For me, Taylor Swift has always been the kind of artist that I never knew to love or hate.

My friends abhorred her for being too "basic" and having music that the radio seemed to make everyone hate. But at the same time I have to admit to myself that some of that music was just so damn catchy.

I would rank "1989" at least an honorable mention in my top alums of the 2010s. It was a transition away from the country style that Swift started up as, and it was a transition, in my opinion, done right. Then came the almost emo-filled "Reputation" album, which I didn't really enjoy, and then the more aesthetically pleasing "Lover."

And indeed, the abrupt transition of phases that Swift goes through is one of the main themes of her new Netflix documentary "Americana."

"Americana" provides a candid look of the pop star often misunderstood by those in the music industry. We like Lady Gaga and accept her weirdness because that's part of her stage act. We like male artists like Justin Bieber because they make all the girls swoon. But for someone like Taylor Swift, who has somewhat clung on to the small-town, boy-sick, American girl archetype, she has faced constant pressure for changing who she is.

We also get a brief glimpse at Swift's beginnings, which in retrospect seem like an eternity ago. We're whisked back to her first performances at dive bars, the "Fearless" era, and of course the infamous "Imma let you finish" moment with Kanye West in 2009.

With that American girl image comes another theme that this new documentary shows: to be purposely silent on politics. Swift talks about how she was strictly instructed to not talk about politics, especially in her early years; in fact, it has led many conservatives to believe that she was on their side. This would all change with the 2018 midterm elections, where her political awakening encouraged her fans to register to vote, more specifically her Tennessee fans in ousting GOP senator Marsha Blackburn.

In the end, I think "Americana" has made me have a new view of Taylor Swift. Her career having been rattled with constant scrutiny and taunts by the press, pressures to be a perfectionist and fundamentally turning the role of the musical artist on its head make me at the very least appreciate her as a person.

At times, we often fall for the spin of the "stan wars" that we should despise everything an artist stands for if they somewhat "slander" our faves. But for Taylor Swift, this new documentary is recommended watching for any of us wanting to understand the woman behind the spin.