Taylor Swift sparks $2 Million fundraiser for aquarium wearing t-shirt

US singer Taylor Swift has proven that her star power goes beyond music, this time, it’s making waves for marine life.

After Swift was seen wearing a vintage Monterey Bay Aquarium otter conservation t-shirt in the release party movie for her new album The Life of a Showgirl, fans went into a frenzy trying to track down the nostalgic tee. The shirt, originally sold in the 1990s and featuring two otters floating on their backs, hadn’t been available for decades.

Swift’s fashion choice led to a tidal wave of interest. The Monterey Bay Aquarium in Northern California was inundated with calls and messages from fans desperate to get their hands on the retro design. In response, the aquarium re-released the shirt on Thursday, 16 October, launching a special fundraising campaign with a goal of $1.3 million, a nod to Swift’s lucky number, 13.

What happened next was extraordinary. Within just eight hours, the campaign not only met but smashed its goal, pulling in over $2 million for sea otter conservation efforts.

Donations and shirt sales were coming in at an astonishing rate, roughly $100,000 every 15 minutes, according to Liz MacDonald, the aquarium’s director of content strategy.

To listen to Barbara Friedman in conversation with Clarence Ford on CapeTalk's Views and News show, click on the audio below: