“Haven’t you heard about Taylor Swift?” My friend questioned me, book bag thrown haphazardly across the floor. I shook my head; she frowned. “She’s the girl who sings "Teardrops on My Guitar," you know, deep lyrics.”
And thus, at the tender age of 12, is how I was introduced to the worldwide phenomenon that has become Taylor Swift. Back then, I was a middle school student who desperately wanted to fit in; she was a country music star who desperately wanted to break out.
I had never heard country music, at least not in the normal sense. I grew up on a steady diet of classic rock -- my Dad’s favorite bands and artists, like David Bowie and Aerosmith -- while my mom preferred her high school favorites the Bee Gees and Michael Jackson. Just recently had I started venturing into the Billboard Top 100, so it will come as no surprise that I wasn’t aware of this new artist.
Still, like any young teen, I wanted to be accepted. I bought Taylor Swift’s first album, her against a blue backdrop, each strand of blonde hair curled. I put her music on my portable stereo, using it to help me study for some upcoming test.
After that, I was hooked.
Nine years later, I’ve bought every album, been to one of her shows, and have watched countless of her performances, interviews, insta pictures, etc.
What is it about this once country star turned into a pop star that millennials seem so attracted to? You say Taylor Swift and everyone has an opinion, both good and bad. They range from her music to her dating life, and even to her friend group; there’s no shortage on talk about this young woman.
But why?
I think, in part, it’s because she is a new type of celebrity.
Taylor Swift has songs that are personal. Each one is intertwined with some personal story, some experience, something that made whoever was listening to it stop and wonder. It was a connection, a bridge to her fans.
She had opened up her life, her mishaps and her accomplishments, to the world, and braced herself for the criticism that was surely to follow.
For a 12-year-old still figuring everything out, that meant something. She was close to my age, and she was putting into words the struggles of living a very average life. The disappointments, the boys, and the hope that things would turn up sooner or later.
That’s why she’s created this huge fan base of “Swifties.” The army that is behind her isn’t because they are mindless followers; it’s because they see someone who was like them, who is an advocate for all that they can become.
Her lyrics spoke volumes, but that was also because they were, and are, her lyrics. She has written, or co-written, most of her songs, making sure they have a sense of realism in them. They come from her heart, and it’s plain to see.
At 16, I managed to catch her in concert, in her Speak Now tour. There was a part of the show where she would do an acoustic set, coming close to the audience.
Acting on a whim, I shouted out, “Taylor!” and she looked up, startled for just a moment, before her eyes locked with mine. Her face broke into a genuine smile.
And for just that moment, the 12-year-old inside of me felt like I could go from average me to a someone who could shine, too.
