Folklore Beyond the Stage: Taylor Swift Reveals All
By Brooke Manuel, Skyline Editor
ALPINE - A sea of tiny little screens filled the room, ready to snap a picture of the icon herself.
Tens of thousands of people chanted, “Taylor, Taylor, Taylor,” in the moments leading up to her grand entrance. As soon as she emerged from an ascending platform center stage, a hush fell over the crowd in anticipation. There she was with her blonde hair and signature red lip in a flowing blue dress.
Despite being the global icon she is, just hours prior, Taylor Swift was sitting in her dressing room with her mom and dad eating her favorite food, chicken tenders, and discussing the episode of Downton Abbey they had watched that morning.
Swift is a global icon, but she’s also just another girl like you and me. Her ability to meld these two personas into one is what makes her stand out from her contemporaries.
Swift was named TIME magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year for her “preternatural skill for finding the story,” making her the first woman to appear twice on a Person of the Year cover since nominations for the title began in the 1920s.
TIME magazine’s criteria for Person of the Year are simple: the person who had the biggest impact on the news.
Swift expressed her enthusiasm at being named Person of the Year.
"This is the proudest and happiest I've ever felt, and the most creatively fulfilled and free I've ever been," Swift told TIME.
By looking at her past, it’s hard not to question the authenticity of her enthusiasm.
Swift openly professed her desire to be liked in the Netflix documentary, Miss Americana, where viewers witness her evolve from a timid little girl who just wanted to please others to the strong young woman she is today.
“I became the person who everyone wanted me to be,” Swift said.
Throughout her career, Swift has been very open about the myriad of challenges she’s faced. Living in the public eye, she’s been under constant scrutiny, being judged by every little thing from the way she looks to the men she dates.
Over time, she has tried to fight back against society and step outside of the role of Miss Americana she has been forced into, conveying her growth as both a woman and an artist.
Swift’s album, “folklore,” which was released during the pandemic in 2020, tells the story of not only Swift’s personal evolution but also that of countless other women.
On the surface, this album may seem like it’s just about Swift’s failed romances, but a deeper look reveals an introspective masterpiece that touches on some of the issues faced by women in contemporary American society, especially in connection with the pressure that societal expectations have on them.
“the 1,” “mirrorball” and “this is me trying” are about self-introspection. “the 1” is Swift’s way of questioning the what-ifs of her past. Lyrics like “You know the greatest films of all time were never made” and “You know the greatest loves of all time are over now” are nostalgic and hint at Swift regretting certain choices she made, something we can all relate to. “mirrorball” is about adapting to fit the expectations of those around you. “this is me trying” is the most intimate form of self-reflection in the album. The lyrics, “I was so ahead of the curve, the curve became a sphere / Fell behind all my classmates and I ended up here,” convey Swift’s feelings of never being enough. Together, these three songs paint a picture of how the microscope that women are constantly under affects their self-perception.
Swift challenges gender norms through “the last great american dynasty” and “mad woman,” which are both about women who are viewed as being problematic for their outspoken and unapologetic personalities. “the last great american dynasty” is the story of Rebekah Harkness, a 20th century heiress who was known as the scorned socialite, and “mad woman” is a representation of the women who have spoken out against inequality and been criticized for doing so.
Swift has always been known for her ability to use music as a means of storytelling, but “folklore” takes her storytelling to a new level.
“folklore” is a piece of social commentary, a personal diary, a piece of fiction, and so much more, but above all, it is a big fuck you to society and the box it tries to force women into.