The life of a Taylor Swift app created in Durham
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Swift Alert got its start during the Eras Tour. Photo Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios. Photo: Octavio Jones, Terence Rushin/Getty Images
New Taylor Swift music, for Durham-based serial entrepreneur Kyle Mumma, always comes with a little bit of anxiety.
- "Is it going to be as good as it always is? And fortunately, it always is," Mumma says.
- But there are also the other Swifties to think about.
Why it matters: Mumma and his wife, Mia Wise, created the wildly popular Swift Alert app, with 2.5 million downloads and counting.
- Swift's new album "The Life of a Showgirl" debuted Friday.
Catch up quick: Swift Alert provides constant updates on the pop star's concerts and life, as well as daily games.
- Mumma, a Swiftie, started the app during the Eras Tour. Fans were hungry for notifications on show times, as well as her outfits and set lists, which evolved throughout the nearly two-year world tour.
Zoom in: The app's most-clicked alert was sent out when Swift's now-fiancé, Travis Kelce, made a surprise appearance onstage in London.
- "🚨 Travis joins Taylor on stage." Wise alerted in a panic.
- Other hits? The new "Reputation" bodysuit debut. Getting her masters back. The engagement.
Behind the scenes: Swift Alert is a "passion project" for the small team, Mumma says.
- He didn't provide revenue figures, but says only "a fraction of a percent pay" to use the app.
- Most of that money, he says, goes to paying their engineer, buying prizes for giveaways and covering data hosting costs.
What they're saying: When asked whether Swifties' dedication was singular, Mumma recalled a line uttered by New York Times writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner in 2023: "Great art is the art that sees you."
- "Obviously for Taylor, it's many, many millions of people who feel really seen by her work," he says.
- "But it's true of many, many different artists, some of whom you've never heard of. Someone really sees themselves in that music and resonates with it deeply, and it just creates this real commitment and desire to engage around it."
Flashback: Mumma was born and raised in Durham. He met his wife at Duke University, where they both went for undergrad and business school.
- Today, they live in Trinity Park with their dog Jamo.
Fun fact: The couple also owns Revel, a cycling studio that opened this summer in downtown's new skyscraper, The Novus.
- Their favorite coffee shop is Joe Van Gogh. You're also likely to catch them grabbing a bite at the Pizzeria Toro bar or Viceroy.
What's next for Taylor: A wedding? Another tour? We'll find out when Swift Alert does.
