The immodest charm of Taylor Swift. Feminist. talented, pop, but sophisticated

What if a miraculous source of success exists and is located in Pennsylvania? The hypothesis arises spontaneously when we encounter the fame of Taylor Swift, a singer and songwriter born almost thirty-four years ago in the northeastern state of the United States. With hundreds of millions of copies sold worldwide and streaming records, she is the highest-grossing female artist in history for her concerts and the only one (after the Beatles) to have eleven songs simultaneously on the Billboard Top 200, a major American record. diagram. As if that weren’t enough, also thanks to the consumption contagion effect caused by her, her colleague Beyoncé and the movie Barbie, it is estimated that America’s gross domestic product (GDP) could reach 1.5% in 2023.

Now we need to write a new chapter: the unstoppable Eras Tour The singer-songwriter is becoming a concert film and will be released in cinemas in Italy at the same time as the United States on October 13th. Analysts at the National Research Group estimate the film could earn $75 million overseas alone. Some believe the film will approach $100 million upon release. Numbers aside, one thing is certain: Swift is the most popular and beloved pop star in the world right now.

Speculation about the magical sources of success aside, what makes a pop star an unprecedented phenomenon? “Taylor Swift is the right artist at the right time, arriving at a time when music is going through a process of profound change. The methods of creation, perception and concept of this art have changed. And there are no more genres like pop, rock, funk or rap. She was able to take the opportunity to create her own genre: her music is pop music, it appeals to a wide audience, but at the same time has incredible compositional sophistication. And the collaborators and writers he uses are of the highest quality,” Ernesto Assante, a journalist and music critic, explains to Huffpost.

The expert looks back to the past, drawing a parallel between the pop star and Carole King, the singer, songwriter and composer who, in the Sixties, was able to masterfully oscillate between different styles, from neo-folk to ballads, all the way to soul. Assante states that “Taylor Swift has the same ability to push boundaries and engage different generations. Moreover, her success is uniquely female in a musical landscape that is too often dominated by men.” Over the years, the artist has delivered strong messages of empowerment and taken positions that have made her a true feminist hero in the music industry. For example, he decided to re-record his first records after a conflict with manager and entrepreneur Scooter Braun, who sold the masters to a private equity group led by Roy E. Disney, grandson of Walt Disney, who received 100% of the shares. rights to the singer-songwriter’s music. The transfer occurred without Swift’s knowledge: hence the decision to assert herself by recording the songs from scratch and reassembling the original musicians when possible. “The fans saw it not as a commercial move, but as an act of creative liberation and a declaration of independence,” says the music critic.

This is why women like Swift so much. “Her audience is predominantly female,” explains Assante, “which sets her apart from other artists such as Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and Beyoncé. The latter may have elements of transgression and sensuality in their style, and Taylor Swift is not trying to be provocative or sexy. His music is focused on quality and content. She’s busy, but not too busy, a cross between Bob Dylan and David Bowie that embodies the zeitgeist.” And then Taylor proves that he knows what introspection is, capturing the needs of a young audience eager to tell their story and feel told: this is what the documentary demonstrates Miss Americanareleased in 2020 on Netflix, in which the artist spoke about herself without filters between success, effort and fragility.

Also, according to the New York Times, for the first time in music history, Swift brings together a number of positive and winning elements: she’s a talented artist, but she’s also a great manager of herself. and was able to create a very strong connection with his audience. “She curates her brand in the same way that Bono, Jay-Z and Madonna all know their brands, but the difference is that Taylor is the first digital native,” explains Nathan Hubbard, music manager. Although at first the artist preferred not to take political positions, leaving Republican America to fantasize that she was “their pop star,” since 2018 she began to support progressive ideas and demonstrate closeness to the LGBT+ community. A turning point that even made former President Donald Trump turn up his nose, declaring, “I like Taylor Swift’s music 25% less now than I did before.”

In short: firepower to unleash discontent among politicians and influence the fate of the American economy, as evidenced by GDP forecasts for this year. According to Assante, “This shows that music is not only a cultural asset and a source of entertainment, but also an industry capable of creating jobs and contributing to the economy. This is well known in the United States, as well as in Japan, and now in Korea: our country, the expert concludes, should draw inspiration from these examples, developing and supporting the sector as it deserves.”