The Emotional Moment Taylor Swift Made Kobe Bryant's 6-Year-Old Daughter Smile During Her Show

Taylor Swift kicked off her first night performing in Los Angeles with an emotional moment between her and the late legendary basketball player, Kobe Bryant’s, daughter Bianka. 

The bittersweet interaction had some of the audience cheering while others were in tears. 

Taylor Swift gifted a hat to Bianka Bryant during her LA concert. 

A phenomenon that has become quite popular during Swift’s “Eras” Tour is when the pop star gives one lucky fan a hat each time she performs the song “22.” 

During the first night of performances at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California, six-year-old Bianka Bryant, her mother Vanessa, and her sister Natalia were in attendance, singing along with the excited crowd. 

As Swift was performing “22,” she approached little Bianka at the side of the stage and pulled her into an embrace. She exchanged a few words with Bianka before gifting her with the infamous hat, placing it on her head. 

The sweet moment had most of the crowd erupting in cheers and applause, and others rightfully feeling emotional. 

“That little girl has been through so much. THIS IS WHY I LOVE TAYLOR,” one TikTok user commented. “That little girl needed a healing Taylor hug,” another user wrote. 

In January 2020, Bianka’s father, Kobe Bryant, and sister, Gianna (Gigi) Bryant, who was only 13 years old, were both tragically killed in a helicopter crash along with seven other passengers. 

The late basketball player’s wife Vanessa paid tribute to her husband during the Swift concert, wearing a custom denim jacket that depicted a photo of Kobe and Swift in 2015 along with the lyrics, “Say you’ll remember me,” from Swift’s song, “Wildest Dreams.” 

The Bryant family have been longtime Taylor Swift fans. 

This is not the first time Swift has interacted with the Bryant family. In 2015, Kobe took the stage at the Staples Center to present Swift with a banner to honor the singer’s sold-out shows at the venue during her “1989” World Tour. 

In front of the roaring crowd, Kobe praised Swift for having a total of 16 sold-out performances. “16 is a very special number here in Los Angeles because 16 is the same amount of championships we have as the Lakers champions,” he said. 

Swift and Kobe embraced after he surprised her with the banner. 

The Bryants also happen to be longtime Swifties, with Natalia Bryant, Kobe and Vanessa’s eldest daughter, supporting Swift by making “Eras” bracelets to wear to the concert.

Vanessa has also expressed her love for Swift, sharing a photo to her Instagram story of her and Natalia before dropping her off at college dubbed over Swift’s song “Don’t You Ever Grow Up.”

Vanessa also posted a sweet photo of Swift and Bianka hugging at the SoFi Stadium show, captioning her post “We love you @taylorswift.” 

Gigi Bryant was also a big fan of Swift’s. Vanessa shared a video on her Instagram story from August 2018 that depicted Natalia and Gigi singing along to Swift’s “You Belong With Me.” 

Considering everything that Bianka Bryant and her family have been through over the last three years, losing two of their loved ones so suddenly and having to adjust to their difficult new reality, it is safe to say that this “22” hat was well-deserved and most certainly made the night even more special. 

The moment also undoubtedly meant the world to LA natives who were in attendance, as a way to remember and honor a very important team member of their very own Lakers Basketball team. 

While Kobe and Gianna Bryant may not have been physically at Swift’s show, they were very much present in spirit and felt throughout the entire crowd, and it will be a performance that the Bryant family will remember "All Too Well." 

Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.