Dear Taylor,
I’m writing this on behalf of the millions of fans around the world, including myself. I want to thank you for writing "1989." These college years can be hard and having refreshing music to listen to on a daily basis can wake you up and easily get your day started.
I’ll never forget the announcement of the album – August 18, 2014; you shared the first single of the album, “Shake It Off”, along with the music video, through the Yahoo livestream . I remember being dressed and ready for work, begging for the livestream to start on time. Thankfully, I didn’t miss work and I was able to see the livestream, where you also announced your first pop album’s name, cover art, and release date.
On October 27, 2014, I nearly ran to Target to pick up the physical copy of 1989. It was downloaded to my iTunes immediately and the Polaroids plastered all over my room.
I’ll never forget waiting for this month last year, begging for October to end. The world would finally be blessed with 1989. I’ll never forget laying in bed texting my friends once you released “Out of the Woods” on iTunes (and we were flipping out). I’ll never forget hearing my favorite, “Bad Blood”, pounding through the radio the ENTIRE summer. Best summer anthem ever.
I’ll never forget the 1989 Tour where my friends and I basically died.
The 1989 Tour was an outer body experience. We were not ready.
Immediately following the show we were asking each other, “Can’t we find the money to go and see another show? I’ll even go abroad!”
The album made a difference in our lives. To this day, we still contemplate getting some sort of Taylor Swift and/or 1989-esque tattoo. I want to thank you for bringing my friends and I closer together than we already were. You united us when we were already close to begin with. We can always say that you are our queen because you are. The blonde princess emoji included.
Thank you and your team for creating the Enchanted/Wildest Dreams mashup on your tour list (probably one of the most beautiful parts of the show). I never knew I needed an acoustic version of “Holy Ground” in my life until you played it at your Dublin tour date. Thank you for sharing music with people – not just your own but also your friends and mentors. You are unpredictable with your surprise guests at tour dates. In my opinion, nothing will beat bringing out Justin Timberlake, Selena Gomez, and Lisa Kudrow as your beloved Friends character, Phoebe Buffay. People come to hear your music and see your show and yet you are still always giving 110% with an extra surprise factor. Always keeping us on our toes Shifty Swifty (if you are on Tumblr, you get this).
I want to thank you for the “Clean” speech. For inspiring young girls, as well as grown adults. People may not think they can get a therapy session at a concert but at the 1989 Tour, you do.
She tells you what you are not:
“You are not the opinion of somebody who doesn’t know you. You are not damaged goods just because you’ve made mistakes in your life. You are not going nowhere just because you haven’t gotten where you want to go yet.” – Taylor Swift
And what you are:
“You are your own definition of beautiful and worthwhile. That’s what you are. You are someone wiser because you made mistakes, not damaged, wiser.” – Taylor Swift
Thank you for not giving up, even when they attack you. Because WE love you.
You are always sassy, even when some still don’t get the meaning of "Blank Space". When my friends came to visit me at school, we listened and sang to “Welcome to New York” on the streets of New York without headphones. We were spreading 1989 awareness.
Thank you for taking the time to always talk with your fans. You didn’t have to invite people over to your houses to share your excitement of the new album – but you did. You held the 1989 Secret Sessions where you let fans have an early listen of the album as well as meet and hang out with you. Just reaching out through social media, dropping packages off at people’s homes, visiting sick fans in hospitals and Loft 89 at your concerts has the ability to change someone’s life. Although I have not been graced by your presence, I know you’re always there. I’ve seen fans through social media who have gotten responses from you and some who have even met you in person with the Loft 89 experience.
Thank you for giving us squad goals. That way we can always pretend your squad is a part of our squad.
So thank you, Taylor Swift, for everything that you do. The music, the shows, the energy, your heart and soul—all of it combined. We love 1989 and we love you.
