WA Cricket general manager Kade Harvey has joined the newly discovered one-third of Aussie dads who are huge fans of Taylor Swift.
As Swiftie-mania sweeps the nation, new Spotify data has revealed that 29 per cent of Australian fathers classify themselves as what is being called a “Swiftie Dad”.
The 34-year-old pop star has made her way Down Under to perform seven stadium shows in Melbourne and Sydney and joining the thousands of young girls screaming their lungs out are also their dads.
One in ten Aussie Dads admit to being passionate Swiftie fans, whilst one in five admit to being more on the casual side (number of friendship bracelets yet to be confirmed).
One of these superfans is Perth’s very own Kade Harvey, who is the general manager of high-performance cricket at WA Cricket, who admits to knowing more Swift songs than his two teenage girls Emma, 19, and Tess, 18.
The 48-year-old said the best thing about being a Swiftie Dad was the music and connection to his daughters.
“(Swift is a) genius, I like the music, respect the talent and the worldwide impact. My wife and daughters now get into the NFL and go for Taylor – watched the whole Super Bowl,” he said.
“Once you own it, there’s no turning back.”
While the root cause of the fandom differs from dad to dad, one undeniable aspect of their rise lies in the intergenerational power of Swift’s music in helping these fathers bond with their young ones.
Mr Harvey said another perk was being able to listen to the same music as his daughters.
“They have influenced the types of music I enjoy. It was a slippery slope when I got them to come with me to a One Direction concert,” he said.
“In general, the girls’ love for music and theatre has been a great connector for our family.
“(The rise in Swiftie Dads) is great for dads to be comfortable to own up to it and to shamelessly enjoy it. It’s great to help connect Dads and daughters.”
Sadly, the family wasn’t able to make it over to the East Coast to see their idol in the flesh, so they will have to stick to belting out her tunes at home.
Mr Harvey’s favourite song is the 2019 track Lover.
“I might know a few more songs and lyrics but the girls know more about Taylor and what the songs mean,” he said.
Spotify’s research throws into question the long-held stereotypes of dads who listen to acoustic hard rock records.
Of the Swiftie Dads whose kids influenced their fandom, 90 per cent noted they enjoy spending time together with their kids doing Taylor Swift-related things.
Fellow, and surprise, Swiftie Dad and AFL star Jack Crisp is no exception.
The father-of-three also noted the power of Swift’s music in creating magical moments.
“I am as proud a Swiftie Dad as they come. Listening to Taylor Swift with my girls has become one of the great Crisp family pastimes,” he said.
“There isn’t a car ride without a group Karaoke session of Shake it Off, a personal favourite of mine. “Her music is infectious, and seeing my girls light up whenever a Swift song comes on is something I’ll always cherish as a father.”
Swift will play at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Sunday and Monday nights before jetting of to Singapore for six shows.