BEFORE ANY SWIFTIES COME FOR ME, I’d like to preface this by saying I am a casual Swiftie, meaning I am a fan but I tend to dip in and out and I don’t go to the same lengths as ‘professional’ Swifties (as I’ve dubbed them), such as deciphering every little thing she says/does/puts out there, scrabbling for the latest merch, etc., though I am very supportive of her music and pretty much everything she does and wish I could have gone to an Eras Tour show ☹

But how has Taylor Swift continued to rise in popularity year on year?

Well, I have a few thoughts.

First, let me tell you how I initially got into Miss Swift’s music. The year was 2007. I was 18 years old and preparing to go to university. I had gotten a shoddy MP3 player and was determined to cram its minimal space with music, mainly of the rock/pop punk/emo persuasion. I copied as much music as I could from my CDs on to my laptop and then onto the MP3 player, but I also made good use of Limewire (a dodgy as heck file sharing platform for those who were not around for that highlight of music piracy). I think it was through MySpace (a social networking platform mainly used by teens desperate to connect with people outside of their hometown and with some famous people, for those who were not around for that highlight of social media) that I came across Taylor. Her song Tim McGraw caught my attention, then Teardrops on My Guitar REALLY got me wondering just who this country music girl was who sang as though she was reading from my own Dear Diary and breaking through my emo heart. I hit Limewire (SORRY TAYLOR) and the rest is history.

I think what initially reeled me in (and millions of other people, girls in particular) at the time was how much Taylor was able to write songs that could have come straight from our own inner thoughts and feelings. She wasn’t (and still isn’t) afraid to write as though no one is listening, and that is very courageous, especially when critics and haters are sitting ready to tear her down with the release of each album. Taylor and I were both born in 1989, she in December, me in March, so we’re very close in age, and I think that’s why a lot of her lyrics have resonated with me over the years, and so many others. We’ve grown up alongside her, and although she has lived a very different life to the majority of us, she still remains genuine and relatable in many ways when it comes down to the bare bones of life.

As mentioned, I dip in and out with Taylor’s music and have done ever since 2007. Just like her, as I grew my taste in music changed and swung hither and thither, with some of her songs hitting for me, such as You Belong With Me and Wildest Dreams, and others such as Love Story and Shake It Off not so much (I’M SORRY, THEY’RE NOT BAD, THEY’RE JUST NOT MY FAVES). When she did a duet, Two Is Better Than One, with one of my favourite rock bands Boys Like Girls, I was delighted, and it’s a really good song tbh.

Then, in 2022, it was her album Midnights that really brought me back into the fold. It felt to me more grown-up and apt for me and my life. I enjoyed the vibes and the way it swung between positivity (Bejeweled) and optimism (Karma), and negativity (Anti-Hero) and pessimism (You’re On Your Own, Kid), with an intense amount of feelings (Bigger Than The Whole Sky) and self-awareness (Mastermind) that all together really makes it a great, personal album.

The Tortured Poets Department and The Life of a Showgirl have kind of seen me, and many others I think, drift away again. Some insist that Taylor is only at her best when she’s unhappy, but I think that’s down to personal preference when it comes to themes most enjoyed in music – some people just never let the emo go. They’re not bad albums in my eyes, I think they’re extremely well-crafted, they’re just not quite hitting the same way.

I believe her next album, her thirteenth, will be something special. Thirteen is a big and lucky number for Taylor, starting with her birthday being December 13th, and so it is likely to have a lot of meaning, her recent engagement and preparation for married life notwithstanding. With one of the biggest tours in history under her belt, a shit ton of awards, a legion of fans, reclaiming of ownership of her original works and an adoring fiancé (Travis Kelce), she has a lot to be happy about and proud of, and I wouldn’t be surprised if TTPD and TLOAS were a little shy of her usual level of output because part of her has been focused on what she wants to do with album thirteen. Maybe we’ve hyped it up too much, but I think she knows we will do that. She will also know that some will love it, some will hate it, some won’t care and some will be somewhere between love and hate no matter what she does, but that’s the name of the game when it comes to artistry. I believe that as long as she stays true to herself, as she always has done, whatever she is planning will only contribute to her enduring popularity.

And what will come after thirteen? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, but know this: there’s no end to this talented woman’s ambitions, and we will continue to support her.