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Read moreThe Taylor Swift Phenomenon in San Diego
The Taylor Swift Phenomenon
in San Diego
Students react to new album and Swift’s legacy on Generation Z
KARISA KAMPBELL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
From a young age, Taylor Swift has captivated audiences through her heart-felt lyrics and raw ability to put words to the feelings of growing up, falling in love, being heart-broken and everything in between. Now in the wake of the debut of her 12th studio album, Midnights, Swift’s remarkable ability to engage an entire generation must be recognized.
Some find it interesting thatTaylor Swift was able to completely transform her sound from a country artist into a pop artist. Swift’s debut album, Taylor Swift, as well as her subsequent albums Fearless and Speak Now featured traditional country twang as well as introduced Taylor’s ability to capture the essence of being a teenage girl through her lyricism and storytelling.
Red marked the beginning of a new era for Taylor Swift. This album combined the pop-country lyricism with a new, purely pop sound that Swift began to dip her toes in with this album. Pop Swift continued through her next three albums 1989, Reputation and Lover. Sister albums Folklore and Evermore, released less than six months apart from each other in 2020, combined Taylor’s roots as a country artist with her newfound identity as a pop icon.
Midnights, Swift’s most recent album released on Oct. 21, 2022 ,focuses more on her pop sound, collaborating with artist Lana Del Rey to create a new, slightly softer pop sound for Swift.
With such a variety of music and sound, many in this generation have an ability to connect with Swift, whether it be through her sound or her lyricism.
USD junior Evelyn Shettzline shared why she loves Taylor Swift and her music.
“Taylor Swift has a song for literally every emotion I’ve ever felt before,” Shetzline said. “Happy, sad, angry, in love, heartbroken, betrayal, she has it all. She covers every emotional base.”
USD first-year Tyler DeGuzman also shared similar sentiments regarding his love for Swift.
“Her music is super story-telling,” DeGuzman said. “I love going on morning walks to just listen to her music. It just hits.”
Additionally, with such a variety of music, Swift has been able to reach a variety of people through her different albums.
Shetzline shared her favorite Taylor Swift album.
“I love Folklore,” Shetzline said. “Her lyrics, vision, and cohesiveness are simply unmatched in this album.”
In contrast, DeGuzman has a different favorite album.
“I like Red. It just has much more of a variety of songs on it than any of her other albums.”
As a born again Swiftie, Shetzline described how, while she took a break from Taylor Swift’s music for a while, she still fully supports the singer.
“I started listening to her after Speak Now, but I took a Taylor Swift hiatus until she started re-releasing her albums,” Shetzline said. “I still listen, because this woman is a true star; she’s an incredible performer.”
Other students, such as USD sophomore Kate Peterson, have been long-devoted fans of Swift.
“I have been a Swift fan for as long as I remember,” Peterson said. “I have really good memories of when I was eight at a Taylor Swift concert with my mom. I still would consider that concert to be the best concert of my life because of the memories I made with my mom that night.”
Now, with the release of her newest album, Swifties reflect on the album with respect to her past work.
Shetzline has mixed emotions on Swift’s new album.
“Midnights reminds me of a mixture of 1989 and Reputation. She shows her rebellious side and uniqueness well in this album,” Shetzline said. “ As a whole, I didn’t absolutely love the album, but I can appreciate the meaning and message behind it and I did enjoy listening to it.”
Deguzman, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed the newest edition to Taylor Swift’s Discography.
“I thought Midnights was really good. My favorite song was ‘You’re On Your Own Kid.’ I like calm songs like that. I wouldn’t say it was her best album, but it was still good.”
Peterson shared these sentiments with DeGuzman.
“I love her new album. Right now, I really like ‘Lavender Haze’,” Peterson said. “It’s so good, she’s so talented. It’s crazy.”
While some may not enjoy Midnights as much as others, the impact that Swift has made on our generation continues to show through the excitement and discourse around her new album, regardless of how people perceive this album in relation to her other work. It is evident that Taylor Swift has made a lasting impact on Generation Z through her lyricism abilities, and lasting presence in pop culture throughout the lives of this age demographic.
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