Taylor Swift and Kanye West – The Collaboration That Wasn’t
Taylor Swift is an American singing-singer. Her story songwriting, which frequently is inspired by her own daily experiences, has garnered widespread critical acclaim and worldwide media attention. Swift has achieved a high degree of chart success with her singles and has been nominated for Grammys in the past. In this article we will discuss some of the influences that have made her album’s well-known and profitable, as well as the appeal of her music.
Swift’s rise to fame can be traced back to her freshman album, Fearless. Her self-written song, “Love Story” was named one of the 100 best songs of the year by Rolling Stone, and she followed up with the equally successful and very popular We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, the follow-up to her first album. Swift gained further popularity when she decided to leave the country music scene and focus on making music for both mainstream and underground audiences. Her self-titled third album, Swift became even more popular when it was issued in the US and UK. The album peaked at number two on the US charts, but was largely ignored by the American mainstream.
Swift’s image as a strong-willed, independent pop star was challenged somewhat by the rise of female artists such as Beyonce Knowles and Gaga. Swift has been criticized for not fully expressing herself through her music and for being too uptight about her music career and image. Many speculate that this is part of a larger push by the music industry to make us believe that a pop star can be both bold and traditional at the same time. This article will compare Swift with other great female pop stars of past decades and identify what the differences are between Swift and them.
Compared to Swift, Queen Latifah was much less public about her life and had more freedom as an artist. She did not have to reveal her age (which made her sound more child-like), and was not a member of a major label organism like Swift. However, many assume that the differences between Swift and Latifah are purely cosmetic, and stem from their personal styles. In an essay for Vulture, Associate Editor Eric Bressler compared Swift’s public image to that of Britney Spears, writing that the British pop star “portrayed the image of a woman who could take any man, no matter how dirty or irresponsible.”
In an interview for The New York Times Magazine, Swift spoke candidly about the difference she felt between being a pop star and an artist. She was asked if she thought being an artist constrained her creativity and answered “No, actually it’s the reverse. When I am creating something new, I am free to do anything I want.” Swift further talked about working with Kanye West, telling the publication that the collaboration was “incredibly liberating”. Though West is not a natural fit for Swift, he managed to find the fame and fortune that Swift has been hoping for with his own songwriting and producing career.
Taylor Swift and Kanye West first met in 2021 when West was preparing to record the critically acclaimed song “Kanye West: The Most Shocking Record Ever Made” with Swift. The collaboration led to Swift’s massive hit “weakest aspect” and the beginning of their long-lasting relationship. The success of Swift’s debut album, Fearless, led to Kanye West and Swift collaborating on the 2021 album 808s & Heartbreak. Following the success of that album, Swift went back to her single “Timeless” and received another big boost with the release of the equally successful Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. Swift also has a collaboration with Jay Z, called The Dynasty: Roc La Familia.
