Taylor Swift, now just 25 years old, had a year for the books in 2015. She may have dropped her fifth album, 1989, in October of 2014, but its ripples carried into 2015 and made it a year of new records to be broken, new friends, and a new definition of what it means to be the biggest star on the planet.
Swift spent most of 2015 taking her album on the road and touring around the globe. She announced her 1989 World Tour via Twitter in November 2014, and the tour began in May 2015.
It was a pop-synth party every night for the star as Swift performed arenas and stadiums all around the world, bringing along special guests to appear on stage each night. She performed with artists such as John Legend, Mick Jagger, Selena Gomez, and Justin Timberlake. She shared her cat walk with model friends such as Gigi Hadid, and Karlie Kloss, and even brought out the US Womens National Soccer Team when they returned to the states with their World Cup trophy. It became a celebration of art, music, friend and friends. Crowds jumped and screamed each night as Swift performed every song from her album, including a few old fan favorites with a 1989-esque twist to them, such as a reworked "Love Story" from her second album and an echoing of "Enchanted" from her third remixed in with a newer hit "Wildest Dreams." It was the highest grossing tour of the year, bringing in $250.4 million.
Her music videos were also a big marker for Swift this past year. She premiered her album with the video "Shake it Off," a perfect image for Swift's new direction. It was fun and upbeat, and it's ending, of the star dancing without a care surrounded by a bunch of her actual fans, perfectly captured Swift's resounding message: you don't have to be cool, you just have to have fun and soon enough you'll be surrounded by those you truly belong with.
"Blank Space" was one of Swift's biggest hits from the record, and its video was almost bigger. Swift struck back at the media's taunts and jokes about her love life and her character. She captured the essence of what the world viewed her as for years and made the joke right back. "Blank Space" won four awards including two VMAs, an AMA, and an Emmy.
She also gave back. A lot. Swift donated $50,000 to an 11-year old battling cancer, another $50,000 to NYC public schools, giving them the proceeds of her hit "Welcome to New York," she sent $1,989 to a fan to help pay for student loans, and gave $15,000 to the family of Texas firefighter Aaron Vanriper following a car accident that left them seriously injured. Swift has received the title in years past of "the most charitable celebrity," and 2015, she most definitely proved that true.
2015 was a year of prioritizing her friends and her fans. Swift sent Christmas and Valentines day gift packages to her fans throughout the year after having kept up with them online through social media. She picked up things while on her tour, shopped in old antique stores, and even poked around in Sephora to find the perfect personalized gifts for each fan. The fans dubbed the season of gift giving, "Swiftmas" and began posting videos of their joy filled days opening the large Fed-Ex boxes signed "Love, Taylor." Swift knows just how dedicated her fans are and does whatever she can to thank them.
She also made a conscious decision to focus a lot of her energy on who she surrounded herself with. Swift's "squad" was a big topic of conversation this year, as it seemed to grow and grow as the months progressed; a new face added to the group at each new event. She attended red carpets and took vacations with a swarm of girl friends including models, actresses, singers, and even her high school best friend. She even had them star in her music video for "Bad Blood," turning them into spies and assassins in black leather and sharp weapons. In 2015, Swift redefined the importance of having a good group of friends and showcased the power of women as they are supported one another and cheered each other on, instead of tearing each other down like the media so often likes to do.
Swift is definitely known for her ability to write, but her most important piece this past year was not a hook or chorus of a chart topper, it was a letter. Apple Music, the company who rules the music world, bowed down to Swift after she so simply wrote them a letter asking them to rethink their policy of paying artists for streamed music through their new platform. Swift is not only a master at songwriting and singing, she is a master of business and being a boss, in both senses of the word. She was even ranked 8th on Forbes Celebrity 100 and 64th on its most powerful women list.
Swift spent 2015 redefining what it means to be cool, what it means to be a good person and what it means to be the biggest star on the planet.
"I want to make the most of this cultural relevance or success or whatever you want to call it, because it’s not going to last. I have to be as good a person [as I can] while my name matters to them." -Swift in an interview with the Telegraph.
If 2016 is anything like 2015, I am so excited to see what Taylor has in store next.
