You know, I wasn’t always a Swiftie. Although I hate to admit it, younger Sanjana would stick her nose up and roll her eyes when she heard “Love Story” or “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” My younger self was repelled by what seemingly sounded like another mainstream pop song presenting the trials and tribulations of love. It wasn’t until I started college that I fully understood the extent of Swift’s music. I’ve realized the true meaning of her songs follow the adversities of being a woman in today’s society, and moreover, how to deal with these adversities. Additionally, I’ve realized there’s much to learn from her discography, and that it would benefit us all to be more like Swift.
Popular female artists often have the strongest fan bases. But despite this, they also face the most scrutiny from the media. Every walk, smile, speech, gesture, and slip-up is probed, sifted, dissected, analyzed, by pop culture news outlets and sometimes, larger media platforms as well. It’s hard to speculate if Swift’s career would’ve been easier if she was “The Man,” but judging by the fact that male artists aren’t as frequently blasted by the media, signs point to yes. Even in the face of adversity, Taylor has managed to have an overly successful career, and this can be largely attributed to her actions and how she’s built her empire.
Perhaps the most admirable thing about Taylor is her seeming carelessness towards the hate, and how she “tolerate(s) it.” My personal favorite thing about her is that she primarily responds to media politics through her music. Her album reputation is a prime example of responding to the negative press surrounding her stature and prestige. Other songs like “You Need To Calm Down” and “Shake it Off” are also responses to the unfavorable rumors surrounding her and others’ personal lives.
Taylor is also a role model for people-pleasers, especially those who weigh and value the opinions of other people before their own. Feeding into the words of others can often feel like a “Death By A Thousand Cuts.” Taylor’s music has shown that when you fall into the trap of needing to please other people, you lose the best and most important parts of yourself. Soon, “long story short,” you won’t be able to recognize the person looking back at you in the mirror.
Finally, Swift has worked to develop one of the most integral foundations for success: a strong support network of friends and family. Taylor’s strong band of friends have continued to support her through what might’ve been her toughest times. Building a web allows us to know that even during our worst moments, we’ll have people who will defend us. So it shows, sometimes “It’s Nice To Have A Friend” and people who will always “Stay Stay Stay.”
Swift has shown that she understands our struggles in “All Too Well” (the 10 minute version, of course), which is why I believe her life lends us many lessons to learn. Some takeaways: (1) Respond to criticism through creative outlets and action, not by reacting rashly; (2) Let them “Call It What [They] Want” after you’ve done right by yourself; (3) Understand your biggest flaws, and come to “peace” with them; (4) Know that you’re a “mirrorball” and show every version of yourself. Swift is a prime example showing that being idiosyncratic and unapologetically yourself in a world that prefers conformity can lead to “happiness.”
For the reasons stated above, I listen to Taylor Swift every day, and I don’t envision a world in which I intend to stop. In fact, I’ve been listening to her music while writing the entirety of this column, and it’s been somewhat of a spiritual experience. While I don’t love every one of her songs, her lyrical compositions resonate with me in a way that many other artists’ songs can’t. Even when she’s been depicted negatively by the media, oftentimes as a “mad woman,” she continues to produce new music that’s enjoyed by millions globally.
Let’s all be more like Taylor. “Long Live” Miss Americana.
Be First to Comment