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| Taylor Swift, 2006 |
Country music fans have embraced Taylor Swift since she began
her career in 2006. Swift was a very young, talented singer-songwriter with a
soft, sweet voice and heart-filled song lyrics. Since the release of her first
album at age 16, Swift has always self-identified as a country artist. She very
quickly became the bright, young face of the genre but lately things are
sounding quite different.
Tuning in to Swift’s newest record Red, it isn’t hard to tell that the famous Taylor-twang we’ve all
grown to love is gone. As a big country music fan, I feel comfortable saying
there is just nothing country about Swift’s newest hits. In fact, let’s take a
minute here to compare Swift’s earlier work like Tim McGraw to some of her newest songs like We Are Never Getting Back Together and I Knew You Were Trouble. I think
most of us can agree the lively country vibe of Taylor Swift’s songs and videos
is absent from these newer examples.
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| Taylor Swift, 2013 |
We haven’t heard much from Swift about her new image since
the release of this album. As a country-version-of-Taylor-Swift fan, I’m
disappointed. I feel like she’s selling out. Lately when I hear her on the
radio, I find myself switching stations. My friends and I have an ongoing joke
about the fact that Taylor Swift could even be considered a country music
artist. We, like many others, embraced
the new country star with open arms when she began to appear in the country
music world. Now, as country music enthusiasts, we feel a bit abandoned by the
ever-growing pop star.
I’m not saying there is anything wrong with Swift switching
things up and gearing her music toward a new audience. It is clear from my
previous post about the change Tegan and Sara are making that I can get behind
a move from one genre to another. I simply believe Swift needs to clarify her
target market to cover pop music. Her latest work is a clear move away from
country music and I think it’s important for her to indicate that to her fans
and her audience(s). Is she abandoning her country roots or is she simply
trying to push her own boundaries? Clarification from her on this topic could
have prevented any hostility from her fans.
If I were part of Swift’s PR team, I would emphasize the
importance of open communication and acknowledging change to her audience.
Honesty and compassion for fans are admirable traits to possess when a person
is in the public eye. Is her goal to
gain a larger presence in mainstream media? If so, just say that. Fans
appreciate honesty. If I look up to someone and if they want to keep my
loyalty, I expect them to be transparent. I expected Taylor Swift to recognize
the changes she made and to openly identify them to her audience. If this had happened I would
have remained a Taylor Swift fan
instead of simply being a member of her audience.
Check out Swift's new album and see what you you think!
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| Taylor Swift's 2012 Album, Red |
