Taylor Swift
I enjoy Taylor Swift’s music. I think she is a VERY talented woman. Her skills in songwriting, performing, and connecting with people through music are completely unmatched. Without question, she is amazing. Unfortunately, I missed the boat and do not (at this time) feel qualified to call myself a Swiftie.
Background
I grew up in Berks County Pennsylvania in a place called Fleetwood. Taylor also grew up in Berks County, but in a place called Wyomissing. From my hometown to hers, it is more or less 20 minutes away. This is truly one of my biggest flexes in life. It would be even more impressive if I were a Swiftie!
Taylor was born in 1989 (obviously), and I was born in 1997… So there is an 8-year age gap. This means that when she released her debut album “Taylor Swift” in 2006, I was only 9 years old. I was not into media or popular music yet and didn’t know anything about her.
A Rising Star
By her next album release, “Fearless” in 2008, she was quickly gaining momentum among my peers for being a popular singer from the town next door. Of course, her music was on the radio and I had heard some of her songs by then, but I couldn’t say that I knew every lyric of any song. I was only 11.
The release of “Speak Now” in 2010 had an explosive effect on my little town. Everyone I knew had attended her Fearless Tour concert in Pittsburgh on October 1st of 2009.
Unfortunately, my dad was in a near fatal car crash around the same time of the release of “Speak Now”, so most of my time was spent at the hospital or worrying about him. Music was not one of my priorities in those quiet waiting rooms.
…but then she became more relevant to my life
After my dad recovered and was released from the hospital, I was starting my freshman year of High School. At that point, I began taking English Literature classes where we had to read several Shakespeare excerpts, including Romeo and Juliet. The other girls in my class squealed about Taylor’s song “Love Story” and that was the spark I needed to start listening to her music.
At the beginning of my sophomore year in October 2012, Taylor was featured in a Live Webcast sponsored by Scholastic to promote “Reading Every Day”. Our school had signed up to attend it after the bell at 2 pm. I remember the excited chatter during class that day, we barely worked at all due to the inability to focus. We all gathered in the school library where the video was projected onto the huge presentation screen. We had to move all of the chairs and everyone sat on the floor because so many students showed up to watch the webcast. Taylor performed “We Are Never Getting Back Together” from her brand new album “Red”.
I continued to listen throughout high school and college. Each year, Taylor did something even bigger and better. She blossomed into the woman she is now and deserves every respect, credit, and award she has won.
I only regret not being more invested in her music and her story. I tend to stay away from celebrity news, drama, and tabloids in general because I have my own life to worry about… But with Taylor, its different. I want to know what drives her, her inspirations, her story. I get chills every time I watch the Eras Tour Documentary (I’ve watched it multiple times) and I want to enhance that experience by forming a personal connection with Taylor’s music and lyricism. I want to be able to sit with friends as she releases another album so we can catch all of the easter eggs or subtle hints. This is my journey to becoming a Swiftie ❤️
Join me as I watch her music videos (most of them for the first time) and learn as much as I can about her story and background on each of her songs.
If you have any advice on how to earn my Swiftie badge, please let me know!
THIS IS MY STORY
Come along as I share the things I’ve experienced in my life. I’m sure there’s a lesson to be learned from each one!
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