Taylor Swift Once Again Broke the Internet
Taylor Swift is one to make headlines for breaking music records all over the globe, this time she broke the internet.
More precisely, Swifties crashed Ticketmaster’s website as we, I am a Verified Taylor Swift Fan thank you very much, desperately tried to get tickets for her upcoming Eras Tour. If you know you know, yesterday was a chaos of a day, one everyone will remember as stress levels rose to a never before seen height. (no dramatic exaggeration)
Courtesy of NME
Needless to say it was a total mess but some great tweets commemorated the day.
How did this happen? We have to go back to 2019 when Taylor Swift introduced us to the Lover era that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of fans thirsty for concerts and appearances. Little did we know we were going to get that and so much more.
Courtesy of Vogue
Let’s just remember that Taylor Swift was named “the music industry”, probably the most fitting description ever said. As Swift has created one of the most influential musical careers of our times, breaking every record known since the young age of 16. Her single “Our Song” for 2006 made history as Taylor positioned herself as the youngest artist to have written and performed a No. 1 song on the Hot Country Songs chart.
She went on to becoming the youngest person to win entertainer of the year at the CMAA, then in 2010 Swift became the youngest artist to receive album of the year award at the Grammys for her album Fearless, then again in 2016 with her album 1989 becoming the first woman to ever receive the coveted award twice. She also holds the record for most No.1 hits on the Billboard´s US Digital Song Sales chart, then in 2021 she won for a third time Album of the Year, she also holds the title for most weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart.
More recently her song All Too Well (10 minute version) became the longest song in history to go No.1, same song that gained her another VMA for Video of the Year award and just last month her newest album Midnight's broke the record for the most streamed album in a single day in Spotify history, just to mention some of the many records she holds. Oh, yes! She also holds the record for the largest grossing tour in US history which will definitely be dethroned with the Eras Tour in 2023.
Since 2006 Taylor has been making headlines, be it her love life, her weight, her image, her political stances, what she wears, what she does, what she writes about. Never really catching a break. Tirelessly judged and hated, now looking back, for being a successful woman that was trying to become what was being asked of her, playing the role of a nice girl. A girl that obeys, that does not enforce her beliefs or opinions on others, a girl that waves and says thank you.
Courtesy of TIME
Honestly, I didn't like her either as to me she seemed like a robot prototype of every stereotype a girl was supposed to be, obviously standards I didn’t meet. Now, 15 years later, growing up with Taylor many of us realized that it was in fact our programmed internal misogyny that didn’t allow us to respect her or any other women in music for that matter.
Taylor’s Miss Americana documentary introduced us to the reality behind the good girl we saw. A rise-to-the- top journey that was flooded by misogyny, mistreatment, self-hatred, double standards, cancel culture and a deep dive that reveals what being a woman under your own terms means. It doesn’t matter if you like her music or not, this documentary is one not to be missed as I guarantee you are going to feel completely identified with many of the topics Taylor addresses, from finding your voice in a man’s world, showing up for yourself, learning to not hate your body and freeing yourself from outside expectations.
Courtesy of Vogue
A coming of age that navigates the difficulties of putting your words into actions and using your voice for change. Not just doing the talk but walking the walk. Taylor broke her long political silence when she came out to ask fans to go out and vote against conservative senate hopeful Marsha Blackburn, making it clear where Taylor stands. Unfortunately suffering sexual assault is the norm and Taylor wasn’t the exception. Back in 2013 a DJ felt he had the right to grope Taylor. Baffled and shocked from the violation Taylor didn’t keep quiet as she then explained how women are always silenced and she knew she had the power and voice to shine a light on how these violations should not go unpunished. Four years later after said dj sued her for defamation Taylor countersuit for assault and battery for a symbolic 1$, she won. Which is definitely not the norm as to how these trials go.
"This is with seven witnesses and a photo. What happens when you get raped and it's your word against his?"- Miss Americana
Courtesy of Vanity Fair
Taylor is also an active advocate for the rights of artists owning their work, in 2014 she pulled her entire music catalog from Spotify to protest the unfair wages paid to artists. Then 4 years later she would fall victim to the system as all her music was sold, leaving her no rights to her own writings. What became a cautionary tale to never mess with Taylor but also to demonstrate how artists' works are at the hands of people who ultimately don’t care.
She didn’t keep crossed armed, she came back stronger than ever and in a very courageous, powerful and epic move re-recorded her entire discography. It’s Taylor’s Version or nothing.
“There is no such thing as a slut, there is no such thing as a bitch, there is no such thing as someone who’s bossy, there’s just a boss.”- Miss Americana
All part of the experiences that led her to create the many universes that accompany her different music eras. Listen, Taylor doesn’t just make music, she creates worlds. So listening to her music is a whole experience as no one song is just a song, if you have time I encourage you to go down the rabbit hole and have your mind blown.
Someone once said about Taylor, “‘when you have this much talent you don’t work as hard as she does”. Taylor inspires through her dedication, unapologetic self, impressive work ethic and a passion that never ceases to extinguish.
Of course we are going to talk fashion, Taylor as with everything else she does, doesn’t adjust to trends. Even though she has sang every genre and with each new album reinvents herself, her street style and red carpet looks truly reflect who she is.
From her princess dresses, cowboy boots and big blonde curls, to high waisted shorts, oxfords, 50s inspired silhouettes and bangs, to edgier, feminine pop-star, to dark glitter, hoods, knee-high boots to cabin girl core. Taylor’s fashion reflects her music which is composed of her heartbreaks, her self-love, coming of age, love, standing up to bullies and of course sleepless nights.
Once again for everyone in the back, Taylor Swift is the music industry.