Kam Saunders Gives A Glimpse Inside Taylor Swift’s Inner Circle With Birthday Tribute

Taylor Swift is feeling the birthday love, and it’s coming straight from her inner circle. The pop superstar celebrated her 36th birthday on Saturday, December 13, and her "Eras Tour" family made sure the milestone didn’t go unnoticed. Swift’s longtime backup dancers and close friends Kameron Saunders and Jan Ravnik both took to Instagram to honor the singer with heartfelt tributes, offering fans a rare glimpse into the bonds formed behind the scenes of her record-breaking tour.

Kam Saunders, who has worked alongside Swift for years, shared a rehearsal photo of the two and reflected on their growing friendship. “To my girl … my boss lady!” he wrote. “It’s been three years now that we’ve gotten to have this moment. And each year my love for you grows deeper and deeper.”

He went on to praise Swift not just as an artist, but as a person. “You are such an astounding human being!! I’m honored to be in your orbit. The laughs. The love. The affirming. The care. The generosity. I just ... thank you!” Saunders added, closing his message with, “Here’s to a lifetime of more of these moments together. Happy Birthday, gorgeous! #SheProtectsTheFamily.”

Adding to the moment, Swift’s ex-boyfriend, Taylor Lautner, also popped up in the comments, leaving a subtle show of support with heart-hand emojis under Saunders’ post.

Fellow dancer Jan Ravnik, who recently appeared on "Dancing with the Stars," also joined in the celebration, posting a montage of moments from the "Eras Tour."

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY @taylorswift,” he wrote. “I’m endlessly grateful for you and for the 3 years we’ve shared together. You’re one of a kind!”

The birthday love comes during what has already been a massive year for Swift, both professionally and personally.

On the music front, the Grammy winner released "The Life of a Showgirl," her twelfth studio album, in October. The project shattered records, earning the biggest first-week sales ever in the U.S. and sending all 12 tracks into the top spots of the Billboard Hot 100. She also gave fans an inside look at her historic tour with the first installment of "The End of an Era," a docuseries pulling back the curtain on the "Eras Tour" phenomenon.

In the project, Saunders spoke openly about how working alongside Swift has helped create a rare sense of safety and acceptance in an industry that often lacks it. “Spaces like space that Taylor is curating on a night-to-night basis, I wish we had more of that, even outside of entertaining,” Saunders said. “It’s so important to be heard, to be understood. My background as a dancer, I had a lot of dancers and professors who were not-so-kind, mostly around my size and if I wanted to be a professional dancer.”

One of the most powerful moments in "The End of an Era" docuseries has nothing to do with sold-out stadiums or record-breaking charts. Instead, it happens backstage on what Swift calls “bonus day.”

In the second episode, Swift opens up about why rewarding her dancers, musicians, and crew members at the end of each tour leg was non-negotiable for her. “Bonus day is so important because setting a precedent with the 'Eras Tour' is really important to me. Because people who work on the road, if the tour grosses more, they get more of a bonus,” Swift explained. “And these people just work so hard, and they are the best at what they do.”

But the money wasn’t handed out casually. Swift revealed she personally wrote handwritten notes to accompany each bonus, determined to make the grueling, nearly two-year tour feel meaningful for everyone involved.

Then comes the moment that left viewers stunned. Kam Saunders reads the bonus amount aloud. While the number itself is censored, the dancers’ reactions speak for themselves. Gasps, stunned silence, and disbelief ripple through the room.

According to PEOPLE, Swift ultimately distributed a staggering $197 million in bonuses across the "Eras Tour," rewarding everyone from dancers and musicians to caterers, lighting and audio technicians, riggers, carpenters, choreographers, wardrobe teams, hair and makeup staff, and venue security.

As the birthday tributes, record-breaking milestones, and behind-the-scenes moments continue to stack up, it's clear that Taylor Swift isn’t just celebrating another year, but she’s building a legacy rooted in gratitude and loyalty.