Gretchen Whitmer to Taylor Swift: Michigan has been waiting for you

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says Michigan is in its "Fearless" era.

Whitmer took to Twitter on Friday to welcome Taylor Swift in a video peppered with nods to the singer's top hits. Swift is in Detroit on Friday and Saturday as part of her popular Eras Tour at Ford Field. Thousands are expected in downtown Detroit and fans are eagerly awaiting the singer. Among those excited for her arrival: the state's top leader.

Whitmer says Michigan has been waiting for her — a reference to Swift's "Welcome to New York" — and highlights what the governor says makes the Midwestern state special.

"We have an incredible team of leaders who take pride in fighting for freedom," Whitmer said. "Michiganders are resilient and fighting for change, Taylor's Version," a reference to Swift's album re-releases known as Taylor's Version.

"Michigan is a place where we fight for equal rights for all and to enact change. We need to elect leaders to fight for freedom. This is our place. We make the rules in Michigan," referring to the song "Lover."

Whitmer went on: "We'd like to echo your sentiment: the best people in life are free," hinting at the song "New Romantics."

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The nods to Swift's songs keep going in the 1 minute 31 second video.

Whitmer touts Michigan's lakes — Swift has a song called "The Lakes" on one of her most recent albums, "Folklore."

"I'm personally in my Reputation era," Whitmer said, referencing the 2017 album where Swift revealed a new style and pushes back against public scrutiny.

"And if you're finding yourself not wanting to leave Michigan after this weekend, don't blame me. To all the fans going to the concert this weekend. Have an incredible time. And I just have one last thing to say. Are you ready for it?" Whitmer said.

The video drops as local fans have been preparing for Swift's sold-out concerts. The tour spans Swift's 10 studio albums, and fans across the country are creating and wearing outfits to match. For Swifties, it's a chance to flaunt their favorite album or song and channel what Swift's music has meant to them growing up. Along with costumes, many fans are also trading friendship bracelets at the concerts, with lyrics or album names threaded together.

Those got a nod from Whitmer, too.

"To the Swifties — make your friendship bracelets and no matter what era you’re in, shake off. Stay safe and have fun," Whitmer said in her post accompanying the video, though the message dropped a word in the title of Swift's mega hit "Shake It Off."

Swift's ties to metro Detroit are strong. The Free Press' Brian McCollum writes that she had a pivotal career break in a suburban Detroit parking lot. In 2006, the then 16-year-old singer made her first trip out to metro Detroit and met with WYCD-FM program director Tim Roberts at a parking lot at the P.F. Chang’s on Haggerty Road in Northville Township. Fans speculate that Swift is referencing that moment in her song "You're On Your Own, Kid" where she says: "I play my songs in the parking lot."

If Whitmer was looking for a local reference in Swift's lyrics, she could have borrowed from the song "London Boy," in which she sings, "I love my hometown as much as Motown."

Free Press staff writer Brian McCollum contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gretchen Whitmer to Taylor Swift: Michigan has been waiting for you