We’ve all heard the name, and we’ve all seen her No. 1 album take over iTunes, but what makes this 24-year-old blonde, country girl the multi-million dollar, sensational pop star that the world has come to love?
Maybe it’s the fact Taylor Swift’s not afraid to be who she is and bravely stands up to every hater she’s ever faced with grace. Or maybe it’s because she changes genres like she changes boyfriends and rocks them all. Maybe it’s just because she’s so freakin’ adorable with her nerdy glasses and love of cats.
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One of the reasons Taylor Swift has such a large fan base is because she uses her experiences to create beautiful, relatable metaphors, and “1989” is filled with them. From catchy pop songs to emotional slow melodies to angry breakup songs, she embodies what it means to be in your twenties. She’s the symbol for the true ups and downs of life that we all go through, the only difference is that she’s brave enough to put her diary on an album and share it with the world.
Even if you don’t like T-Swift’s music, you can’t deny that this songwriter has an infectious charisma and happiness about her. “1989”, her recently released album, demonstrates exactly that. With songs that define what it means to be a 20-something, Swift creates a ’80s-pop-inspired album of 13 songs that keep you begging for more.
Best Five Songs off “1989”
“Blank Space” – This song kicks off the album off by poking fun at T-Swift’s dating reputation, while capturing how it feels to be in the dating game. With lyrics like, “I thought oh my God/look at that face/you look like my next mistake,” she explains that getting hurt and making mistakes are all a part of dating. With a care-free attitude and fun beat, this song represents everything about the college dating game. We can’t hate the players, and we all love the game.
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“Bad Blood” – You can always count on Swift to slip us something that screams, “F- you!” without uttering a single curse word. Similar to the concept of “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “Bad Blood” takes us into a relationship where an ex messes up and ruins any hope of ending things in a healthy way. (Who hasn’t been there?) Next time you need to get your anger out, plug your headphones in and start running to this song. I can guarantee that it’ll help you get your anger out in a way that’s better than egging his house or slashing his tires.
“Wildest Dreams” – This smoother, slow beat reminds me of something off a Lana Del Rey album. The song is about hoping a fling remembers you after a tryst that’s inevitably going to end. Whether it conjures up for you a summer fling or someone that moved away, it’s an incredibly relatable tune. “Wildest Dreams” is freeing enough to make you want to blast it in your car, but slow enough that you can listen to it as you fall asleep.
“I Know Places” – This is my favorite song on the whole album. Besides the fact that it’s extremely catchy, it explores the classic romantic tale of forbidden love. It’s similar to “Love Story,” only this time it’s much darker, comparing the lovers to running foxes and people against the relationship to hunters. With a pleading voice, Swift depicts hidden places for a love that’s “bulletproof.”
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“Clean” – When the gathering beat starts, it sounds like a kid playing with a xylophone in a store, but then she starts to sing. Suddenly you’re transported into Swift’s world of rainstorms that represent washing yourself clean of an unhealthy relationship. Her line, “You’re still all over me like a wine-stained dress I can’t wear anymore,” paints the picture of feeling suffocated and trapped by someone. The beautiful images created with her lyrics alone depict what it feels like to be free after ending a relationship.
Every song of “1989” embodies what it means to be in your 20s. As Swift has aged with us, she’s emotionally captured every major transition since she released her first album at 16 years old.
Remember singing “Fifteen” in your room freshman year? Or screaming to “You Belong With Me” as you stared at your crush wondering why he’s never noticed you? Or even that time you blasted “22” at your all-girls pregame, even though you’re not 22 and you shouldn’t be drinking that $6 bottle of Trader Joe’s wine? She’s followed us and matured with us, and this new album is no different.
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Like anyone in their 20s, Swift takes bold moves by experimenting with an incredibly different side of herself. With songs like, “Welcome To New York,” she captures the daydreams of people who are independent enough to be who they are but young enough to not have a clue what they’re doing, which, let’s face it, represents many of us.
It’s no secret that this album takes on a completely new sound for the former country crooner. Her dramatic transformation from blonde, blue-eyed country singer to edgy, shorthaired girl with dark-red lipstick exemplifies the change she’s made from a 16-year-old girl to a 24-year-old woman.
When “Teardrops on My Guitar” came out, no one dared to think this sweet girl would flirt with the boundaries of techno and ’80s pop. This album truly shows that Taylor Swift can do anything she wants and, unlike most artists that try to cross genres, she does it damn well.
Feature photo courtesy of: NY Daily News
