Tag: Taylor Swift

Why is Taylor Swift so popular? The karmic genius that led to her success.

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Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,”  announcement at the 2024 Grammy Awards is cosmic-level for this Swiftie.

By Emily Laptad

CW: Mention of domestic abuse/violence, complex trauma, and childhood trauma.

On October 22, 2022, I woke up to listen to the bonus tracks on Taylor Swift’s tenth studio album, Midnights (3am Edition). It was a spiritual experience that nudged my personal life story in a direction I never saw coming when the lyrics, “Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first,” crooned through my earbuds as I listened to “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” for the first time.

So, it’s fitting that it’s 3 a.m. now as I try to weave together the words to illustrate just how much the historical popstar, musical mastermind, and 14-time Grammy Award Winner means to me—and so many other Swifties too. This particular editorial has been in the making for over a year now, and after tossing and turning over the shear dismay that Taylor blindsided the Swifties with a brand new album, The Tortured Poets Department, that’s coming out on April 19 (we all thought we were getting reputation (Taylor’s Version) instead) now felt like a better time than ever.

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Leave the Gaylors alone, your internalized homophobia is showing

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By Emily Laptad
Photo by Travis Young

I never had an official “coming out” moment. In a way, this very article might be the closest thing I’ll ever do to officially “come out as bisexual.” But here’s the thing. I am already out to everyone who is paying attention. 

And it wasn’t until I was ranting to my husband about the latest drama around the dialogue of Taylor Swift’s sexuality that I came to a colossal realization. As words flew out of my mouth at 100 mph, my insightful spouse pointed out that I am so upset with what’s happening because I see myself in what seems to be Taylor’s story.

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‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’ is a Time Capsule of Adolescent Expression 

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By Hanna Ellington

Glittering, angsty, sparkling, and effeminate, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is an ode to girlhood and the unrestrained emotion that comes with growing out of it.

I sit here coming to you in my apartment in a big city reminiscing on who I was when Speak Now came out for the first time. Dark curly hair, ambition beyond the confines of Kansas, and an affinity for the unbridled twang of Taylor Swift. At 11, I had already paid my dues as a Swiftie with my copy of Fearless and her debut album tucked in the growing CD collection shared with my mom.

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Midnights: Swapping Stories at Swift’s Sleepover

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By Hanna Ellington

A master of reinvention, Taylor Swift pivots toward reflection with her latest release, Midnights. 

The album in its entirety feels similar to being at a long-awaited sleepover, where the brazen story-swapping continues long after the lights are turned out. Her 10th studio album serves as a formal departure from the imaginative stories of folklore and evermore, capturing an honest exploration of personal faults and private vulnerabilities. Accented by the return of her ever-catchy pop sound, Midnights illuminates the subtle intricacies of late-night talking and restless ponderings through its substance under the moody, synth-pop surface.

Midnights toys with what keeps you up at night, with subjects ranging from self-examination, karmic revenge, and notches in the bedpost. Combining elements of candid, late-night musings with polished and dreamy synthesized backings, Swift’s personal examination fuses her past personas and experiences to create a matured, subdued, and introspective package. Defined by her color-coded and recognizable eras, Midnights analyzes “13 sleepless nights scattered through my life,” according to her August 29 Instagram announcement, giving an intimate perspective on the inner workings of her mind and life in the spotlight.

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Red (Taylor’s Version) Serves as A Guide to Growing Up and Getting Over

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By Hanna Ellington

I was 13 years old when Taylor Swift released Red, a 16-track album in which Swift navigates the complicated dynamics of love and loss. Through her experiences of questioning self-worth, the joys of young adorations, and the aftermath of ill-fated relationships, Swift’s second re-recorded album delivers universal themes and necessary advice to those growing up alongside the songwriter. Now, at 22 years old, I am once again immersed in Swift’s universe, masterfully updated with Red (Taylor’s Version).

The album feels like a visit from a forgotten friend. It delivers ever-poignant advice with a matured perspective, evoking universal themes of heartbreak and change. Concentrated on the intensity and grandeur of love affairs, Swift masterfully encapsulates the emotional intensity paired with growing pains, taking a beyond-her-years and poetic approach to the age-old search for one’s place in the world.

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