ABSECON — When Taylor Swift received six Grammy Award nominations in November, Jacquelyn Manka, 32, decided to host a Grammy watch party in February at the Taylor Swift-themed Airbnb located here.
“It was good. I ordered a pizza. It was nice to do that in a themed space,” said Manka, who stayed overnight in the Airbnb with a couple of friends. “I went to the open house (in October). A few new things were added.”
Swift, 35, who is from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, and spent her summers as a child at her family’s beach house in Stone Harbor, will release her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” on Oct. 3.
South Jersey is offering multiple ways to celebrate “Showgirl.” In addition to the Airbnb, you can watch a Taylor Swift tribute act perform in November at Tropicana Atlantic City, and a movie about the new album will premiere in local theaters the weekend of its release.
The Viral Swift Suite Airbnb in Absecon opened in October 2024 and welcomed its first guest in November, said Krista Baum, the house manager and owner of KB Luxury Home Hosting in Brigantine.
The Airbnb contains a record player and every Swift album on vinyl, Baum said. It has the official guitars from Swift’s “Lover” and “Tortured Poets Department” eras on display. There are also black glitter, red and bluish teal guitars on display.
There are lifesize cutouts of Swift for selfies, and a karaoke machine allows guests to sing along with her songs, Baum said. The home has four bedrooms, each decorated in the style of a different Swift album: “1989,” “Lover,” “Fearless” and “Folklore.”
Besides the four bedrooms, there are five beds, three full bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room, living room and a laundry room.
The Airbnb is full of official Swift merchandise and locally sourced art such as a painted dresser for the “Folklore” room, Baum said. There is also a little library of many of her books.
Producer/songwriter Jack Antonoff, who has worked with Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Lana Del Rey, has permission to build a recording studio on Long Beach Island.
“It was very booked all summer, every weekend. It is booked for Christmas. We are already taking bookings for next summer,” said Baum, who added the Airbnb has been booked for birthday parties, friends’ reunions and bachelorette parties.
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At least 500 people have come through, including visitors from Florida, California, New York City and Linwood, which has helped the local economy, Baum said.
“We have had people come from South Korea. We have had people who would never think they would have a reason to visit. They have never been to the country,” Baum said.
Even though Manka lives in nearby Ventnor, it is not that surprising she spent the money to host a Grammy party during a night when Swift was up for multiple awards.
Manka found out about Swift on the social media site MySpace during the very beginning of her recording career in 2006. She has attended every Swift tour for at least one show.
“For the ‘Red’ tour in 2013, I went for both nights at Lincoln Financial Field (in Philadelphia). I was fired from my job at The Comedy Stop in Atlantic City,” Manka said.
Manka missed obtaining tickets for Swift’s U.S. stadium tour for “Reputation,” which inspired her to buy a ticket to one of her concerts in Australia in October 2018. She moved there for a year when she was 24.
“I was living in Florida, working at Disney. I really wanted to travel,” Manka said.
In 2004, before Taylor Swift was a household name, we went to her summer home in Stone Harbor to interview her. Here’s what she said about her hopes and dreams.
Manka has not already ordered “The Life of a Showgirl.” Her tradition is to head to the Target in Mays Landing and buy the deluxe version of Swift’s newest album on CD on its release day.
David Yuter is the keyboard player, producer and musical director of the Swift Nation Tribute Band, which will perform Nov. 15 in the Showroom at Tropicana Atlantic City. Yuter will be spending time either on Oct. 3 or shortly thereafter figuring out how to play at least two or three new songs from the new album for the Tropicana show, he said.
The Swift Nation Tribute Band was founded in January 2024 in San Diego. They usually do two one-hour sets with two or three songs from each Swift era. Yuter will have to create the backing tracks for the new Swift tunes and come up with choreography for the group’s dancers.
“There will be an after party in Boogie Nights. There will be a pre-party at Tango’s with Taylor-themed drink specials,” Yuter said about the November show.
Contact Vincent Jackson:
609-272-7202
vjackson@pressofac.com
X @ACPressJackson
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Vincent Jackson
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