Sometimes we all have to take a sick day from work, but what if you’re Taylor Swift?
The singer’s worldwide Eras Tour has made her a billionaire, but the flipside is that if she has to cancel a date due to a particularly nasty cold, she could end up losing a lot of money.
Vocal coach Elaine Overholt, who has trained pop stars such as Shawn Mendes, told CTV News: “A lot of singers are self-employed. So if they lose their voice for a day or two days or for a week, it means losing a lot of money.”
So what sort of methods do singers use to look after their voice and stop themselves getting sick?
Apart from making deals with Sea Witches like the Little Mermaid, of course.
Well, steam and humidifiers are a popular way to keep singers vocal cords ship shape – both backstage and while they’re performing.
And according to the Mirror, Adele spent a whopping $500k on cutting edge technology for her Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace to ensure her pipes were in working order.
A source said: “They’ve had complex systems installed before, but this one really is on another level.
“The system works by combining dehumidifiers, purification units, water molecule dispersal and cooling fans in the preparation room and then guiding that air around the stage when she performs.”
Celine Dion apparently had a similar set-up.
Though the singer has had to take a break from touring because of her health at the moment, Overholt says she’s seen the plans of the Las Vegas theater she used to perform in.
There were apparently humidifiers built into the stage to moisten the air throughout the show.
Other singers will reportedly take no risks of picking up an infection when on tour, and effectively self-isolate for the duration.
Swift apparently has strict measures in place.
An insider told Yahoo: “When Taylor is on tour, strict measures are put into place to stop her interacting with anyone outside of her ‘bubble’.
“They cannot risk her getting sick under any circumstances.
“Even those in her bubble, including dancers and managers, are restricted in what they can do and where they can go during downtime.”
In fairness, if you are on a tour that’s grossed more than $1 billion, then a lot is riding on your voice.