A trip to Paris can be the experience of a lifetime: Seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time or Notre Dame or a cruise on the Seine only scratch the surface of the beauty of the City of Lights.
Last week, thousands of people went to the City of Lights for another reason: To see Taylor Swift kick off the European leg of The Eras Tour at París La Défense Arena.
Those in attendance included 9-year-old Julissa Vargas and her mom, Telemundo 20 executive producer Kathia Lopez-Santos. The trip of Julissa’s dreams turned into one she’ll never forget.
Julissa received the surprise of her life when she attended Night 1 of The Eras Tour in Paris.
NBC 7’s Brooke Martell, a Swiftie herself, asked Julissa what it was like being hugged by Taylor Swift. Because, yes, that happened.
“I don’t know. It was awesome,” Julissa said. “It was, I don’t know, it was one of the best moments of my life. And she gave me a high-five with her two hands.”
But a hug from the world-famous pop icon was not on the original itinerary. The original plan: a trip to Paris with her parents, Kathia and Eddie, and a chance to see Taylor. It’s already something so many people, let alone a 9-year-old girl, could never imagine in their wildest dreams.
“I’ve always wanted to be in Paris,” Julissa said. “That’s my favorite!”
So, last week, after a long flight and a night of sleep, it was already time to get ready to see Taylor. Wearing a black beaded dress, Julissa couldn’t wait.
“I was dressed Reputation-theme because that’s my favorite album — all of it,” Julissa said.
As Kathia and Julissa made their way through the crowds of Swifties, they found their spots on the floor of the arena, waiting in anticipation for the night to begin.
“Everyone was there to dance, and the worst part: It was the tallest people,” Julissa said.
They didn’t have the best view, but that didn’t matter.
“I was fine with it,” Julissa said. “I honestly just wanted to hear the music coming from her mouth, like hearing actual words in the actual moment.”
Someone had their eye on Julissa, though, which meant her experience was about to become unforgettable.
”I thought she was leading me to the exit until she stopped in front of the stage, and the guy asked, ‘Can I pick you up? and I was like, ‘Yeah!’ ” Julissa said. “And then I finally realized what was happening.”
It’s a moment all Swifties dream of but only one gets to experience per night, as Taylor performs her song “22.”
For those who’ve attended the show or seen the concert clips online, this is a point in the show from the “Red” era. Taylor skips down the runway of the stage, and there’s always someone at the end of it waiting for her. This time, it was Julissa.
”I could only hear the part where she says, ‘Can I give you a hug?’ and she also said, ‘Thank you for coming,’ ” Julissa said.
A hug and she received something to keep: the coveted “22” hat.
“This is the hat she gave me, and it’s signed inside,” Julissa said, gesturing.
It’s a night Julissa will never forget.
“I still can’t believe it actually happened to me,” Julissa said. “I see the YouTube Shorts and I’m still like, ‘Me?’ “
Julissa said she’ll never forget that moment and sees herself as a lifelong fan of Taylor Swift.
”I’m the luckiest girl in the world,” Julissa said.
Don’t worry: After Julissa met Taylor, she was taken to the VIP section where she and Kathia had the best view to watch the rest of the show.
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