Going through a gut-wrenching breakup? Experiencing an identity crisis? Feeling alone and as if you’re driving yourself crazy? Taylor gets it. In fact, she writes about all of this in an effort to express herself, rant about her toxic ex-boyfriends to the entirety of the internet, and relate to all of her like-minded fans. Don’t worry, I’m a loyal Swiftie myself, and before you ask, yes, I did get tickets.
Let’s start with the most obvious, well-known example, “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.” In her radio hit “Anti-Hero,” Taylor tackles the idea of feeling unconventional, problematic, and just not fitting in. Whether this is in a relationship, society itself, a common group, in the public eye, or just in general, feeling out of place is often a shared experience amongst her fans and much of her target audience. Not only does she grab the attention of her loyal fans, but the near lyrical perfection in this song, and many of her other pieces, leaves an impact on anyone who listens to her music. “I have this thing where I get older, but just never wiser,” this lyric is so relatable. Personally, I took this lyric as a “yeah, mistakes are meant for us to learn from them, but it’s not always that easy, and a lot of the times, we fall back into old and unhealthy habits, and that’s okay.” Clearly, we’re not alone in feeling this way, and with time, sure, we do learn from our mistakes, just not in the easiest or most conventional way.
Now, the last one was more widespread, but many of Taylor’s songs reach very specific audiences that are experiencing very specific life events. The most common example of this would be her infamous category of breakup songs. (Yes, we all hate Jake Gyllenhaal for a reason).
Want to get revenge on your awful, cheating ex-boyfriend? Might I recommend “No Body, No Crime,” “Haunted,” or “All Too Well?”
Feeling like you made the biggest mistake of your life by letting him go? I recommend “Back To December.”
Having a random burst of optimism about new upcoming life experiences? “New Romantics” is one of my personal favorites.
Just want to reflect on and admire your life and how far you’ve come? “Daylight” is a solid choice.
Feeling completely alone during your lowest lows and feeling like no one else understands? “You’re on Your Own Kid” was written directly to you and me.
Are you just a total girl boss combating the patriarchy? “The Man” is definitely the way to go.
My point is regardless of what anyone has to say about Taylor Swift, she’s the most iconic and relatable singer-songwriter of our generation.
Kind of off-topic, but I cannot wait for Speak Now (TV), it is going to be incredible (rip John Mayer). Her re-recordings have added a new perspective on the stories and meanings behind her music.
So even if you think “there’s no way that I relate to Taylor Swift,” you might need to take a deeper dive into some of her lyrics to find out that somewhere, somehow, she probably shares a similar experience with you.