Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzi has praised Taylor Swift for giving her a ‘magical’ experience at her ‘first-ever proper concert’.
Malala, 27, attended the Shake It Off singer’s fifth concert at Wembley Stadium last night and revealed she spent it ‘singing along to every song surrounded by friends’.
The upbeat concert atmosphere is a far-cry from where Malala was in 2012 when at the age of 15 she was shot in her left eye by the Taliban while riding her school bus.
After surviving the horrifying assassination attempt, Malala settled down in the UK and went onto become an education activist, gaining a Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17 – the youngest recipient ever.
Oxford-educated Malala took to her Instagram to share how Taylor’s three-and-a-half-hour concert brought back memories of her Swat Valley homeland in northern Pakistan.
Malala posted a picture of herself and her husband Asser Malik at the concert in Wembley yesterday
Taylor Swift, 34, is to play two more Eras Tour nights at the national stadium on August 19 and 20
Malala spoke of how she and her middle school friend Moniba had visited a ‘waterfall hidden away in a lush green mountain’.
She said: ‘Moniba and I found the highest rock we could, climbed on top of it and announced to all of our classmates and teachers we were going to perform our new favourite song called Love Story.’
‘We sang with all of our heart taking in the joy we felt every second.’
Swift released the song Love Story in 2008 as a lead single for her second studio album Fearless.
Its lyrics reference Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet but Swift flips the classic story on its head as her troubled lovers end up happily engaged.
The song has now been streamed over 800 million times on Spotify – and it seems Malala is a fan.
‘That’s where my Swiftie story began,’ the Pakastani education activist said. ‘It feels magical that my first-ever proper concert would be to see Taylor Swift, singing along to every song surrounded by friends.’
Malala posted a picture of herself and her husband Asser Malik at the concert in Wembley yesterday.
The 27-year-old sported a pair of baby pink heart-shaped sunglasses.
Malala added: ‘Three years ago, the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan. Once again, music no longer plays on the streets, and girls and women are barred from school, work and public life.
‘In Swat, music made my friends and me feel confident and free.
‘And one day I hope we will live in a world where every girl will be able to enjoy music and live our her wildest dreams.’
Swift performs a selection of songs from throughout her career during the three-and-a-half hour concert
The American songstress is supported by a team of 15 dancers
Swift (left) surprised her fans last night with an appearance from long-term pal Ed Sheeran (right). Malala was in the audience at the time
After the unsuccessful assassination attempt, Malala (right) went onto become an educational activist and has since worked with the likes of Emma Watson
Their own love story: Malala (left) with her husband Asser Malik (right). The pair were married in 2021
Reacting to Malala’s heartfelt rallying call, a fellow Swiftie wrote on X: ‘Tearing up about the fact that Taylor’s music has comforted and brought joy to so many people in different circumstances.
‘Malala highlighted the power of music so beautifully in her post where she also noted that The Eras Tour was her first concert ever!’
Swift, 34, is to play two more Eras Tour nights at the national stadium on August 19 and 20.
She has already performed in London this week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday having previously performed a three-gig run in June.