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Taylor Swift’s Depiction in Genre, Culture, and Society Essay

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Taylor Swift is one of today’s most well-known and influential people. As a singer-songwriter, fashion icon, and philanthropist, she has amassed millions of fans worldwide. This essay examines Taylor Swift’s depiction in the media and society and how her image has influenced how people see her. Taylor Swift is depicted in the media and everyday life as a personable, down-to-earth individual who connects with a diverse range of individuals (Aguirre, 2019). Her prominence bolsters this portrayal as a fashion icon and socially concerned advocate, which positions her as an inspiration to her fans.

Taylor Swift is typically regarded as a personable and genuine person who connects with many admirers, both young and elderly. She is well-known for her narrative songs, many of which are inspired by her own experiences and relationships (Jensen, 2019). Hence, she has earned a reputation as a musician who can connect and engage with her audience on a human level. For example, Taylor Swift’s image in the media includes her standing as a fashion star. Swift is well-known for her particular style, which combines old and new elements. She has worked with several fashion firms, including Louis Vuitton and Stella McCartney, and has appeared in several fashion magazines (BillboardStyle, 2022). This fashion icon portrayal has helped to cement her status as a likable personality who is not afraid to experiment with her appearance.

Taylor Swift’s advocacy and kindness are other examples of how she is regarded in society. Swift has been vocal about various social and political issues, including LGBTQ rights and education. She has also been involved in several charitable activities, such as attempts to alleviate hunger and assist disaster victims (Rice, 2020). This portrayal of her as a socially conscious and committed celebrity has contributed to her standing as an inspiration and role model for her fans.

In conclusion, in the media and society, Taylor Swift is portrayed as an approachable, genuine person who connects with various people. Her status as a fashion icon and socially conscious activist solidifies this portrayal and positions her as an inspiration to her followers. Taylor Swift has received recognition not only for her status as a socially conscious campaigner and fashion icon but also for her philanthropic activities and support of numerous non-profit organizations. Her dedication to using her position to improve the world has bolstered her reputation as a role model and an inspiration to her supporters.

Aguirre, A. (2019) ‘ Taylor Swift on sexism, scrutiny, and standing up for herself ‘, Vogue , Web.

BillboardStyle, B. (2022) ‘ Taylor Swift’s style evolution, from 2006 to now ‘, Billboard, Web.

Jensen, E. (2019) ‘ Dwayne Johnson, Taylor Swift, Gayle King, more cover time’s 100 most influential people issue ‘, USA Today: Time magazine. Gannett Satellite Information Network. Web.

Larocca, C. (2019) ‘ Taylor Swift is the artist of the Decade ‘ , Insider, Web.

Rice, N. (2020) ‘ Taylor Swift promises to ‘always advocate’ for rights of the LGBTQ community: I’m ‘grateful for this ‘, People, Web.

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The Linguistic Evolution of Taylor Swift

If Taylor Swift shifts her accent in her transition from country to pop, does she lose the personal authenticity important to country music?

With the surprise midsummer release of Folklore , it seems that Taylor Swift has finally put out an indie record much cooler than her others , one that even a Pitchfork editor could love . The critically acclaimed, aptly named Folklore feels like a cozy, autumnal, cardigan-wearing kind of album, homing in on the telling and retelling of stories of heartbreak and longing through the lyricism of language at the heart of Swift’s songwriting.

It appears to be a tentative new step toward a more subdued, contemplative form of music, in the decade-long, genre-bending career of one of the most successful—yet also much criticized—artists of this era. Despite the awards and fan adoration, Taylor Swift is also an artist who has been beset with a mess of contradictory criticisms , at once derided for revealing too much about her personal life in her music, and at the same time dismissed as nothing more than a manufactured, blank space of an inauthentic pop star.

Until recently, in fact, even her supporters sometimes drew attention not to her creative skill in songwriting but to her work ethic or marketing savvy, as if to damn with faint praise. If the new sounds of  Folklore are part of a struggle for musical legitimacy, the album’s success might shine a light on why it has taken so long for critics to take Swift seriously. Why is it that some of them can never accept that Taylor Swift might have something worthy to say?

Perhaps the answer lies in how the disparate threads of language, accent, and the public image of authenticity and identity all get tangled up in that particularly confessional genre that gave Taylor Swift her start at the tender age of fifteen: country music.

Although it seems obvious that musicians, like the rest of us, likely enjoy a variety of genres , it still comes as a surprise when they successfully cross over to a different kind of music. Switching styles, whether in music or the way you speak, can be viewed with suspicion, and stepping outside the norm can be stigmatized.

The accent on singing

Taylor Swift, by some accounts a music nerd herself, famously made the move from country to pop, and took many of country’s songwriting and stylistic traditions with her. This naturally has played a part in how she and her music have been received by a wider audience, but it hasn’t always been positive. She first established a strong public persona as a real, relatable girl with a growing and evolving sense of self who just happened to be a country star. But country’s complex relationship with the ideas of realness, authenticity, and identity through personal storytelling was perhaps hard to translate to modern pop, a seemingly artificial genre. What’s more, the lived experience that’s grist for Swift’s songwriting now includes success, wealth, and privilege. Though her personal storytelling can seem far removed from what many of us may experience, there’s clearly something at the heart of those stories that we can still relate to.

Linguistically, this contradiction is evident in Swift’s code switching from one musical genre to another. Code switching occurs when a speaker straddling different speech communities changes from standard or expected languages, dialects, or even accents in some contexts to more marked ones in the same language in other contexts. Since many regional or class-based accents can be stigmatized for such unknowable things as education level and intelligence (or even the potential to be a supervillain ), it might seem strange that people switch from standard to nonstandard ways of speaking, even unconsciously. But it’s exceptionally common, and most curiously so when it comes to music.

The reasons for doing this, and the choices of code switching that speakers make, are almost always socially motivated, according to linguist Carol Myers-Scotton. Code switching is “a creative act, part of the negotiation of a public face.” It’s a way to signal which cultural group you identify with—where you want to belong. It can also signal a disruption of what’s seen as acceptable and normal—which, for instance, is what some musical genres, like rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop, are all about.

Many linguists, such as Peter Trudgill, have long noted how the accent of modern pop music is generally American , no matter where a music artist hails from. So Adele’s natural Cockney accent when speaking melts into fluid, American tones when singing, which is largely regarded by most people as unremarkable and normal. In “Prestige Dialect and the Pop Singer,” linguist S. J. Sackett notes that a kind of pseudo-southern American accent has become the standard “prestige” pop music accent, perhaps because of, rather than in spite of, its anti-establishment, working-class associations.

Meanwhile, indie rock groups like the Arctic Monkeys, singing in their own native Sheffield accents , might seem more marked. Yet choosing to sing against the musical tide, in a nonstandard accent, can signal independence and authenticity.

The genre of country music, in differentiating itself from pop, abounds in the stronger regional accents of the American South, not just from natives such as Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn but even a Canadian like Shania Twain or  the Swedish Americana group First Aid Kit .

Swift follows in a long line of singing like you belong. The southern accent is clearly evident in her early singles, such as “ Our Song ,” written when she was fourteen , where you can hear marked phonetic features of Southern American English from the very first word. The diphthong in the pronoun “I” [aɪ], in “I was riding shotgun,” sounds more like the monophthong “ah” [a:]. There’s also the lack of rhotic “r” in words like “car” and “heart,” and grammatical variation such as the lack of verb agreement in “your mama don’t know.” In the penultimate line, “I grabbed a pen and an old napkin,” the famous southern “pin-pen” merger reveals itself, as “pen” and “napkin” are rhymed.

In Swift’s crossover single “22,” the genre is pure pop, but the southern accent is still a force to be reckoned with: The “e” of “twenty” sounds more like “twinny” and the “two” sounds more like “tew.” However, whether Swift code-switches because of the musical genre in which she’s singing, or because she may have only  acquired her accent after moving to the South as a young teen , she largely loses the more marked linguistic elements in transitioning into a pop artist, with an appropriately general American accent.

In fact, Swift ironically refers to the oddity of the accent change in the bewildering lineup of her personas in the music video “Look What You Made Me Do.” Her upbeat country music persona exclaims only a brief “y’all!” “Oh, stop acting like you’re so nice, you are so fake,” answers yet another version of herself.

Fake it to make it?

Taylor Swift isn’t alone in being accused of faking an accent. American pop-punk bands like Green Day have been accused of faking British accents in imitation of the Sex Pistols, just as non-American groups (such as the French band Phoenix) put on their best-dressed American accents during performances. Code switching in genres is not uncommon and generally passes unnoticed, especially if listeners never get a chance to hear an artist’s normal speaking voice—unless that voice sings in a new genre where a different accent might be the norm.

An accent is seen as such an integral part of a speaker’s identity that when it changes, it can open up accusations of being fake and inauthentic, even though artists need to evolve and create in new ways. Although this might be a desirable trait in an actor, who conveys other people’s stories through their own body, for an artist who purports to tell their own lived experience through narrative songwriting, it can call into question their integrity or intentions in terms of the grubby necessities of making a living.

This is a complicating factor particularly when it comes to country music.

Aaron A. Fox opens up his essay on the discourse of country music by asking: “Is country music for real?” […] A unique, if elusive core of ‘authenticity’ tantalises country’s supporters and infuriates its critics”; yet to quote Simon Frith, “music can not be true or false, it can only refer to conventions of truth or falsity.” The only way we can talk about the time we spend in our lives is really through narrative, and these stories about our lives are constructed and shaped by our culture and language—never the absolute truth, but a continually evolving retelling of our past, present, and futures.

In lay terms, country music is obsessed with the idea of authenticity, perhaps more so than other genres, not only because of its musicality (the skill involved in playing acoustic instruments, for example) but also because of its storytelling: Artists are supposed to write and perform songs about their own life experiences. Country songs are ideally biographical, “the real lives of real people.” The kind of language they use is therefore crucial.

As Fox notes, the thematic concerns of country music, of loss and desire, of heartbreak and heartache, are intensely private experiences, but they are laid starkly bare and made public in song, ready to be consumed by the public. The language of these songs takes the plain, everyday, down-home ways of speaking that ordinary, often working-class people use, and intensifies them into an unnatural, poetic, metaphorical state, with a “dense, pervasive use of puns, clichés and word-play.”

Dolly Parton’s “Bargain Store,” for example, uses her own dialect both lyrically and in performance to recast her life of poverty and her broken heart, things that people often keep private.

My life is likened to a bargain store And I may have just what you’re lookin’ for If you don’t mind the fact that all the merchandise is used But with a little mending, it could be as good as new

Pamela Fox also considers how the autobiographical country song is different for women . Far from a masculine or chauvinistic perspective of a hard-drinking, hard-worn life of labor and lost loves, successful women in country such as Lynn, Parton, and Tammy Wynette have public identities positioned as overcoming an earlier life of hardship and poverty, particularly family origins in coal mining, sharecropping, or cotton picking. This source of authenticity is hard to fake or debate, compared to the assumed emptiness of a comfortable middle-class life.

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And yet, writes Fox, “one cannot remain country for long if one lacks roots (and slowly exchanges ordinary life for an unreal world of excess and continual displacement).” In a way, “success stories rank as distinctly gendered ‘failures’ of country authenticity: as working female celebrities, they forfeit not only their traditional pasts,” but the public respect that comes with the humble domestic or maternal world they sing about, thanks to their new lives of comfort and success. As Dolly Parton put it, “Although I look like a drag queen’s Christmas tree on the outside, I am at heart a simple country woman.”

In a way, Swift’s struggle with the perception of authenticity is just as real and problematic as the one faced by the women in country who came before her, though Swift came from upper-middle-class origins rather than poverty.

The worth of words

In “The Last Great American Dynasty,” Swift pens the story of someone she never knew: the eccentric, wealthy Rebekah Harkness of Rhode Island. As Swift inserts herself into the narrative’s end, it transpires that Harkness owned the house that Swift later bought.

“Fifty years is a long time/Holiday House sat quietly on that beach,” she adds. “Free of women with madness, their men and bad habits/And then it was bought by me.”

Swift’s personal experience is slightly less relatable because it reminds most of us that we can’t simply buy holiday houses on a beach in Rhode Island. And yet, the feelings of being outside of the norm, of not belonging and feeling out of place, of being criticized as mad, are certainly emotional states we all can understand.

In Swift’s evolving songwriting, about other people or herself, the events may be outside our experience, but they can be just as heartfelt through the deft use of language. And in this, we may come to understand just what Taylor Swift’s words are worth.

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Taylor Swift: why academics are studying the pop star

Taylor Swift is the biggest pop star in the world and a seemingly unlikely subject of academic study around Australia and the world. The American superstar made Grammys history this month winning Album of the Year for the fourth time, soon after being named Time magazine’s Person of the Year. Forbes magazine declared the 34-year-old American the most powerful woman in the entertainment industry and fifth in the world for 2023, stating she is “an advocate for the empowerment of women and a champion for all musicians seeking greater ownership of their work.”

The conference or Swiftposium - hosted by the University of Melbourne in collaboration with the University of Sydney, RMIT University, Curtin University, Auckland University of Technology and Monash University - highlighted how a single artist has impacted contemporary life, with papers exploring Swift’s influence across the intersection of music, economics, business, media studies, health, and societal and cultural impact.

Brittany Spanos, New York University (NYU) Adjunct Instructor and senior writer for Rolling Stone opened the conference, delivering a keynote address examining Swift’s career in relation to the music industry, musicology, feminism and race.

Dr Georgia Carroll presenting the keynote at the Swiftposium. 

Dr Georgia Carroll, a researcher who completed her PhD on fandom and celebrity in the Discipline of Sociology at the University of Sydney delivered the Early Career Researcher keynote on the second day. Dr Carroll’s keynote was titled: “’My pennies made your crown’: Taylor Swift as your Billionaire Best Friend” and explored the intersection of fandom and economic consumption in the Taylor Swift fan community. It examined how Swift encourages individuals to purchase merchandise, multiple versions of her albums, and concert tickets in order to be viewed as the "right" kind of fan and gain her attention. 

Other papers covered topics such as lyrical poetics, cyber-security, AI, mental health, public relations and “Swiftonomics”, referring to the economic impact of Taylor on local and global economies both in terms of her touring and her wider role in the entertainment industry. There was also a stream exploring Swift as a teaching tool in higher education, following recent courses on her and her work at institutions including Harvard University, Stanford University and NYU.

@abcnewsaus How well do you know Taylor Swift and her international impact? Academics from around the world have gathered at the Swiftposium conference in Melbourne to discuss her influence on music, cities, creatives and more.  #TaylorSwift #ErasTour #ErasTourAus #ABCNews ♬ original sound - ABC News Australia

University of Sydney experts from philosophy, sociology, English and psychology share why they are studying the lyrics and music of the American pop star.

Philosophy, forgiveness and Taylor Swift

Associate Professor Luke Russell , lecturer in ethics and critical thinking in the Discipline of Philosophy, said the singer-songwriter has a strong view on forgiveness, a subject he has recently published a book on, Real Forgiveness .  

“I’m a philosopher who writes on the topic of forgiveness," he said. "Taylor Swift holds an interesting and contentious view about forgiveness, a view that she has explained in interviews and has expressed in her songs. 

“Swift rejects the claim that we always ought to offer unconditional forgiveness to those who have wronged us. This puts her in conflict with advocates of unconditional forgiveness, including many Christians and therapists. I think that Swift is right about this, and her insights on this topic can help philosophers to see why sometimes forgiving is the wrong thing to do.” 

Greek philosophy, betrayal and Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift performs in Nashville, May 5, 2023 Photo: George Walker IV, AP/AAP Photos

Dr Emily Hulme is a lecturer in Ancient Greek philosophy in the Discipline of Philosophy. Her research interests include Plato’s epistemology and ethics, philosophy of language from Parmenides to the Stoics, and arguments concerning the status of women in the ancient world. Dr Hulme said:

“I work in Greek philosophy, a philosophical tradition where reflection on art and emotions is understood to be a key part of our development as humans. We can learn a lot about ourselves through emotionally engaging with art that pulls no punches in talking about vulnerability, trust, and betrayal. And Taylor Swift has a lot of songs that fit that bill.” 

Sociology, identity, and Taylor Swift

Dr Georgia Carroll a researcher who completed her PhD in fandom in the Discipline of Sociology at the University of Sydney said:  “I wrote my PhD on Taylor Swift and her fandom because as a long-time Swiftie, I knew that there was something special about the relationship she shares with her fans. Many of Taylor's fans feel as though they have grown up alongside her, built a real connection with her, and that her music has served as a kind of overarching soundtrack to their lives. 

“As sociologists, we strive to understand society and its intersection with culture, identity, social relationships, and power structures, and celebrity fandom is a perfect window into all of those things.”  

English poetry, Shakespeare and Taylor Swift

Professor Liam Semler , is a Shakespeare scholar and teaches Early Modern Literature in the Discipline of English. He has a new paper on teaching Shakespeare’s sonnets using the lyrics from Taylor Swift’s album Midnights. He also teaches a unit called Shakespeare and Modernity, using Taylor Swift’s lyrics. Professor Semler said: “As the marketing for Midnights as a concept album started to permeate popular culture, I felt there was a fascinating, but not explicit, array of parallels to early modern sonnet sequences. 

“There are plenty of songs on the album that work well in class and connect to thematic and poetic elements relevant to Shakespeare’s sonnets. In my unit ‘Shakespeare and Modernity,’ Swift is part of a multidimensional picture as we explore the design principles and thematics of sonnet collections, including the literary work of Jen Bervin and Luke Kennard who rewrite the sonnets in fresh and provocative ways.” 

Psychology, archetypes and Taylor Swift

Kayla Greenstien, a PhD candidate in psychology said: “I study the theoretical orientations behind psychedelic therapies, including Jungian archetypes and using myths to explore deeper truths about human experiences. 

“After seeing Eras Tour footage on TikTok, I started thinking about Taylor Swift's entire artistic output as a form of uniquely modern mythopoeticism. There's a lot we can learn about archetypal experiences and who's voice they represent from looking at Swift's work through this lens.” 

Top Photo: Taylor Swift performs at the Monumental stadium during her Eras Tour concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko/AAP Photos)

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Home — Essay Samples — Entertainment — Musicians — Taylor Swift

Essays on Taylor Swift

Prompt examples for taylor swift essays, the evolution of taylor swift's music.

Explore the musical journey of Taylor Swift. How has her music evolved over the years, and what themes and styles have remained consistent or changed?

Taylor Swift's Impact on the Music Industry

Discuss Taylor Swift's influence on the music industry. How has she reshaped the industry in terms of music distribution, artist rights, and the relationship between artists and labels?

Taylor Swift as a Songwriter

Analyze Taylor Swift's songwriting prowess. What makes her lyrics stand out, and how do they resonate with her audience? Explore the storytelling elements in her songs.

Taylor Swift's Role as a Feminist Icon

Examine Taylor Swift's impact on feminism and gender equality. How has she used her platform to advocate for women's rights and challenge gender stereotypes in the music industry?

Taylor Swift's Influence on Pop Culture

Discuss Taylor Swift's contributions to pop culture. How has she influenced fashion, social trends, and the way celebrities engage with their fans?

The Taylor Swift Fan Community

Explore the strong fan community surrounding Taylor Swift. What is it about her music and persona that fosters such a dedicated and passionate fan base?

Taylor Swift's Reputation and Public Image

Analyze the shifts in Taylor Swift's public image and reputation throughout her career. How have media portrayals and public perception of her changed over time?

Taylor Swift's Philanthropic Efforts

Examine Taylor Swift's philanthropic work and charitable contributions. How has she used her wealth and influence to support various causes and organizations?

Taylor Swift's Impact on the Country Music Genre

Discuss Taylor Swift's early roots in country music and her impact on the genre. How did her transition to pop music affect the country music industry?

The Taylor Swift Documentary: Miss Americana

Analyze the documentary "Miss Americana" and its portrayal of Taylor Swift's personal and professional life. How does the documentary provide insight into her experiences and challenges?

An Exploration of Taylor Swift Musical Style Characteristics

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Taylor Swift and Her Social Influence

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Understanding of The Song Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift

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Alliteration in taylor swift's songwriting.

Born December 13, 1989 (age 32), West Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Taylor Swift is a highly acclaimed and influential American singer-songwriter who has made a significant impact on the music industry. With her distinctive voice, catchy melodies, and introspective songwriting, Swift has amassed a massive following and achieved remarkable success throughout her career. She first gained prominence as a country music artist with her self-titled debut album released in 2006, which featured hit singles like "Tim McGraw" and "Teardrops on My Guitar."

Pop, country, folk, rock, alternative.

11 Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, 34 American Music Awards, 29 Billboard Music Awards and 58 Guinness World Records.

"Love Story", "You Belong with Me", "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", "I Knew You Were Trouble", "Shake It Off", "Blank Space", "Bad Blood", "Look What You Made Me Do", etc.

Taylor Swift has made a significant and lasting contribution to the music industry throughout her career. As a singer-songwriter, Swift's impact has been felt in various aspects of the music landscape. One of her notable contributions is her ability to connect with a wide audience through her heartfelt and relatable songwriting. Swift's lyrics delve into personal experiences, relationships, and emotions, resonating with millions of listeners around the world. In addition to her compelling songwriting, Swift has showcased her versatility as an artist by exploring different musical genres. She started her career in country music, earning critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase. Over the years, she transitioned into pop music, successfully embracing a new sound and expanding her reach to an even broader audience. Moreover, Taylor Swift's impact extends beyond her own music. She has influenced and inspired countless emerging artists, paving the way for new talents in the industry. Her success has also challenged industry norms and stereotypes, empowering female artists to assert their creativity and take control of their careers.

Taylor Swift has been a prominent figure in the media since the beginning of her career. Her portrayal in the media has evolved over time, reflecting the changes in her personal and professional life. Initially recognized as a country-pop singer-songwriter, Swift was often depicted as the innocent, girl-next-door type with her signature curly hair and relatable lyrics. As her career progressed and she ventured into the pop genre, the media's portrayal of Swift shifted as well. She was portrayed as a powerful and independent woman, unafraid to express her emotions and stand up for herself. Swift's public relationships and personal life have also garnered significant media attention, leading to speculation and scrutiny. Despite the ups and downs, Swift has consistently managed to control her own narrative by utilizing social media platforms to communicate directly with her fans and address controversies. She has used her influence to champion causes such as gender equality, artist rights, and charitable initiatives, which has garnered praise and admiration from both fans and media outlets. However, like many celebrities, Swift has also faced negative portrayals and tabloid gossip. She has been the subject of sensationalized headlines and criticized for various reasons. Nevertheless, she has demonstrated resilience in the face of media scrutiny, focusing on her music and maintaining a dedicated fan base.

“People haven't always been there for me but music always has.” “I suffer from girlnextdooritis where the guy is friends with you and that's it.” “No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.” “Just be yourself, there is no one better.” “If you're horrible to me, I'm going to write a song about it, and you won't like it. That's how I operate.”

The topic of Taylor Swift is important for students due to several reasons. First and foremost, Taylor Swift has had a significant impact on the music industry, showcasing the power of artistry, songwriting, and perseverance. Exploring her journey as a singer-songwriter can inspire students who have a passion for music or are interested in pursuing a career in the arts. Furthermore, Taylor Swift's evolution as an artist provides valuable lessons about adapting to change and embracing personal growth. Students can learn about the importance of staying true to oneself while exploring new artistic directions and challenging societal expectations. Additionally, Taylor Swift's influence extends beyond music. She has used her platform to advocate for important social issues such as feminism, inclusivity, and the rights of artists. By studying her activism, students can develop a greater understanding of the role artists can play in shaping public discourse and promoting positive change. Finally, Taylor Swift's ability to connect with her fan base through social media and engage in meaningful dialogue demonstrates the power of communication and community-building in the digital age. Students can learn valuable lessons about the responsible use of social media and the potential for creating meaningful connections with others.

1. Swift, T. (2019). Lover [Album]. Republic Records. 2. Vander Werff, E. (2017). How Taylor Swift became pop's ultimate auteur. Vox. https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/11/14/16625342/taylor-swift-reputation 3. Gundersen, E. (2019). Taylor Swift owns up to mistakes, empowers others on 'Miss Americana'. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2020/01/23/taylor-swift-doc-miss-americana-opens-sundance-film-festival/4557157002/ 4. Sheffield, R. (2019). Taylor Swift: Lover. Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/taylor-swift-lover-869271/ 5. Caulfield, K. (2020). Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' album debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 chart. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9428110/taylor-swift-folklore-number-one-billboard-200

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UKnowledge > College of Arts & Sciences > Linguistics > Theses & Dissertations > 33

Theses and Dissertations--Linguistics

Shifting personas: a case study of taylor swift.

Lela R. Lyon , University of Kentucky Follow

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8917-0203

Date Available

Year of publication, degree name.

Master of Arts in Linguistic Theory and Typology (MALTT)

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Linguistics

First Advisor

Dr. Jennifer Cramer

This thesis analyzes how Taylor Swift has changed the way she expresses her Southern identity, specifically her dialectal features, over the course of her career and through her switch from country music to pop music. There were two processes to assess the change in Swift’s speech: the production of /ai/ tokens in interviewed speech and the perception of dialectal change by fans in the comment sections of the interviews on YouTube. Seven interviews on YouTube and their comment sections were used as the data source for this study. Production of /ai/ was measured through an auditory analysis to determine whether tokens were monophthongal, diphthongal, or somewhere in the middle. Perception was evaluated by scraping the comments from the YouTube videos and running key word searches related to accent. The results of the production portion of the study confirm that there has been a decrease in monophthongal tokens of /ai/ from 2007-2019 in Swift’s speech. The results from the perception part of the study show that fans do notice a change in “sounding Southern” and try to explain that change through either labeling Swift as “fake” or by positing other theories related to Swift’s individual life experiences (such as moving around the country). The implications of this study point to how dialectal features are linked with identity performance, and also how non-linguists justify changing dialectal features.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2019.381

Recommended Citation

Lyon, Lela R., "SHIFTING PERSONAS: A CASE STUDY OF TAYLOR SWIFT" (2019). Theses and Dissertations--Linguistics . 33. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ltt_etds/33

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Swiftology: Taylor Swift inspires KU professor’s teaching, research

Issue 3, 2023

July 7 has arrived, the sun has risen, and Kansas City is waking to the Taypocalypse.

The economic and cultural juggernaut that is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has thundered into town for two long-awaited shows at Arrowhead Stadium. My 14-year-old daughter is out of bed shockingly early for a high school student on summer break—especially considering that last night, at 11 p.m., Swift dropped her latest album, the rerecorded Taylor’s Version of her 2010 LP “Speak Now,” the most recent flex in the 33-year-old global pop star’s ongoing power move to reclaim control of her back catalog by releasing note-for-note reconstructions of early albums whose master tapes were sold against her wishes. Any new music release—even new old music—is a major happening for millions of Swifties (as the worldwide community of hardcore Taylor Swift fans call themselves) who analyze and debate every song lyric, Instagram photo, tweet and snippet of stage patter like scripture.

The buzz this morning, my daughter tells me, is that Swift changed a lyric in one of her “Speak Now” songs that some fans and critics had deemed sexist. This development is not entirely surprising, but still thrilling for the Swiftie legions who stayed up half the night playing, deconstructing and discussing the new release. This is the first of what will be many news flashes today. My daughter, against all odds, has landed tickets to one of the Kansas City shows, defying scalper bots and Ticketmaster’s meltdown, thanks to the help of her mother, aunt and cousin, who spent hours online during the Nov. 15 presale. It takes a village to raise a Swiftie.

The Eras Tour will inject around $4.6 billion into the U.S. economy and is expected to propel Swift herself to billionaire status. More than 110,000 ticket holders will pack Arrowhead for the Friday and Saturday night concerts, and many of them will be screaming teenage girls. But not all. Also out in force will be Taylor mamas introducing their daughters to Swiftie culture, Swiftie dads gamely sporting themed T-shirts emblazoned with song lyrics, college students attending their third or fourth show in the retrospective journey through the singer’s 17-year career, plus Gaylors, OG Swifties and a host of other subgroups that defy the common stereotype that the obsession with all things Taylor is exclusively a teen mania.

Among them will be a 51-year-old KU sociology professor whose scholarship and award-winning teaching focus largely on cultural sociology, which is concerned with the study of societal institutions, norms and practices. The author of three books that have peered into popular culture’s seedier corners, Brian Donovan will bring to his first Taylor Swift show the dual interests of a social scientist and a fan. Thanks to a research pivot that has its roots in the COVID-19 pandemic, the professor and self-described Swiftie is now concentrating his teaching and scholarship on the entertainment icon—in particular, on a product of her music and the community around it that is more difficult to quantify than tax revenue and other economic boosts, but that is essential for human well-being:

Donovan joined the KU sociology faculty in 2001 and for two decades has taught the department’s class in cultural sociology. The class explores popular culture, and in the past few years the professor noticed that students often mentioned Taylor Swift in class discussions. Those references increased during the pandemic, which coincided with an uptick in Donovan’s own interest in Swift’s music. 

He has considered himself a “low-key” fan since 2014, having bought Swift’s fifth album when it came out.

“I was really late to the party, but I fell in love with ‘1989,’” Donovan says. “I thought it was a perfect pop album. But I didn’t consider myself a Swiftie.”

He listened to her next album, “Reputation,” and followed the celebrity news about her feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. A documentary on Swift, “Miss Americana,” provided a glimpse into her private life and hinted at a greater depth lurking behind her public persona. 

But it was the pandemic that moved Donovan from casual fan to Swiftie. In 2020, while presumably on lockdown like many of her fans, Swift made two spare, folk-influenced albums. As families coped with isolation and schoolchildren’s relationships with friends and teachers suddenly narrowed to computer screens, Swift’s “Folklore” and “Evermore” arrived like a double shot of hope. Hearing her music ringing out during breaks from Zoom school offered consolation that at least some of the traditional delights of childhood were still there for the taking. 

“When she released those two albums and I heard the song ‘The Last Great American Dynasty,’ something just clicked,” Donovan says. “That song seemed so brilliant to me that I just fell down the rabbit hole. I was listening to her back catalog and realizing I’d had a lot of preconceptions about her as a musician. I realized what a genius she was. 

“I can claim that I was a fan during the ‘1989’ era, which is true, but like a lot of men my age, I only started to identify as a Swiftie in the ‘Folklore’ era.”

At KU Donovan has won several awards for his work in the classroom, including the Gene A. Budig Award for Excellence in Teaching. His classes often deal with tough topics: poverty, health disparities, racial and gender inequality, human trafficking, genocide, intimate partner violence. His three scholarly books tackled white slavery, sex crimes and the negative impacts of the gold digger stereotype.

All part of the territory for his field of study.

“Sociology as a discipline is extremely good at analyzing suffering and inequality,” Donovan says. “And we should study those things for sure. But we are, I think, less able to talk about joy and happiness. We tend to give those topics to the psychology department.”

But in the early days of the global pandemic—as health care professionals struggled to develop effective COVID treatments, the global economy tanked, and the delivery of a successful vaccine was far from assured—a change in tone seemed called for.

“There was this sense of maybe I could do something in these pandemic times that’s more upbeat, that isn’t about human suffering as much,” Donovan says. “Focus on something that’s more joy-producing.”

Thus was born The Sociology of Taylor Swift, an honors seminar that (according to the syllabus) uses the pop supernova’s life and career “as a mirrorball to reflect on large-scale processes like the culture industry, celebrity, fandom, and the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality in contemporary American life.” The class, new this fall, will explore many of the cultural sociology topics Donovan normally teaches, such as the construction of authenticity, symbolic boundaries and gatekeeping, fandom and fan labor, and celebrity politics. “We will also use recent controversies and legal conflicts involving Swift,” the syllabus continues, “to examine questions about intellectual property, copyright, and the economics of creative industries.”

There will undoubtedly be some time for sampling Swift’s catalog of 200-plus songs and viewing her music videos. But The Sociology of Taylor Swift will not be a fawning fanfest. By analyzing the sprawling cultural impact of her superstardom, by comparing how popular media depictions of Swift differ or align with academic analysis of her celebrity and her fandom, the class will explore weighty topics.

“Let’s carve out a space for happiness,” Donovan says of his concept for the seminar. “At the same time, some of the conversations I hope we have in class do get at some of the more serious questions about race and gender in American society. You know, is Taylor Swift a good ally? She says she’s a feminist: What kind of feminist is she? Most of her fan base are white women: Is there room for folks from marginalized communities within this largely white fan base? Those are some of the conversations that I hope we have.”

Donovan’s wife, Natalie, is an occupational therapy assistant whose work in nursing homes meant she was “bringing home a lot of doom and gloom” during the pandemic. At the same time, her husband, in his role as associate chair of the sociology department, was scrambling to find alternative ways to deliver classes at a time when the traditional college campus experience seemed imperiled. She says the emphasis on positivity was a welcome departure from the grim mood of those days, and she believes the pivot has boosted his teaching—never low-energy—into a higher gear.

“He has always been a very enthused teacher, but he is so passionate about this subject and it is something that brings him such joy that I see this extra huge twinkle in his eyes, and he wants so much to share what he’s thinking and learning,” she says. “He really is like a street preacher out there, trying to get everyone into it. He’s keeping it very professional, with good academic boundaries, but I can tell there is a part of him that just wants to explode with some song lyrics.”

The Sociology of Taylor Swift is one of several first-year seminars meant to foster community within the University Honors Program, and to the extent that it will likely attract Taylor Swift fans—which Donovan absolutely expects it will—community will already be built in. Swifties are a close-knit tribe.

He learned as much when he discovered TikTok. Already an enthusiastic social media convert, Donovan sought out the video platform because his students were referencing it in class, and he thought he should try to understand the new tech capturing their attention. “Finding students where they are” is a phrase that comes up often when he talks about his teaching, and where his students were, it turned out, was on TikTok. So he joined. 

Exploring areas devoted to Swifties, he started to notice the social organization of the fandom, the different subgroups within the larger whole, and the “meaning-making practices” they engaged in. The sociological term refers to how people build culture within a community. 

“They’re speaking a similar language; there are inside jokes and references that only other Swifties would know,” Donovan explains. “There’s toxicity in any fandom or in any group of people, honestly. But I was impressed by a lot of the warmth and just genuine sort of happiness that I saw.  What sociologist Émile Durkheim called ‘collective effervescence’: people getting excited about being in a crowd.”

Hardcore Swifties engage in “clowning,” which is a search for “Easter eggs” and other hidden meanings and secret messages not only in Swift’s song lyrics, but also in her social media posts. To be a Swiftie is to be a detective, searching for clues that hint at the timing or content of future music releases or concert set lists and unraveling any number of conspiracy theories about her tangled romantic life. Some of this is encouraged by Swift herself and some is the result of certain subgroups within the fandom, but clowning is approached at an ironic remove: We know our obsessiveness is a bit much, Swifties seem to signal, but it’s mostly harmless because it’s all in fun.

A classic example, Donovan says, is a 2019 Instagram post from Swift that included a photograph of her peering through a fence with five holes in it. Swifties interpreted the image as a tip that her highly anticipated new album “Lover” would be released in five days. That didn’t happen, but Swifties still talk about how much they loved the game.

“Sociologically, that is fascinating: It’s almost like these millenarian cults that think a new social order will come into being on, you know, July 7th, and then it doesn’t happen, so they come up with a new theory,” Donovan says, chuckling. “She’s brilliant at marketing. She knows she is keeping us on tenterhooks, and she knows that she is keeping the energy level high in the fandom.”

A photo of a pop star looking through a fence (or, for that matter, the topic of pop culture in general) strikes some as a subject unworthy of serious academic study, Donovan knows, but the episode is an example of how human beings build social capital. Such posts get people talking. “It provides a pretext for those conversations and allows fans not just to feel closer to one another as fans, but to make a human connection they might not get in their family life or their work life,” he says.

“It’s making a meaning out of something that is completely trivial. It doesn’t affect the war in Ukraine or climate change, but it’s a way that people are finding some joy in their life.”

Donovan eventually came to see that the Swiftie culture could be the focus of more than just a class: It could be the subject of his next research project and fourth book. After clearing it with the Institutional Review Board at KU’s Office of Research, he put out a call on his Taylor Swift fan site on TikTok asking Swifties to contact him if they were interested in being interviewed for “a new sociological study on the Swiftie fandom … that will help us gain a better understanding of the social dynamics of fandom and how fandoms produce joy and collective identity.” 

Responded one TikTok wag, “Your sample size is about to be wild.”

Indeed, Donovan’s inbox blew up with more than 1,600 replies—many long testimonials about how much Swift’s music meant to respondents. He has interviewed 50 so far, gathering material for academic papers and a book. Specifically, Donovan says, he’s interested in the development of social capital among the fans and in rethinking the idea that “parasocial relationships” (one-sided relationships in which one person extends emotional energy, interest and time, while the second party—often a celebrity or sports team—is completely unaware of the first’s existence) are necessarily a negative phenomenon.

“What I think is interesting about Swifties is that there is an element of hero worship in that we’re all kind of looking up to Taylor at the top of the mountain,” he explains, “but there’s also a lot of lateral connections that are being made among the Swifties themselves.”

Alexis Greenberg can speak to that. An Overland Park senior in the William Allen White School of Journalism on the strategic communications track and a longtime Swiftie, Greenberg was 16 when she started college, 17 when she transferred to KU with enough credits to take junior-level classes.

“Everybody’s 21,” Greenberg says of her classmates that first year on the Hill. “It’s hard to build a connection because there’s a big difference in college between a freshman and a senior. The first semester was difficult.”

What helped ease the transition was bumping into fellow Swifties on campus.

“More people than I could have imagined had Taylor Swift jackets, Taylor Swift hats, Taylor Swift bracelets,” Greenberg recalls. “I stopped almost every one and said, ‘What’s your favorite song on the new album?’ I got some of their phone numbers when I was here for freshman orientation. One girl had a Taylor Swift shirt on, and she and I still text every week. We didn’t have any classes together. We didn’t live in the same building. The only connection we had was Taylor Swift, but that was our way of making friends at KU and starting to build our own personal communities.”

That experience ultimately led Greenberg to organize Swiftie Jayhawks and to reach out to Donovan: She founded the KU Swift Society and asked him to serve as the faculty adviser. The official student club has around 70 members who meet regularly for Swift-themed get-togethers such as trivia, mocktails and crafts. Rather than merely lending his name to fulfill student club rules requiring a faculty sponsor, Donovan became an avid participant in Swift Society activities.

“I think he breaks a lot of the stereotypes about Taylor Swift fans by being, you know, not a teenage girl,” Greenberg says, laughing. “It’s really fun that he can engage with us about those topics. He’s got kind of a different angle coming from sociology. He’ll often sit down at a table with some of our members during an event and start a more philosophical conversation than just, ‘What’s your favorite song?’ or whatever. He comes at it from a really interesting perspective.”

This fall, she is one of Donovan’s seminar assistants for The Sociology of Taylor Swift.

“It’s gonna be really fun,” says Greenberg, who attended an honors seminar her first semester at KU. “It’s a pretty small class, like 15 people. All the honors seminars are really small, which allows for a great opportunity to connect with each person individually on a very personal level. My honors seminar assistants told us their favorite places to eat in Lawrence, their favorite places to study on campus, and just overall tips for being a freshman at KU.

“I think it’ll be a great way to make a difference, to impact more students at KU and kind of help them in their journeys.”

By 3 p.m. on Friday, the Arrowhead parking lot is nearly full. Swifties of all ages tailgate under shade tents, and the merch lines coiling around the stadium seem to vibrate with elastic energy. There’s a crackle in the air. No one seems the least bit bothered by the long wait or the blaring sun.  

“You’re gonna see a lot of sparkles, a lot of pink, and some floor-length gowns,” my daughter tells me when I ask what to expect.

Indeed, Taylor Nation has turned out and dressed up in outfits reflecting their favorite Swift era: A young lady swathed in purple taffeta toddles by in a Lavender Haze, followed by an older man with a T-shirt that reads, “It’s me, Hi. I’m the dad. It’s me.” My daughter—in a white dress, bejeweled ten-gallon hat and cowboy boots—reps the “Fearless” era, which seems a popular choice with Cowtown fans. Swifties are trading friendship bracelets, volunteering to snap photos for strangers and generally frothing with anticipation. Gates open at 4. By 8, when Swift kicks off a show that lasts until nearly midnight, the collective effervescence is off the charts. 

“I knew people would dress up, but in some ways the show felt like a Halloween party: If you weren’t in costume, you stood out,” Donovan says. He and his wife, Natalie, donned outfits showing Swift and her cats. For her Taylor tribute, Veronica Hill reached all the way back to the “Fearless” tour, which rolled into Kansas City in April 2010, when she was 21 months old.

Even from the parking lot, it’s easy to pinpoint the precise moment she takes the stage: The noise level from inside the arena, already seemingly pegged at 10, somehow kicks up a notch and the massive concrete bowl seems to levitate for a moment as 55,000 Swifties begin belting in unison with Swift the lyrics to “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince.”

You know I adore you I’m crazier for you Than I was at 16

This one is going to 11.

Somewhere in the sea of singing Swifties is Alexis Greenberg. She attends with her father, Greg Greenberg, b’96, who manned the online presale to snag tickets to both Kansas City and New Jersey shows, and who also accompanied his daughter to Swift concerts in 2015 and 2018. “He’s definitely a Swiftie dad,” Alexis says. “He lets us paint his nails and put glitter on his face. He recognizes and appreciates how the shows build community.”

About 50 members of the KU Swift Society make it to an Arrowhead show—as does their faculty sponsor. Dressed in custom-made outfits that feature pictures of Swift with her cats, Brian and Natalie Donovan attend the Saturday concert. As the date approached, Donovan shared that he planned to go as a fan, but knew he’d likely be tempted to bring a notepad and pen to jot down some observations.

The after-action report tells a different story.

“I think he probably abandoned a large part of his ability to stand outside himself and observe sociologically, because he was so deep in the experience,” says Natalie Donovan, for whom the night marked a transformation from casual fan to full-fledged Swiftie. “I think all the yelling and him scream-singing along with everyone else was not conducive to note taking.”

“Once the music started, I was completely in fan mode, reveling in the moment,” Donovan says. But there was ample time for observation before and after the concert. What he saw reinforced his belief that Swift and her fandom are rich subjects for sociological study.

“Seeing strangers connect in a positive way—that’s always a good sign of the value of a given cultural phenomenon,” he says. “Anything that can move 55,000 people for good or ill is worthy of our attention.”

One fan Donovan interviewed through his TikTok outreach, a 30-something Swiftie with a high-pressure job, suddenly found herself stuck at home during the height of the pandemic. She noticed that another resident in her apartment building had a Taylor Swift doormat. She left the neighbor a note, and the women began texting, then talking—with masks, at a distance, in the hallway—before eventually getting together for an overnight listening party to celebrate the midnight release of one of Swift’s 2020 recordings. Three years later they’re attending together an event that seemed inconceivable during those dark days—an Eras Tour concert uniting thousands of thrilled fans—asking, for a few brief hours, nothing more than what we have always asked of our idols: joy and deliverance.

Why study Taylor Swift?

The weeks leading up to The Eras Tour were a carnival of hype, as Kansas City bars held Taylor Swift nights, restaurants renamed menu items for her songs, and a Missouri farmer created a gigantic crop mural of Swift’s face to welcome her to town. Local news offered wall-to-wall coverage of Swiftapalooza, drawing some predictable grousing from those who wondered why so much attention should be lavished on a mere pop star.

It’s a fair question, one that even some academics have posed: Why study Taylor Swift?

The better question, Brian Donovan says, is why study pop culture in general?

“Things that look trivial on the surface—pop music, TV shows, video games, sports teams—are important to the social order,” he says. “They’re important to people yearning for self-discovery and meaning, or searching for like-minded others to form bonds with. It’s how we make meaning in our lives. It’s how we find joy in our lives.”

Pop culture gives us a way to imagine a different way of living, Donovan says. “In that sense it can be a space of utopia and resistance, and at the same time pop culture can reflect and create all the negatives—the divisions and inequalities in all their various forms, such as class and gender.”

Consider the venue for Swift’s concerts: Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs. Newspapers set aside whole sections and radio stations devote 24/7 programming to analyzing the feats that unfold there. When’s the last time you saw a letter to the editor complaining of that?

Swift talk and sports talk are similar, because neither “has any kind of real consequence for the way we live our lives,” Donovan says. “But it’s a way for us to build connections with people that we wouldn’t otherwise.”

There is perhaps another element at work, one that goes all the way back to the days of Beatlemania, when crowds of teenage girls screamed so loud the Fab Four couldn’t hear themselves play.

“With criticism of pop culture as a field of study, and especially the criticism of studying Taylor as being unserious, I think there is a kind of gendered assumption,” Donovan says. “The sociology of sports has a longstanding tradition. It’s been around awhile. But when it’s a phenomenon that is primarily enjoyed by girls and young women, I think some sexism sneaks into those assessments about whether it’s important or not.”

In the end, no one is arguing that we should study popular culture instead of climate change or gun violence or social inequality, Donovan says. We can do both.

“Academia is big enough that people can focus on these subjects that might seem unimportant, but are actually deeply consequential for the people who are bound up in them. Those domains seem trivial from the outside, but there’s a lot more going on than people think.”

Steven Hill is associate editor of Kansas Alumni magazine.

Top photo by John Shearer/Getty Images Brian Donovan photos by Steve Puppe Concert photos courtesy of Brian Donovan and Mary O’Connell

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A psychologist explains why taylor swift is the subject of a new course on social psychology.

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Taylor Swift is one of the biggest stars the world has seen. But what is it that makes a pop icon ... [+] the focal point of an Arizona State University course on social psychology?

Pop stars are more than just entertainers. They become cultural icons, representing specific moments in history and shaping society’s values, desires and aspirations. From the Beatles’ mop-tops signaling a break from convention in the 1960s to Madonna’s ever-changing personas in the '80s and '90s, these figures don’t just provide a soundtrack to our lives. They mirror societal shifts, trends and emotions. For many, they’re not just artists – they’re inspirations, role models and even quasi-religious figures .

Today, Taylor Swift has undeniably claimed a spot in this pantheon of influential artists. In fact, her ongoing Eras Tour has transcended all expectations and is on track to net her over a billion dollars , potentially making it the biggest tour in history.

With this as context, it’s easy to see why so many people are enamored by Swift’s story. However, it doesn’t explain how studying her life and work academically (as an Arizona State University course intends to ) will help us grasp complex concepts of social psychology.

According to Alexandra Wormley, the instructor of the course, the answer lies in the way Taylor Swift’s work, life and fandom reflect and illuminate various topics within social psychology, such as romance, escapism through fiction, revenge and social development. Wormley says that the goal of the course is not to analyze the pop star, but to use her as a lens to deepen students’ understanding of these topics through empirical readings, in-class discussions and research question generation.

Here are two reasons why studying a pop-culture icon like Taylor Swift is a viable way to learn more about ourselves as a society.

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Best covid-19 travel insurance plans, 1. pop culture icons are powerful agents of social change.

Pop culture trendsetters can influence public opinion, raise awareness, mobilize action and challenge norms through their art, activism and personal choices. They can use their fame, charisma and credibility to attract attention, inspire emotions and persuade audiences to adopt certain views or behaviors.

For instance, a 2017 paper found that celebrities can have a significant impact on health-related outcomes, such as cancer screening, vaccination, smoking and suicide prevention.

Like many pop culture figures, Taylor Swift has used her platform to express her personal and political views. As an icon of feminism and a champion of LGBTQ+ rights, she is a role model for many young people. Her advocacy inspires others to speak out about the causes they believe in and helps raise awareness about important social issues. By using her voice and visibility, Swift has demonstrated the power of pop culture icons to influence public opinion and drive social change.

By using her actions as a starting point, we can trace the origins and directions of different social phenomena (both positive and negative) to paint a holistic picture of what drives change in society.

2. Pop Culture Is Often A Driver Of Social Identity

Pop-culture can reflect who we are, who we want to be and who we belong with through music, stories and images. They can also shape our social identity by providing us with models of behavior, values and norms that we can adopt or reject.

Social identity is the part of our self-concept that is based on our membership in social groups, such as nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender or fandom. Social identity theory, for example, explains how we use social categories to define ourselves and others, and how this affects our attitudes, emotions and actions.

A 2017 study published in International Studies Quarterly found that “synthetic experiences” rooted in fiction can significantly shape our views on something as vast and intangible as international politics. In this study, for instance, the researchers found that readers who disliked the novels of Tom Clancy reported higher levels of anti-Americanism and anti-militarism.

While not entirely fictional, celebrities’ lives are often quasi-fictional and open to public interpretation. Their relationship problems are frequently blown out of proportion and their struggles with mental health are always on display. This leads to the development of parasocial relationships with them, which can be harmful if left unchecked .

For example, Taylor Swift, who has a loyal following of fans who call themselves “Swifties” are known to defend her from any criticism, attack her perceived enemies, and celebrate her achievements. Some Swifties even engage in negative or harmful behaviors, such as cyberbullying, harassment of other celebrities or fans who disagree with them or threaten Swift’s reputation.

Pop stars like Taylor Swift transcend entertainment, becoming windows into our society’s cultural and psychological intricacies. Arizona State’s academic venture isn’t a mere celebrity spotlight but potentially a deep dive into human behavior and societal shifts. Through Swift's music and advocacy, we gain a unique perspective on our evolving identity and societal dynamics. This unconventional academic approach, though surprising to some, leverages the immense power of pop culture to reveal profound insights into our collective human experience.

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Free Samples of an Essay on Taylor Swift for Smooth Writing

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The popularity and talent of Taylor Swift are hard to overlook. Since a young age, this extraordinary American singer-songwriter has gained numerous awards, as well as love and recognition of the fans worldwide. Based mostly on personal experience and feelings, her songs stir up in listeners a whole array of emotions, which makes each piece unique and memorable.

Being the one who is pursuing a degree in music or arts, you can be assigned to writing an essay about Taylor Swift. Both choosing a topic for such work and researching for it might be fun. Whether you decide to talk about biography, career, or reputation of this music star, or choose to explore one of the rhetoric questions raised in her songs – such as the theme of friendship, family relations, loss, growing up, the perils of fame, etc., using a good essay example as a model, will make the writing process go swifter and smoother.

The great news is that here at WowEssays.com you can find an open directory of free essay samples on the most various subjects and topics, including the ones about Taylor Swift. Looking through them will help you find some original ideas and gain a better understanding of how to structure and present your own piece.

In case you'd rather spend time listening to Taylor Swift songs instead of crafting an essay about her life and fame, you can ask for quick academic help from WowEssays.com. Our experienced, swift of wit experts will do their best to provide you with a 100% original customized essay to be used as a model for your own piece. Don't miss this opportunity to write faster and contact us today with your " do my essay free " inquiry!

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Breaking New Artist And Music Essay Examples

The following case deals with the formal introduction of terrestrial radio and its effect on the promotion of new artists and new forms of music. It also talks about the future of internet radio, music and its new art forms.

“Breaking New Artist and Music: Features ‘Mohit Chauhan’s’ Secrets to Stardom”

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Taylor Swift - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

Taylor Swift is one of the world’s leading recording artists, she is known for narrative songs about her personal life. Taylor Alison Swift was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and lived on a Christmas Tree Farm. She was the granddaughter of a professional opera singer, where she gained her love for music.

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Taylor Swift is one of the world’s leading recording artists, she is known for narrative songs about her personal life. Taylor Alison Swift was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and lived on a Christmas Tree Farm. She was the granddaughter of a professional opera singer, where she gained her love for music.

Writing an essay about Taylor Swift, an internationally renowned singer-songwriter and philanthropist, can be a rich and exciting task. As one of the most influential artists of her generation, Swift’s life, music, and activism provide a plethora of potential angles to explore. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to craft a compelling essay about Taylor Swift, and how professional help can enhance your research and writing process.

Begin with Research

Start by thoroughly researching Taylor Swift’s life and career. Study her biography, discography, philanthropic efforts, and public appearances. Read interviews and articles about her, and listen to her music to gain a deeper understanding of her evolution as an artist. Primary sources such as her albums, music videos, and social media posts can provide direct insights into her persona and work.

Define the Thesis

Choose a specific angle or thesis for your essay. For example, you might want to focus on her evolution as a songwriter, her impact on the music industry, her advocacy for artists’ rights, or her philanthropic efforts. Make your thesis statement clear, concise, and arguable.

Organize Your Points

Outline the main points and evidence you plan to use in your essay. Organize these into a logical structure, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Ensure that each point builds on the previous one and supports your thesis.

Write and Revise

Begin writing your essay with a strong introduction that introduces Taylor Swift and presents your thesis. In the body of your essay, present your points clearly and support them with evidence. Conclude by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis in a new light. After writing, take the time to revise and polish your essay until it is clear, coherent, and error-free.

Cite Your Sources

Remember to properly cite all of the sources you used during your research. Whether it’s an interview, an album, or a news article, accurate citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.

Seek Professional Assistance

If you find yourself needing assistance with your essay or research paper about Taylor Swift , consider reaching out to StudyMoose experts. Their professional writing services can guide you through the entire process, from selecting a unique angle and crafting a strong thesis to organizing your points and polishing your final draft. With StudyMoose, you gain access to a team of skilled writers with extensive experience in producing high-quality, original essays tailored to your specific needs and academic standards. They can help turn your ideas about Taylor Swift into a compelling, well-researched essay that stands out.

Proofread and Edit

Finally, after your draft is complete, proofread it meticulously. Check for grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, and clarity. Consider asking a friend or family member to read your essay and provide feedback.

By following this guide, you will be well on your way to writing a thoughtful and compelling essay about Taylor Swift. Whether you are exploring her evolution as an artist, her influence on the music industry, or her commendable philanthropic initiatives, your essay will be enriched by detailed research, a clear thesis, and organized arguments.

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Taylor Swift Essay Examples

Reflection on the song soon you’ll get better by taylor swift.

Ever since I was a little girl, my grandfather and I had a special bond. We would watch baseball games, play hide-and-seek, and go out to eat together. He always attended my dance recitals, singing performances, and school plays. My grandfather is unforgettable. His eyes...

Taylor Swift: a Journey Through Music and Influence

Taylor Swift, born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania, has left an indelible mark on the world of music and popular culture. From her humble beginnings as a country artist to her evolution into a global pop sensation, Swift's career has been nothing short...

Analyzing the Empowering Message of "The Man" by Taylor Swift

Known as one of the best music writers of the past decade, continuing to break world records for downloads and sold out arenas, Taylor Swift has been at the forefront of the music industry for quite some time. With seven records under her belt, four...

Role and Impact of Social Media in PR: Taylor Swift

The use of social media is one of the best strategies to reach out to potential clients in the music industry. The case presented shows how Taylor Swift uses social media to remain relevant and competitive in the industry. She uses the media differently from...

Comparison of "The Scientist" by Coldplay and "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift

Music is one of the important entertainment elements in our lives; it has the ability to deliver positive messages to the audiences as it become a good way of communication it has been found in every culture in present time, as there are various types...

Taylor Swift Through the Lens of Semiotics and Marxism

Known as the young and promising country singer with a sweet girl-next-door persona; now coined as the “Queen of Snakes”, following her feud with several other celebrities such as Katy Perry and Kanye West, Taylor Swift is probably considered as one of the artists who...

Exploring the Life Story: Taylor Swift and Her Rise to Fame

Stars don't come bigger than Taylor Swift who has since come a long way from her days as a little girl who had moved from her birthplace of Reading, Pennsylvania to Nashville, Tennessee to better her chances at succeeding at a musical career. That was...

Taylor Swift: Influencing Her Audience

Influencers today do not have a clue about what they convey to their audience, some do not realize that their immature messages can then affect adolescent teens. Taylor Swift is best known for her successful journey as a country/pop singer. Her powerful lyrics, messages, and...

The Peculiarities of Taylor Swift's 'Bad Blood'

‘Bad Blood’ is a music video produced by Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift is a multi-genre artist who started in country music and moved into mainstream pop. The main story line in the video is two teams preparing to go to fight. Throughout her music video...

The Similarities of the Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi and Shake It Off by Taylor Swift

The composition, “The Four Seasons,” by Antonio Vivaldi is a well-known composition in the 1700s. Today, the pop song, “Shake it off,” by Taylor Swift is a well-known song in the current generation. These two opposing styles of music conflict in this current time period...

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About Taylor Swift

Born December 13, 1989 (age 32), West Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.

American singer-songwriter, she has been also referred to as one of the greatest songwriters of all time and the best of her generation by various publications and organizations.

Pop, country, folk, rock, alternative.

11 Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, 34 American Music Awards, 29 Billboard Music Awards and 58 Guinness World Records.

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