Taylor Swift: The Most Prominent Symbol of Girlhood Today
“Taylor Swift’s new album reached a new streaming record,” “Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is boosting the American economy,” “Taylor Swift wins nine MTV Video Music Awards.” It seems every day we continue to read headlines such as these, acknowledging singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s leaps and bounds.
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I began listening to Taylor around age five, right when her third album, “Speak Now,” was released. I remember dancing around in my childhood bedroom to the song “Mean,” putting on a world tour performance with my hairbrush as the microphone. As I have grown, so has Taylor and her music. Taylor will forever be a part of who I am, and I dream of the days when I tell my children the infamous stories of the Eras Tour. She is a universal figure of girlhood that brings us all together through beautiful melodies and powerful bridges.
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Taylor is a prominent role model for all young girls and teens as she continues to evolve and dominate the male-dominated music industry as a woman. Despite this dominance, she has been tested on several occasions. For example, at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, her success was undermined entirely by rapper Kanye West as he stole the microphone from her while she received the award for best video by a female artist. Furthermore, she is currently in the process of re-recording her first six albums so that she will have the ability to own these records. Her previous record label, Big Machine Records, sold the master rights of her first six albums without her consent to Scooter Braun in 2019 for 300 million dollars (Cortez, 2021). As Taylor constantly overcomes obstacles, young girls continue to admire her perseverance.
With her discography spanning ten albums, Taylor has done what many artists dream of achieving, which is transitioning from different genres along her musical journey. These genres include country, pop and alternative indie. She has hundreds of songs that fit any mood that one experiences, showcasing how her lyricism is unmatched.
“And you wanna scream
Don’t call me ‘kid’
Don’t call me ‘baby’
Look at this godforsaken mess that you made me
You showed me colors
You know I can’t see with anyone else” (Swift, 2020).
“And my cheeks are growing tired
From turning red and faking smiles
Are we only biding time ‘til I lose your attention?
And someone else lights up the room?
People love an ingénue” (Swift, 2021).
“If clarity’s in death, then why won’t this die?
Years of tearing down our banners, you and I
Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts
Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first” (Swift, 2022).
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These are some examples of gut-wrenching and relatable lyrics in Taylor’s music. Her lyricism allows everyone, especially women, to not feel alone in any situation they are experiencing, for she has probably written about it already.
Taylor’s Eras Tour has been the hottest event to attend this year. It is projected to gross $2.2 billion in ticket sales alone for the first leg of the North American tour (Hur, Mena, 2023). Fans are going all out, spending hundreds of dollars on outfits for their concert shows and showing up with highly creative looks. When attending this concert, many regard it as a “bonding experience” with fellow fans as they share friendship bracelets, scream lyrics and dance hysterically together. Taylor encapsulates such a personal connection with her fans during the concert, even though they occur in stadiums that average 60,000 to 70,000 seats.
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Taylor Swift acts as such a positive reinforcement to women by leading the male-dominated music industry, encapsulating the true feelings of girlhood through her music and creating long-lasting connections between her and her fans. In an ever-changing world, she will remain a timeless symbol of girlhood, along with her qualities of resilience, creativity and determination. As Taylor’s legacy continues to shine bright, she reminds us of how every girl has the potential to be the author of her own story; it’s “Fearless!”
Sources
Cortez, S. (2021). Taylor Swift serves as a role model in women’s empowerment - the paisano. Retrieved from https://paisano-online.com/26260/arts-life/taylor-swift-serves-as-a-role-model-in-womens-empowerment/
Hur, K., & Mena, B. (2023). First on CNN: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour could become the highest grossing tour of All time | cnn business. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/business/taylor-swift-eras-tour-two-billion/index.html
illicit affairs. (2020). [MP3]. folklore. Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff.
Nothing New. (2021). [MP3]. Red (Taylor’s Version). Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner.
Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve. (2022). [MP3]. Midnights (3am Edition). Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner.
Written by Sydney Annis
Copyedited by Sarah Myers
Graphic by Sophie Difusco