This October 21st, popular singer-songwriter Taylor Swift releases her highly anticipated 10th studio album titled Midnights. It will be riddled with surprises, such as a song featuring Lana Del Rey, and more. But who is Taylor Swift anyway, and how do Skyline teens feel about her and her music?
Swift has always been a hit with her relatable songs about heartbreak, love, and anything in between. “I think that Taylor Swift is a beautiful lyricist,” says one longtime fan Taylor Janigian (‘23), referencing her wide range of music and poetic songwriting. As a winner of 11 Grammys along with countless other awards, she definitely has a loyal fanbase, and unsurprisingly, there are many fans, casual and otherwise. When The Skyline Post asked about their favorite artists, “the only real repeats were Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo,”
Not only are Students fans of Swift’s music, they also admire her as a person and role model. Swift has been known for being loud about her political stance and opinions, as well as generally being a kind and loving woman and a good role model for her audience. “I love her so much…” says El Myers, (‘23) “She stands for all the right things.”
Notably, she has donated to many charities, including but not limited to, Make-a-Wish Foundation, UNICEF, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, according to Look to the Stars. She is also known for holding surprise meet-and-greet sessions at concerts and occasionally sending new announcements and merch to vocal online fans. “…She’s an icon,” says Myers.
Swift has also influenced the experiences and connections of her fans. For example, at concerts, they say that everyone there is amazing. They are all there to see the same person and bond over that. People can make really good friends for the night just by being drawn together by a single artist. Myers even says that “the universal rule for Taylor’s stans (fans) is that they are all nice.”
Some students, however, are not huge fans of Swift’s new music. Swift has changed her genre as she emerged in the industry, from country (in her 2008 album Fearless), to pop (beginning with the 2014 album 1989), and now to alternative with her newest studio albums Folklore and Evermore. Even her new album is shaping up to add a new category to the list.
“I like her old music better than her new stuff,” says Shiyah Johnson (‘25), remembering listening to her original country music while growing up in Kentucky.
Swift continues to release new music, including rerecordings of her old albums to gain the rights to them after a conflict with her original record company. Her loyal fanbase, including those at Skyline, continue to watch her evolve as a musician. And, as Taylor Swift fans ourselves, we are always excited for what she’s going to do next and how she’ll further expand her collection. We believe, as some people say, with her 10 plus studio albums and countless other singles, that she is the music industry.
