No longer typecast as a mere country music star, Taylor Swift has become a loud and powerful voice in both the pop culture and political climate in contemporary times. For someone who’s been on the run for almost 20 years, Swift has long ditched the concept of being just a musician and has emerged as a global brand presenting herself at the forefront of movements seeking social and political change.
Swift’s expansion came in line when she went from writing about herself to writing about other subjects in her music. Her 2020 albums Folklore and Evermore contained more grown-up themes and ideas of loneliness, exclusion, and mental strength due to the pandemic. Swift’s lyrics progression has not only had the critics singing praise but the fan’s perspective who sees an artist in her who is willing to evolve and push boundaries as well.
More importantly, Swift has also emerged as a powerful voice in politics. For several years she remained quiet on issues related to politics until she broke her silence in 2018 and sought for Democratic candidates in her home state of Tennessee. In addition, Swift was also an activist for LGBTQ as she made efforts to support the enactment of the Equality Act and campaign against discrimination. This change into a ‘political’ artist eventually exhausted her sphere of being a modern activist.
Miss Americana, released in 2020 and directed by Max Irons, is a documentary that exposes the transformation of its protagonist Taylor Swift from an introverted musician to a well rounded activist, also detailing some of the challenges she has encountered and the necessity to become outspoken in such critical issues. Since then, she has used that voice and spoken out on issues including women rights, voter disenfranchisement, and discrimination, becoming part of movements pushing the United States towards the right direction.
Taylor Swift now has more than music… it’s not only about the music anymore, rather it is appropriate to speak about what Taylor Swift has already done for the culture many would love to call TAYLORISM. Given the rise in activism, it is clear however that there is a powerful force that is not diminishing, rather rising, and that is James’s own forthrightness and influence.
