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Get To Know Swiftie @AConsiderateTop All Too Well

by Sam More 14 Apr 2021 0 Comments

1. When did you first discover Taylor? Do you remember the first song you heard?

 

The first Taylor Swift song I ever heard was her performance of "Our Song" at the 2007 CMA Awards - I was 10 years old so I didn't have a sense of my own musical preferences yet & latched onto whatever my older siblings listened to, which was a lot of country. However, it wasn't until I took a road trip vacation with my family in 2010 & we listened to her album Fearless on repeat for the entirety of the drive that I became a fan, & it wasn't until this past year during the pandemic that I had enough free time to delve into her full discography & development as an artist/public figure that I became a bona fide Swiftie.

2. What's a Taylor song you think deserves more recognition? 

A common sentiment I've heard amongst fans is that Taylor tends to choose singles that don't represent the best of what an album has to offer, so there's a huge treasure trove of incredible songs that don't get widespread recognition. 1989 had so many hits that people tend to ignore "This Love" & "Clean." Honorable mention: "Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince" & "Call It What You Want." 

3. Do you have a fave Taylor era style-wise? The dark and edgy Reputation era, the light pastel inspired Lover era or maybe the cottage core vibe of Folklore? 

There was such a sense of genuine integrity that permeated everything about the folklore/evermore era where it seemed like she was wielding total artistic control, writing & singing exactly the types of songs she wanted with people she loved instead of vying for a particular award or chart performance. Not to mention, she's vocally at the best she's ever been. On the other hand, the very circumstances that brought these albums to fruition also stunted the opportunities she had to promote them or release companion projects (the long pond sessions notwithstanding), so while this might be an embarrassment of riches for her musically & creatively, I don't know if I can call it a fully developed era. 
Final answer - the reputation era, which was a savvy demonstration of how to take adversity & a tide of public vitriol that's out of your control & channel it into something exciting & unexpected, but still marked by that underlying lovestruck tenderness of "New Year's Day" or "King of My Heart" that reminds us that even if the old Taylor can't come to the phone right now, she's still there.

4. From recently Maren Morris to Ed Sheeran, Zayn, Kendrick Lamar and more... what is your fave collab Taylor has done?

"Soon You'll Get Better" with The Chicks! Such a cool full circle moment for her to collaborate with artists who inspired her, especially on such a heartfelt, meaningful track. 

5. With every album, Swifites anticipate a new track 5 as they always have a special place in Taylor's heart. What's your fave track 5?

 

How could my answer be anything other than "All Too Well" from Red? That bridge? Ridiculous!

6. Taylor is known for her storytelling in her songwriting. Do you have a fave lyric?

Folklore & evermore are both masterclasses in some of the best lyricism I've ever heard in my life, but I'd point specifically to the bridges of "marjorie" & "champagne problems" which both gave me genuine moments of breathlessness. Honorable mention to the metaphors in "mirrorball" & the vivid imagery in "right where you left me."

7. Have you ever seen Taylor live? If so what was your favourite song to see performed live?

I've never seen her live! Number one experience on my bucket list.

8. I know this question is a real sophie's choice for Swifites but do you have a fave album?

Right now I'm making the intentional decision to only listen to the albums she owns (Lover through evermore) until the re-recordings come out, so evermore has been my favorite, but once the re-recordings are released I have a feeling Speak Now will come out on top. 

9. What was your reaction to Folklore winning Album of the Year at the 2021 Grammys?

Christ, that night was stressful. Anybody who knows me can tell you that I don't give any credence whatsoever to the meritocracy of the Grammys - some of my favorite artists (Tegan & Sara, Perfume Genius, Years & Years, Regina Spektor) have never received any Grammy recognition, but that doesn't mean they aren't unbelievable talents. That being said, Taylor herself has said that her most prized awards are her Grammys so I wanted that moment for her, if only to validate all she's given to her fans. 

Everything about Taylor that night - her look, that stunning medley, her support for the other artists that night - was such an embodiment of the kind of artist & person she is & why I'm so proud to be a fan, but each loss stung a little more until the moment she lost the Pop Vocal Album category to Future Nostalgia, which felt like the final nail in the coffin. I remember completely disengaging & acknowledging she'd leave empty-handed, so when she finally did make Grammy history with her win I couldn't respond to the emotional whiplash fast enough & was honestly still too disgruntled for it to really register. But I guess that's part of the fun of being a fan - & I'm very much looking forward to her fourth & fifth Album of the Year awards in the very near future!

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