Malala Yousafzai Attends First ‘Proper’ Concert at Taylor Swift’s London Show: ‘Music Felt Like a Gift

Malala Yousafzai recently reached a personal milestone by attending Taylor Swift’s concert at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday, August 17, 2024. She enjoyed the concert with her loved ones and shared some photos from the event on Instagram. This moment also gave her an opportunity to reflect on the powerful impact that music can have.

Malala Yousafzai Attends Her First Concert During Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

The Pakistani education activist celebrated her first “proper” concert experience at the show, accompanied by her husband, Asser Malik, and a few close friends. In the pictures she posted on social media, she fondly recalled a memory from her childhood involving Taylor Swift. She wrote in her caption, “Having lived through a time where music and art were banned, music felt like a gift.”

Back in 2008, when Malala was only 11 years old, she lived in Swat Valley, Pakistan, which had fallen under the control of the Taliban. They had banned all forms of entertainment, including music and television, and prohibited girls from attending school. Despite these restrictions, she remembered how much she and her best friend, Moniba, loved the song “Love Story” by Taylor Swift during their school days.

In her caption, Malala shared, “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. That’s where my Swiftie journey began,” as reported by People.