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How Do the Light-Up Bracelets on Taylor Swift’s 1989 Tour Actually Work?

Taylor Swift’s 1989 tour has thus far featured quite a few surprises, including appearances from members of the U.S. Women’s World Cup soccer team, a Lorde cameo, and an unexpected duet with The Weeknd. But perhaps the most magical touch: upon entering the concert, every fan gets an LED wristband—a translucent silicone bracelet that lights up and changes color perfectly in time to the music. Their integration into the show was so striking that New York magazine’s Lindsay Zoladz even wondered if perhaps Swift was controlling the wristbands with her mind .

Not quite. They’re actually designed by a company called PixMob , which uses infrared transmitters to allow the bracelets, which can also be fitted with an RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) chip, to be synced to each show’s music, lighting, and even the movement of people in the crowd (the bracelets are also motion-sensitive).* Slate spoke to PixMob’s commercial director, Jean-Olivier Dalphond—who is strictly forbidden from divulging any specifics of his contract with Taylor Swift—but was able to break down how the wristbands work.

So how do these bracelets magically flash in time to the beat of Taylor Swift’s music?

We use infra-red light, which is essentially the technology that’s in your remote control. It’s very simple but very powerful—think of it as installing a very powerful set of remote controls around the stadium, and then sending a signal that triggers the lighting. We use, essentially, invisible light to create visible light, and to synchronize people with each other.

We want to make an object that feels like magic, so there’s no button, there’s nothing to activate—it will just turn on at some point. We want to surprise you.

Who coordinates when the wristbands flash?

We are integrated into the production, so whoever uses PixMob decides what they want to do with it. We leave it to the creativity of the client to work with.

The light is controlled by the main lighting board.  

What was the first show you ever worked on?

In 2010, Cirque du Soleil came to us with this crazy idea: Could we paint on an audience and light people up? We had two months. And we figured it out . We found a way to control individual objects.

And then you decided to try bracelets?

What we did with Cirque de Soleil was a poncho. We did the poncho, then we did the PixMob balls for Arcade Fire , then we did little helicos that dropped from the sky , and eventually we went to the wristband. We went from the big form-factor to something that was possible to wear easily and comfortably in public. With technology, it’s a little bit like how you start with the phone in the 1980s—it was giant. Now [a phone] can be very small and fit in your pocket. So we started with bigger objects and then made it smaller and smaller and smaller.

Did you hear the news story about the three girls who got into a car accident after a Taylor Swift concert and used their PixMob wristbands to attract help?

Everybody in the office was like, wow, that’s a great story. We don’t wish that on anyone, but we’re glad that the situation ended well.

* Correction, July 20, 2015: This post originally misstated that the wristbands used during Taylor Swift’s 1989 tour were fitted with RFID chips. They were not.

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Taylor Swift’s 1989 tour wristbands save lives of two fans in horror car crash

IS there anything pop star Taylor Swift cannot do? Her new single is #1 in the US, her album is still top 10 worldwide and she just saved the lives of two fans.

US superstar cancels Aussie tour

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IS there anything pop star Taylor Swift cannot do?

Her new single Bad Blood, which features Kendrick Lamar , is #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and #3 on the ARIA charts , her album 1989 is still top 10 worldwide, she is wowing fans on a world tour — that hits Australia in November — and now she’s a lifesaver.

Though to be more precise it is Swift ’s light-up 1989 tour concert bracelets that have saved lives, WBRZ 2 reported .

Every seat has a special light-up bracelet! #1989TourTokyo pic.twitter.com/zmDooCGJ14 — Taylor Swift Updates (@TSwiftLA) May 5, 2015

Elizabeth Dazzio was driving her sister Caroline and a friend home from Swift’s concert at Baton Rouge , the capital city of US state Louisiana , when she fell asleep at the wheel.

The car veered off the road and crashed. Dazzio was knocked unconscious and the two girls were trapped.

“You could smell the gas and smoke,” Caroline Dazzio told WBRZ. “I was just thinking we need to get out of this car.”

Two of the girls' three mobile phones in the car were dead and they could not find the other in the wreckage.

Cars passed the crash scene but did not see the mangled car and did not stop.

So Caroline and the friend, who has not been named, used the light-up bracelets from the concert, that are programmed and set to the beat of Swift’s songs, as emergency flares to try and get the attention of passing motorists.

The light-up bracelets worked. A female motorist stopped and said she saw the lights from the bracelets and realised someone was in trouble.

“She could tell that there was someone in the car,” Caroline Dazzio said.

The female motirst and a man, who was with her, helped pull the girls out of the car and called for emergency services.

Dazzio is expected to be released from hospital soon.

Swift on being told the news expressed her joy.

This is unreal. I'm so happy they're okay. http://t.co/UnylIwhZv5 — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 28, 2015

CHART-TOPPER TAYLOR SWIFT

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The Australian leg of a superstar North American artist’s world tour was in doubt but has now officially been canned. See what it means for ticketholders.

A British music icon has touched down on Australian shores just a few days after reuniting with her former bandmates.

Taylor Swift writes of being “shattered” during her Eras Tour in one of the songs on her latest headline-making album.

Taylor Swift Fans Say The Bracelets They Got At Her Concert Saved Their Lives

The three girls were able to signal for help using the bracelets after a car crash.

BuzzFeed News Reporter

Unless you live under a rock, you must know Taylor Swift just kicked off her 1989 tour. All the lucky people who go to the concert get these cool light-up bracelets that synchronize with Taylor's songs.

View this photo on Instagram

For one group of fans, the bracelets ending up being more than a cool accessory. They are crediting the bracelets with saving their lives after they got in a car crash following the concert.

Elizabeth dazzio, a high school student in baton rouge, louisiana, told buzzfeed news that she was driving her sister caroline and their friend emma home from swift's concert last week when she slammed into a pole getting off of the interstate..

The car crashed, knocking Dazzio unconscious and trapping the two teens in the car.

"The car ended up in a spot where passing cars couldn't see us very well, especially since it was so dark outside," she said.

Dazzio said that the girls tried to escape, but they were trapped.

None of the cars could see them — until they got an idea.

"One of the girls hit a bracelet on accident and saw that they still lit up," Dazzio said. "They picked them up and decided to try getting someone's attention with the light. They figured trying something was better than nothing."

The woman who pulled over toward the group told them she never would have seen them were it not for the bracelets, they told WBRZ .

Dazzio told BuzzFeed News she just got out of the hospital, and is slowly recovering from injuries to her arm, knee, and ankle.

Her sister and Emma are bruised and sore but doing well, she said.

A friend who had attended the concert with Dazzio wrote a post on Swift's website , thanking her for helping her friend.

"A Taylor swift bracelet saved her life. Thanks, Taylor!!!!" Avery Talbot wrote.

The story reached Swift's attention, and she tweeted she was glad everyone was doing well.

Taylor Swift @taylorswift13 This is unreal. I'm so happy they're okay. http://t.co/UnylIwhZv5 08:14 PM - 28 May 2015 Reply Retweet Favorite

To which Dazzio responded to say thanks.

Elizabeth Dazzio @elizabethdazz @taylorswift13 I'm happy I had your bracelet 09:13 PM - 28 May 2015 Reply Retweet Favorite

Dazzio's mom also thanked Swift on Facebook.

"Taylor Swift, those cool bracelets lit up LSU stadium and two of those bracelets lit up a small dark corner of the interstate bringing help quickly to three in need," she wrote.

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13 Reasons Why Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour Was The Best Part Of 2015

♫ We, are never, ever, ever, getting over this tour ♫

BuzzFeed Staff

1. We were blessed with an insane amount of guest star performances from your favorite musicians.

Your favorite non-Taylor song + Taylor = PER 👏 FEC 👏 TION.

2. We got these hella cool light up bracelets that made the whole stadium come alive.

Ben @fromthedale The light-up wrist bands synced to the music was the best part of #1989worldtour #trouble 01:29 PM - 28 Nov 2015 Reply Retweet Favorite

3. It provided the chance to have your GREATEST DREAM COME TRUE and meet Taylor at Loft '89.

And even if you weren't the Chosen One, you were still incredibly happy for everyone else who had their dream come true.

4. Taylor was at PEAK HAPPY, which means you were also really damn happy.

Alana the Elf ☃ @PrincessAlana25 This has been said before, but one of my favorite parts of the 1989 world tour is how happy Taylor looked 💜 01:29 AM - 12 Dec 2015 Reply Retweet Favorite

5. We got to see thousands upon thousands of the most creative Taylor-inspired outfits you could ever imagine.

Sarah Mckay @SarahMckay15 our costume comparisons for the #1989worldtour! @taylorswift13 @taylornation13 section 213! cant wait to #shakeitoff 05:03 PM - 08 Jul 2015 Reply Retweet Favorite

6. It was essentially like free therapy.

cindy @greysonandswift @taylornation13 the clean speech has to be my favorite #1989WorldTour 04:15 AM - 12 Dec 2015 Reply Retweet Favorite

7. We got to see a few rare, blessed performances of your favorite throwback Taylor jams.

re: @rewrite_me My favorite part of the show was Fifteen. It's always been my dream to hear it live and I loved it #1989WorldTour 02:55 AM - 12 Dec 2015 Reply Retweet Favorite

8. It provided you with a brand new perspective on life.

9. we got to experience the taylor catwalk strut (featuring many special, special guests)..

View this photo on Instagram

10. It brought us new dazzling, sassy tour costumes that we all wished were a part of our closets.

11. we finally got the opportunity to meet the legendary taylor nation irl., 12. we got to know what it feels like to be surrounded by 70,000 people who were truly living their best damn lives., 13. but mostly, because the chance to see the ethereal unicorn that is taylor swift up on stage is a rare, special experience that you'll remember for the rest of your life., long live all the magic we made..

This post was inspired by @_alexadanielle_ , BuzzFeed <3's you!

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Eva Rinaldi/Flickr (CC BY SA 2.0)

Taylor Swift’s light-up concert bracelets saved these fans’ lives

'you could smell the gas and smoke.'.

[email protected]

Posted on May 29, 2015   Updated on May 28, 2021, 5:23 pm CDT

When Taylor Swift added synchronized, light-up bracelets to her 1989 tour, giving them out to all concertgoers, she probably had no idea how important they would turn out to be for a few of her fans. 

In a post on the  pop star’s website , Avery Talbot writes about her friends, Elizabeth and Caroline Dazzio, and a third, unnamed girl, driving home following Swift’s Baton Rouge, La., concert on May 22. They were involved in an accident after Elizabeth became tired and fell asleep at the wheel. 

Elizabeth was knocked unconscious and the other two girls were trapped in the car, unable to call for help because their cell phones were dead. “You could smell the gas and smoke,” Caroline tells  WBRZ . “I was just thinking we need to get out of this car.” 

That was when they realized their bracelets from Swift’s concert could still light up when touched, so the girls began tapping the bracelets on the windows and eventually got the attention of a passing car, whose occupants helped pull the girls free and called 911.

Caroline and the third friend doing are fine, and Elizabeth is expected to be released from the hospital soon, all of which T-Swift was very glad to hear.

https://twitter.com/taylorswift13/status/604017858570493952

Swift has more than 50 shows left on her tour—hopefully this is the first and only one where the bracelets are needed to save her fans from a dangerous situation.  

Photo via  Eva Rinaldi /Flickr (CC BY SA 2.0)

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