taylor swift was born in 1989, near the peak of the millennial baby boom. To chart her career is to follow a generation coming of age, from the country romance of her teens to the imperial pop of her twenties to the ambivalent ruminations of her thirties. She has adapted her music to fit each phase, but the voice that anchors it all is the same. This month, she surprised us with folklore, her eighth album. A departure from her previous pop-inspired work, it finds her exploring more nuanced relationship issues with a remarkable degree of restraint and introspection. Its lead single, heartbreak, was the year’s longest-running number one, and it won her album of the year at the Grammy Awards.
She began writing songs in her basement at home in Pennsylvania, and won a local talent competition at age 11. After she moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2005, she became the youngest artist ever signed by Sony/ATV’s publishing house. She then forged a relationship with Scott Borchetta, who was preparing to start his own independent label, Big Machine Records. His interest in her country sound led to a recording contract, and she became one of the label’s first signings.
By the time Swift released her debut album, Fearless, in 2008, she had already made a name for herself as a narrative songwriter, a rare skill among young pop stars. Known for her often controversial lyrics and emo-tinged melodies, she has won a global following through her ability to connect with a younger demographic. Her music has received critical acclaim, with critics hailing her as the most influential female singer of her generation.
During a hiatus from the public eye in 2016, Swift staged one of the most successful comebacks in pop history with her sixth album, reputation. Its biggest hit, “Look What You Made Me Do,” went on to break records for fastest-selling singles by a woman and a girl. The album also earned Swift five Grammy nominations, including Song of the Year and Album of the Year.
The sultry ballad “bloodline” is the perfect showcase for Swift’s impressive vocal range, as well as her ability to convey emotional devastation with subtlety and elegance. Her use of a dark, orchestral production on this track helps to create a mood that is both intimate and ominous. The end result is a haunting, memorable track that is the pinnacle of her songwriting.
