At the tender age of 11, Taylor Swift won a local talent competition, which launched her singing career. She quickly began performing with country music superstars such as Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks, and she honed her craft by regularly traveling to Nashville, Tennessee for industry showcases. But her interest in country isolated her from the rest of her middle school peers; she walked out on a high-profile show to avoid having to play with them, and ultimately signed with Big Machine Records at 13.
From that point on, Swift was an omnipresent figure in pop culture; her music was everywhere. And, unlike other successful artists who have strayed from their original genres, Swift seamlessly transitioned between pop and indie folk. She’s also a master of the art of collaboration, working with the likes of Max Martin, Nathan Chapman, Ed Sheeran and Gary Lightbody on her various albums and EPs.
She’s also adept at navigating the whims of her fans, a skill that helped her successfully execute one of the most successful comebacks in history. After a year away from the public eye, she returned with a bang, dropping not just her sixth studio album, reputation, but its lead single, Look What You Made Me Do. The track is a lyrical smackdown that takes aim at those who’ve criticised her and an ode to the power of self-belief.
The song has rewritten the rules of social media and is now a cult-classic for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider. But it’s not just the lyrical content that’s so powerful, but also the way it’s been marketed: The song has had more than 100 million views on YouTube and its music video has over 1 billion views on Vevo alone. In addition, the lyrics are a call to arms for anyone who has been bullied or experienced sexual abuse; Swift’s personal experience lends the song a particularly potent edge.
A firm fan favourite and the final song to be released from Red (Taylor’s Version), this heart-wrenching break-up ballad is rumoured to be about former flame Jake Gyllenhaal. It’s a classic example of Swift laying out her heart for her audience to see. The slick production and catchy lyrics have earned it an enormous following, and the lyrical content and accompanying video are as moving now as they were when first released in 2013.
Whether it’s discussing a fake relationship or describing how she feels about her own fame, Swift knows how to write songs that resonate with her fans. She’s an incredibly talented singer, but she also has incredible business skills and is constantly evolving her brand. As a result, she has an unprecedented ability to influence fashion, voting and even professional football viewership through community mobilization. This is what’s known as the Taylor Effect, and it’s why her fans feel so deeply connected to her. The most important thing to remember about Swift is that she’s human, and she’s never been afraid to share her real-life experiences with her fans.
