Taylor Swift Shares Touching Moment With Kobe Bryant's Daughter

INGLEWOOD, CA — Taylor Swift fans lined up early outside SoFi Stadium Friday ahead of the second night of the singer's engagement at the venue, and following a three-hour-plus opening night performance that included an emotional moment between the Grammy winner and one of Kobe Bryant's daughters.

As Swift performed her song "22" during Thursday night's show, the singer — as she traditionally does for a fan during her concerts — presented the hat she was wearing to 6-year-old Bianka Bryant, youngest daughter of the late Kobe Bryant. Swift kissed Bianka on the cheek and gave her hug to the cheers of the crowd.

Bianka's mother, Vanessa, posted video of the exchange on her social media accounts.

Vanessa Bryant also posted a photo of the denim jacket she was wearing during the concert. The jacket featured a photo of Swift with Kobe Bryant in 2015, when the late Laker legend presented the singer with a banner recognizing her record for the most-ever sold-out shows at Staples Center, which is now Crypto.com Arena.

Hundreds of Swift fans descended early on Sofi Stadium Friday morning, hoping for a chance to purchase Swift merchandise.

Additional performances are set for Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Stadium officials reminded the public that people who don't have tickets shouldn't bother coming to the venue, thinking they can listen to the music by standing nearby or just hoping to soak up the atmosphere.

According to the stadium's website, nobody will be permitted to remain in the parking lots or outside the stadium once the show has started, and only ticketed guests will be given access to the venue.

Metro officials are urging Swift fans to take mass transit to the concerts to avoid the parking hassle. Additional bus and train service is being offered on show nights to help people get to and from the stadium.

Fans can take the recently opened Metro K Line to the Downtown Inglewood Station and ride a free shuttle bus to SoFi. The shuttle will run from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. before each show, then 90 minutes after the concert ends. Riders can take the E (Expo) Line to the Expo/Crenshaw Station then transfer to the K Line.

Fans coming from the South Bay or other locations can take the C (Green) Line to the Hawthorne/Lennox Station, where a free shuttle will also be provided during the same hours.

A fatal stabbing and shooting occurred Wednesday night at the C Line's Crenshaw station, east of the Hawthorne/Lennox Station, but the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and Los Angeles Police Department sought Thursday to reassure Swift fans that the crime was an "isolated incident" and security will be tight on the train system.

"The (sheriff's) department, in coordination with LA Metro and the Los Angeles Police Department, will be providing additional law enforcement staffing throughout the Metro system to support the Taylor Swift concert series at SoFi Stadium," according to a sheriff's department statement. "The department is providing a similar level of visibility as the 2022 Super Bowl in order to ensure the safety of the public throughout the Metro system."

The LAPD issued a statement saying "robust security measures" will be in place on the transit system.

"Throughout the entirety of the concert, the public will see a notable increase in security and law enforcement presence on our transit system," according to the LAPD. "These valuable resources will be strategically stationed to create a safe and secure environment for all commuters."

For out-of-town fans who may be staying at hotels near Los Angeles International Airport, the Metro 117 bus is accessible from multiple stops on Century Boulevard and can be ridden to the Century/Yukon station adjacent to the stadium. The bus will run until 90 minutes after the concert.

Metro plans to have agency staffers, ambassadors and additional security personnel present at multiple stations to help Swift fans who may be unfamiliar with the train system. Additional staffing will be available at the Expo/Crenshaw Station (for the E and K lines), the K Line Downtown Inglewood Station, the C Line Norwalk and Hawthorne/Lennox stations, and the Seventh/Metro Center Station downtown, which serves the A (Blue), B (Red), D (Purple) and E lines.

City News Service