Taylor Swift's Predictably Perfect Reinvention (2024)

Ever since Taylor Swift posted an Instagram video two weeks ago of herself repeatedly pushing the “18” button on an elevator, savvy fans knew exactly how this was going to play out. On August 18, she would announce the date of her new album release, just as she did in the summers of 2012 (Red) and 2010 (Speak Now). The album would come out sometime in October, as it always does. And there’d probably be a new song before then.

Indeed, all of that has now come to pass. On Monday, Swift announced in a Yahoo livestream that she has a new single (“Shake it Off”), complete with music video, and her new album, called 1989, will come out on October 27.

“Shake It Off” is about haters, what they will do (“hate hate hate hate hate”) and what you should do in response to them (“shake shake shake shake shake… shake it off”). It has some good grumpy trombones in the background. It has a horrible break in which Swift… talks? I can’t in good conscience say “raps.” The video is a montage of Swift dancing poorly in different styles, from ballet to twerking, in front of some background dancers who are dancing well in those different styles. It is fine. I have already listened to it 15 times.

“I like to make a new album every two years,” Swift explains during the livestream to her fans who have not already figured out her pattern, noting that two years is enough time to change your hairstyle, where you live, everything about your life. Two years has also probably exactly how long the people can go without a new T-Swift album, just enough time to leave them aquiver with anticipation, but not so long as to incite a rebellion.

Two years is also the perfect amount of time for a reinvention. She calls her new album a “rebirth,” which is why it’s called 1989, after the year of her first birth. During the Q&A portion of the livestream, the first question she takes (from Instagram, of course) is from a fan who notices that her look tends to change with every album she makes (The Speak Now era was spiral curls and floral dresses, Red was all hot pants and bangs.) Swift does not deny this. She can divide her life into perfectly demarcated two-year increments in which she purposefully arranges her whole aesthetic to reflect whatever image best encompasses her latest album. Her fans don’t mind. It’s a helpful visual cue.

The thing about Taylor Swift is that all of her moves are calculated, but she is completely transparent about it. A fan during the livestream asks if she’s going to keep putting secret messages in the album’s liner notes. This is a tradition in which she capitalizes random letters in the song lyrics to spell out cryptic messages. They typically seem to hint at which of her myriad ex-boyfriends the song is about. It’s great fun. (She’s well aware that people love to analyze her relationships. One of the lyrics from “Shake it Off” is: “I go on too many dates, but I can’t make ‘em stay, that’s what people say.”)

“If you guys keep on liking that I do that, I’ll keep on doing it,” is Swift’s response. Then: “All of what I decide to do on albums is based on what I think you will like.” Sure, she’s in it for the art. But she’s also in it to please people. And she’s totally honest about that.

She is giving fans all kinds of extras they never knew they wanted—“bonus tracks” that are actually just voice memos from her phone, photo packs of different Polaroid photos of her (gotta catch ‘em all! “I’ll trade you my ‘Surprise Face Taylor’ for your ‘Leaving the Gym’ Taylor!”). But just around the point where the self-exaltation almost becomes unpalatable—right around when she announces a sweepstakes called “Swiftstakes”—she says something to bring us back down to earth. Such as: “It’s like sweepstakes, but we made it annoying.” It’s impossible to resent her cunning salesmanship, because she’s so self-aware. “All I think about are metaphors and cats,” she says at one point. I know, Taylor, I know.

It’s no surprise that as Swift’s image has become more polished, and her business model perfected, she has moved farther away from country music, a genre that prides itself on at least the appearance of downhome authenticity, toward the sleek manufactured sheen of plain-old pop. 1989 will be her first “documented official pop album,” she says, even though Red was only holding onto the “country” label by the thinnest of threads. But fans aren’t pretending anymore. We all know what we’re here for.

Based on the clues from the livestream, the next two years of Swift will be pop-heavy and nostalgic. It seems we’re in for more Max Martin-produced radio jams, fewer acoustic metaphor-laden ballads of romantic woe (unfortunately, in my opinion). She sung the praises of ‘80s pop during the livestream, and is apparently really into crop tops now. Her new album cover is a Polaroid photo of her, grainy and faded with the top of her head cut off. She plays it off like she just stumbled on this photo and decided to make it the album cover.

“It was kind of an accident,” she says.

No it wasn’t.

Julie Beck is a senior editor at The Atlantic, where she oversees the Family section, and is the creator of “The Friendship Files.”

Taylor Swift's Predictably Perfect Reinvention (2024)

FAQs

Is Taylor Swift's mum ok? ›

How did Taylor get so rich? ›

Taylor has amassed a net worth of $1.1 billion from a few different avenues including; the revenue from her tours, the release of her music, her concert films and her real estate portfolio.

Why did Taylor Swift rewrite all too well? ›

After a 2019 dispute regarding the ownership of Swift's masters, she re-recorded the song as "Taylor's Version" and released a "10 Minute Version" containing the trimmed lyrics from the 2012 release as part of the re-recorded album Red (Taylor's Version) in November 2021.

How much does Taylor Swift make per concert? ›

Taylor Swift: concerts, fans, merchandise, money

What is known is what she will pocket for each planned concert. According to Billboard, the artist has earned between 11 and 13 million dollars for each of the dates belonging to The Eras Tour.

Who is Taylor Swift's best friend? ›

You'd think being part of Taylor Swift's “squad” of A-list pals is something you'd want to shout about, but the singer's long-term bestie Ash Avignone has tended to keep their friendship low key and out of the spotlight over the years.

Who is Taylor Swift's biological father? ›

Her father, Scott Kingsley Swift, is a former stockbroker for Merrill Lynch; her mother, Andrea Gardner Swift (née Finlay), worked for a time as a mutual fund marketing executive. Her younger brother, Austin, is an actor.

What is Taylor Swift's shortest song? ›

"I Look In People's Windows" is now the SHORTEST song in Taylor Swift's discography, at 2 minutes and 11 seconds.

What is Taylor Swift's longest relationship? ›

Joe Alwyn. The British actor is Swift's longest relationship to date and the pair even got engaged before splitting after six years together. They also met at the 2016 Met Gala and began dating later that year. He would go on to co-write some songs with Swift for her albums.

How many boyfriends has Taylor Swift had? ›

Out of Taylor Swift's exes, her relationship with Joe Alwyn was the longest (7 years). How many boyfriends has Taylor Swift had? Taylor Swift has 12 publicly known exes.

How much do Taylor Swift dancers get paid? ›

The estimated earnings for backup dancers during Taylor Swift's Eras tour ranged between $1,200 and $2,500 per show. However, it's essential to recognize that the salaries for backup dancers exhibit variability, influenced by factors such as location, the nature of the tour, and other pertinent considerations.

How much do Taylor Swift tickets cost? ›

Most of the cheapest tickets are priced between $1,500 and $2,250. On Vivid Seats, the cheapest Taylor Swift tickets on these dates start at $1,368 and $2,227, respectively. The two resale vendors generally have similarly priced offerings, but this varies from show to show.

What does Taylor Swift spend her money on? ›

She's spent hundreds of millions of dollars on properties in New York City, California, Nashville, Rhode Island and more. She frequently travels via private jet, reportedly owning not just one, but two Dassault Falcon aircrafts. And her much-studied sense of style is aided by pricey, oftentimes designer pieces.

What happened with Taylor Swift's parents? ›

In an essay for ELLE in 2019, Taylor said Andrea's cancer had returned and revealed that Scott had also undergone treatment for cancer. The family have kept further medical details understandably private.

What does mother is mothering mean to Taylor Swift? ›

The expression “mother is mothering” comes from a tweet by Taylor Swift fan account @Iikedaylight. It basically means the “mother” in question is doing what they do best– being amazing. Ate and left no crumbs: Someone popped off in a good way, with no improvement to be made. Basically, you're calling something perfect.

What is the meaning of Swiftie mom? ›

She is someone who has a deep appreciation for Taylor's music, artistry, and message. Being a Swiftie Mom means being a part of a supportive community that celebrates love, kindness, and self-empowerment.

Why did Taylor Swift's mom live in Singapore? ›

Her mother Andrea Swift, known lovingly as Mama Swift among legions of Swifties, grew up in tropical Singapore with her sister, after their father Robert Finlay relocated the family here for his engineering job.

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