Natalia, 22, Bianka, 9, and Capri, 6, with Kobe, has a longstanding relationship with Taylor, who even gifted Bianka the coveted "22" hat during an August 2023 Eras Tour show in Los Angeles.
The Bryant crew also made sure Kobe and Gigi were with them in spirit at the show, donning denim jackets featuring a photo of the late athlete on stage with Taylor in 2015 during her 1989 World Tour. Vanessa also sewed a heart-shaped patch with the words "say you'll remember me"—lyrics from Taylor's hit "Wildest Dreams"—onto her jacket.
Kobe was known to enjoy listening to Taylor's music with his daughters, including big fan Gigi. And he wasn't afraid to be open about his admiration for the pop star.
"I think it's important to listen to people who do great things," he shared during a 2019 appearance on The Jordan Harbinger Show. "Taylor's been at the top of the game for a very, very long time."
For more moments from The End of an Era docuseries, keep reading.
Taylor Met With Southport Attack Survivors, Families of the Victims
In the first episode of The End of an Era, Taylor Swift addressed the cancellation of her Aug. 2024 concerts in Vienna, Austria, after they were targeted in a terror plot. (Two men were arrested in connection to the planned attack.)
"We've had a series of very violet, scary things happen to the tour," Taylor said. "We dodged, like, a massacre situation. And so, I've just been kind of all over the place."
The incident came just days after three children were killed in a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England.
An emotional Taylor shared through tears, "I have a hard time explaining it."
Following the tragedy, Taylor privately met with survivors and families of the victims of the Southport attack backstage at her Wembley shows.
The docuseries captured Taylor and mom Andrea Swift in tears after one meeting, with Andrea telling her daughter, "I know you helped them. I know it doesn't seem like it but I know you helped them."
Taylor Told Ed Sheeran She Felt "Very Hunted"
Before taking the stage at Wembley Stadium after the recent tragedies, Taylor struggled with her nerves.
"I just need to do this show," she told pal Ed Sheeran backstage, "remember the joy of it."
Taylor went on to explain that after she wraps up her Wembley concerts she'll have two months off.
"I'm just gonna go somewhere no one can find me," she shared after Ed inquired about her plans. "I just don't want to be tracked like an animal. I just have felt very hunted lately."
Taylor Gave "Bonus Day" Checks to Her Tour Family
The End of an Era officially confirmed that "as each leg of the tour" concluded, Taylor gave bonuses to every crew member, dancer and musician.
"Bonus day is so important," Taylor noted, "because setting a precedent with The Eras Tour is really important to me."
"If the tour grosses more, they get more of a bonus," she continued. "And these people just work so hard and they are the best at what they do. So, every single person on the crew, I've handwritten them a note. It took me a couple weeks, but it's fun to write the notes."
And Taylor was on hand to deliver those notes, which brought her team to tears.
Travis Kelce Was "Scouring the Internet" During Eras Tour Shows
When Travis Kelce wasn't in the audience or onstage with Taylor, the NFL player was, like many fans, trying to find details about The Eras Tour shows online.
"I want to be there!" Travis told Taylor during a sweet phone call before her Wembley shows. "I'm gonna be scouring the internet."
Emma Stone Played a Role in The Eras Tour
While putting The Eras Tour together, Taylor turned to a longtime pal for guidance.
"With choreography, I asked one of my friends, Emma Stone, who's done a lot of work in dance in her films, 'Who have you worked with that you would recommend for this?'" Taylor recalled. "And she's like, 'There's only one person that needs to be on your list and it's Mandy Moore.'"
Choreographer Mandy Moore, not to be confused with actress Mandy Moore, worked with Emma on 2016's La La Land.
How Taylor Kept Eras Tour Surprises Under Wraps
To avoid any surprise songs or performances, like "Florida!!!" with Florence Welch, getting leaked, Taylor and her band would turn down the volume on the PA system during rehearsals and practice "quietly" so that fans waiting outside stadiums couldn't hear.
"It is so much extra work to keep things a surprise," Taylor said in "Magic of the Eras," the second episode of the docuseries. "Let me tell ya, I need a nap just thinking about it. But it's so worth it when we can actually pull it off."