By Ann Wang, ’26
You may have heard the name Taylor Swift around, whether it’s constantly circulating your Instagram feed or floating around your friends’ conversations. But I’m sure many of you are wondering what the “hype” is about and more importantly, how to avoid her ever-growing global fanbase of 1.3 billion. From high schoolers begging their parents to buy tickets to her concert to grown-ups jamming to her tunes in the car, Swift has managed to charm listeners of all ages from all around the world. However, don’t be fooled by their friendly smiles: one wrong word and a Swiftie will attack ruthlessly. Lucky for you, you’ve stumbled upon an article that has conveniently outlined 6 things that should never be mentioned out loud in the presence of a Swiftie, to save you from their wrath.
- “All her songs sound the same!”
While it’s true that many of Taylor’s songs have themes of love and heartbreak, this comment will earn you the notorious eye-roll. Be prepared to be bombarded with comments on songs that sound nothing alike. Let’s compare “Love Story” to “Bad Blood”, for example: one describes an adventure through a love story following Romeo and Juliet, while the other confronts her past lover with an aggressive tone. Swift’s songs span the emotional spectrum from heart-wrenching ballads to catchy, chart-topping hits that can turn a rainy day into a dance-off. Swifties are experts at finding the deeper meaning and narrative in her songs, and dismissing them as mere breakup anthems is a grave error.
- “Folklore is so boring”
Oh, the audacity to call “Folklore” boring! In the Swiftie cosmos, “boring” simply doesn’t exist.
Released on July 24, 2020, “Folklore” marks a dramatic shift in Swift’s musical direction. The album was a surprising departure from her previous pop-infused works, opting for a more indie folk and alternative sound. In particular, she composed two songs, “Betty” and “The Last American Dynasty” displaying her ability to capture the essence of various made-up characters in introspective stories. In fact, “Folklore” is a critically acclaimed album, that has received numerous awards and nominations, including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2021.
- “What’s the point of Taylor’s version? They sound the same…”
The “Taylor’s Version” project, which involves Taylor Swift re-recording her earlier albums, serves major purposes, even if to some, the new recordings may sound similar to the original versions. In October 2020, Scooter Braun, a music executive, sold the first six of Taylor’s albums to Roy Edward Disney (not to be confused with Walt Disney) for around $405 million. In a speech at the Billboard Women in Music, Taylor explained: “After I was denied the chance to purchase my music outright, my entire catalogue was sold to Scooter Braun… Yet, to this day, none of these investors have bothered to contact me or my team directly — to perform their due diligence on their investment. On their investment in me. To ask how I might feel about the new owner of my art, the music I wrote, the videos I created, photos of me, my handwriting, my album designs.” Since then, she has released four re-recorded albums (Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989), and rumours are circulating anticipating the drop of Reputation TV in the new year.
Many fans appreciate Taylor’s dedication to her music and her determination to reclaim her catalogue. For them, supporting her re-recordings is a way of showing solidarity and loyalty.
- “I love Taylor Swift – Blank Space is my favourite song!”
Please do not fall for this rookie trick. While you may be thinking you are winning over the heart of a Swiftie by expressing your “love” for one of her most streamed songs, you are making a grave mistake.
I have noticed that Swifties both on the internet and in person have a habit of trying to uncover “fake Swifties”. So, if you really want to pretend to like her, please listen to some other songs rather than resorting to the stereotypical answer. My personal recommendations in responding to this dangerous question would be All Too Well (ten-minute version, obviously), Delicate, or How You Get the Girl.
- “Kanye West literally apologised, why can’t she let it go?”
The Taylor Swift-Kanye West feud dates back to 2009 when Kanye West famously interrupted Taylor’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, announcing that “Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!” Over the years, there have been multiple public disputes and controversies between the two. While Kanye West has issued public apologies at different times, the nature of the feud, its various incidents, and the public scrutiny that followed them make it difficult for some to simply move on. In fact, Kanye West’s apologies have proven to be fickle. Another famous scandal between Taylor and Kanye was when Kanye wrote in his well-known song “Famous” that “[he] made that b**** famous”, referring to Taylor. While he has publicly apologised for these comments he has also expressed that he “absolutely [doesn’t] regret making them.” So, while there are many sides to this controversial story, showing pity for Kanye is certainly a way to make you an enemy of the Swifties. After all, Swifties are quite literally “one with Taylor Swift.”
- Who’s Taylor Swift anyway?
Where to begin with this question? If you put it into Google and you get “American Singer-Songwriter”, though she is much more complicated than that, like any other human being. A cat lover, she has broken over 58 Guinness world records, from being the first female artist to have 100 million monthly listeners to most recently, her 1989 Taylor’s Version, which became the most streamed album in a day this year. She has countless documentaries following her life and her story, such as “Ms. Americana” and “Reputation Tour” (both on Netflix 😉), where a poignant perspective into her personal life outside of being songwriter is shown. Furthermore, some Swifties may argue that “she is the music industry”; however, in my opinion, she is much more than that. Being an advocate for the rights of the LGBTQ+ communitu and for gender equality, she has had a profound impact on the younger generation in reducing stigma.
So in asking the question “who’s Taylor Swift anyways?” make sure to clear your calendar for the next week and expect to be lectured by your fellow Swities. Or who knows, maybe you might just inspire that Swiftie to write an article.