I would like to start off by saying I have been, and always will be a Swiftie. In all honesty, I probably will be for as long as I live. But there is an undeniable change in the Swift era that must be addressed immediately.
Much like Taylor's image and astounding imminent fame, her music has grown and evolved with her. But with its growth, the magic that her music used to hold has seemed to fade.
Her music used to encompass a sense of hope -- a sense of empowering optimism that no matter what happens, we will all be okay.
Admittedly, Taylor has matured along the years and isn't the same 17-year-old girl writing love ballads about high school romances anymore. But the optimism of chasing dreams, of falling in love, of truly living life with everything you have has slowly dwindled away into an edgy, almost pessimistic view of the world.
Taylor Swift's first album was genius. It was the first album that ever really spoke to me; the first album that ever made me feel something while listening to it. I will never forget the overwhelming sensation of being 11-years-old and hearing "Teardrops On My Guitar" on the radio for the first time. It was as if all my emotions were spilling out into the melody in front of me, flooding my world with a heartache and longing I hadn't even felt yet.
I will never forget watching her perform live for the first time as merely an opening act; the whole audience swaying with cell phones in hand, lighting up the arena like a million little stars shining for her, supporting her, loving her for how real and open and honest she was with her music. That's what makes an extraordinary album -- no amount of special effects can ever top that.
Her music just doesn't seem to have the same effect that it used to. To be honest, I still think it's great -- it's catchy and singsongy and really really fun to dance to. But when did her beautiful, lyrical, scenic verses about young couples dancing all night long to a Tim McGraw song while the moon casts a spotlight on the lake just for them turn into a song about how players are going to play?
I'll admit, Taylor Swift is famous enough that she could probably write a song about the paint drying on one of the walls of her multi-million dollar apartment and people would still love it. It is Taylor Swift's world and we are all just living in it. But I just hope one day the magic that her music once entailed will return once again. She may have gone from writing about her journey as a girl trying to find her place in the world to writing about having bad blood with people, but I have faith that one day she may find her way back to the way she used to be. But if not, we will still be here shaking it off.
So here's to you, Taylor -- your songs will always be slammin' screen doors.
