The Rise To Fame Of Taylor Swift

All began in Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe. Scott Borchetta discovered the young Taylor Swift with curly hair in the Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, Tennessee. This led to her debut album and first single, “Tim McGraw”, which were released a few months later. This was June 2006. Swift is now a pop icon, 13 years after she became a country star. Her rise to prominence hasn’t been easy.

Swift was defeated by the media. Swift won the media. Tabloids have been tearing her apart for years for writing vengeful lyrical songs about ex boyfriends like “Forever and Always”, “We Are Never Ever Getting Together” and other such songs. She has also been criticized by media outlets for being the leader of her “squad”, and accused of always playing victim. Swift did not acknowledge the public perception until she sang, “‘Cause Baby, I Could Build a Castle / Out Of All The Bricks They Threw At Me” (Swift), on her 5th studio album 1989. Swift declared on the same album that she would “shake off” any criticism. Swift capitalized on the narrative of danger that had been created about her by singing “a lot of ex-lovers” in “Blank Space”. In its first week, 1989 sold 1.2 millions copies. Taylor Swift owns her story. It was then that a bitter feud began between Taylor Swift and Kanye. West released a track in 2016 after interrupting Swift’s Grammy Awards acceptance speech in 2009. He claimed that Swift made him “famous” by interrupting his speech. Swift reportedly approved it. Kim Kardashian got involved after she denied granting West permission to use the term “that bitch”. Kardashian released the audio recording and called Swift “snake”. Swift’s social networks were littered with emojis of snakes. Swift was not destroyed by the incident, but it made her stronger. She refused to let the serpent bite her. She claimed it. She reclaimed it.

Taylor Swift released the first single from her album, “Look what you made me do”, by posting a video on Instagram of a snake. Swift reclaims the insidious narrative about her that was built around it. Taylor Swift is not taking herself too seriously. She doesn’t care if she wears costumes and snake rings from past music videos like “BlankSpace” or directs mannequins dressed as her “squad”. She acknowledges the media and feuds of her past. The video ends with her alter-egos mocking (her?) The media has attributed her demeanor.

The video received 43 million views on YouTube in 24 hours after its debut. Swift used the narrative to her advantage, and not against it. Swift was accused of manipulating media, but now she is the one who manipulates the media. The pattern is repeated throughout the album. The cover for reputation has two parts: one blank half with only the album’s title on it and another covered in newspaper and Swift’s name. As with the materiality, the songs are divided between those that reflect Taylor Swift’s true self and the persona she is portrayed as by the media. She courageously admits that “her reputation is worse than ever”. She doesn’t just address her portrayal in the media. She mocks the media. Swift mocks the tabloids by selling magazines that have headlines like “Taylor Drama: Her Personal Photos Exposed”.

This was a successful sales tactic. Swift sold 1.2 millions albums in the first week of reputation. She was praised by critics. Her fans praised her. Taylor Swift is clear in her message: Bullying doesn’t need to be fatal. You can be strengthened instead. Swift’s lack of political statements has garnered as much criticism as her relationships and feuds. Swift was criticized in October 2018 for her lack of political statements. This came shortly before the midterms. After Swift’s passionate declaration, 65,000 voters registered. Swift’s support for LGBTQ people was also shown in Swift’s Instagram post. Swift also makes this support audible on her latest single “You need to calm down,” in which she asks critics, “why they’re mad when GLAAD could be their organization”. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation saw a huge increase in donations the day following the release of Swift’s song.

Swift sings in “You Need To Calm Down” that the media is constantly pitting women against one another, and “we figured out you.” . . In the music clip, she reunites with her longtime friend Katy Perry wearing a costume of a hamburger, French fries and a happy meal, showing their ‘beef.’ Their beef is now a single giant happy food.

Taylor Swift’s story is hers to tell. The media may not have helped her along the way and she might have faced obstacles, but Taylor Swift knows what she wants to say. She is the driver of her ship and the narrator of her story. Media thought they could beat her. The media thought that they could defeat her. Taylor Swift continues to prove that she is not just a singer, but an entrepreneur and brand who never gives up. Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down”, “Snakes & Stones Never Broke Her Bones” is a true statement.