As an avid Taylor Swift fan since the ripe age of seven, it has become incredibly disheartening to see how much my perspective on her has changed recently. Taylor Swift is, without a doubt, an idolized, busy, and now overexposed woman hugely highlighted in the media. There is not a single day where I don’t see something about Swift in the media. I am not saying that is a bad thing per se, but I do see additional elements of Swift that I would rather not see, as it is disrupting the prior image I had of her, one without all the exposure of the things she does and how she acts. I feel the reason many people can be drawn to celebrities is because we don’t see the entirety of their personality. We are missing out on crucial factors of who these people genuinely are, their beliefs, how they act, etc. Suppose we did know the totality of celebrities’ personalities. In that case, we would glimpse a much different side of them and ultimately alter how we subconsciously support these media stars. That’s why most celebrities utilize media training, PR (Public Relations), and image control to cover up the actual aspects of the celebrities’ personalities; subsequently, one of the reasons I am losing my fascination for Swift.
Taylor Swift is on the news more often than actual, essential news. Most mornings, I wake up to watch the news about when Swift is landing in Japan or some other exotic place to meet with her boyfriend. All of the unnecessary, and to be frank, stupid, excess information about Swift has led to her being in the news way too often. There is far too much constant publicity about the minor things she does. With the continuous overexposure, I even started to creep away from the singer. I used to look up to Swift, thinking there was so much depth I could relate to and bond with. However, the more publicity and exposure she obtains, the harder I find her to connect and relate to. The overexposure has led to me further drifting away from the singer. Unfortunately, I see some of her actions and behaviors and get weirdly irritated. For example, seeing Swift’s actions at the Grammys has made me realize that maybe she isn’t the kind of person I would like to support. From dragging Lana Del Rey onto the stage after losing a potential Grammy to using her Grammy win as an opportunity to promote her new album and the seeming lack of genuine appreciation for her fans, I can’t help but find her irritating and simply out of touch with reality. Now, to cut her a break, I think almost all celebrities have lost touch with themselves- being too overwhelmed by the flowing income and ongoing support and obsession from fans. However, it is still bothersome to see some of the actions of someone who you had previously admired and supported regardless. I am incompatible with that extroverted behavior and out-of-touch mentality, which encourages me to drift further away from Swift.
To preface, not only have I been straying away from more pop-oriented albums, but I am connecting to other genres of music such as rap, alternative, and R&B. Now, I will occasionally listen to Swift, but with this coverage that I see of her online, I find it hard to enjoy her music, as I feel her music is superficial and unrelatable. Unfortunately, I now understand why some people don’t like Swift. I feel like I have to mourn that part of me that connected with her—the younger girl was obsessed with anything she did and everything she made. Now, I find her too self-obsessed, lacking depth in her character and music.
None of the remarks I am making here have any malicious intent and may not even be factual because I do not know Swift myself. I’m merely commenting on the videos I will see of her online, and I see a lot. I am not trying to defame Swift’s image in any way, but I have now concluded that the artist I once loved and looked up to is now someone I can’t truly connect with.
