When Taylor Swift is Quiet
I haven't done a Taylor blog in a bit, so I figured I'd touch on some weird phenomena I've noticed in the fandom as of late. Taylor Swift, as I mentioned in a previous blog is very important to me. She has had that effect on literally millions of people. During the Eras Tour she propelled herself into the most famous person alive. While This made me happy for her and her fans, it also revealed a bit of an ugly or crazy side of things.
The Rise of Taylor Swift Influencers
While these folks have always been around, they exploded during the Eras Tour. Live streaming her shows, talking about her outfits and fashion, or just whatever was going on with her and they got huge followings on Instagram and Tik Tok. However, I question how big a fans some of these folks actually are.
Not that Taylor is beyond criticism, but these same "fans" would end up criticizing anything and everything Taylor does that didn't line up with the fan fiction they had written about her in their heads.
Some of the vitriol these very fans spewed about her was pretty disgusting. I'm not going to repeat it, but they called her pretty much every name in the book one day, only to be live streaming the Eras Tour and squealing about her surprise songs two days later. Its truly weird.
Golden Age of Taylor Events
We're part of a local group of Swifties that has meetups and events to celebrate our fandom and get to know each other. During the Eras Tour there were Taylor Swift dance parties put on by some local clubs almost every other month. Our Swifte group did and still does have regular meetups for Taylor Karaoke and crafting. I actually sang Fearless at one event for karaoke. It was strange hearing that song in my own deep voice and out of tune.
Since Eras Ended, the dance parties have slowed down a lot. There was one a few weeks ago, the first one since November, and that didn't have as wild of a turnout as some of the previous ones during the tour. Which is fine, I do get it. This just brings me to my next point.
The Thirst for Taylor Swift Content
I say this regarding the influencers mostly. Since the tour ended, las ttime we saw Taylor in any public outing was for the Super Bowl and since the Chiefs lost, we didn't get to see her on the field celebrating or after party footage. As a whole she's been pretty quiet and unseen.
I have no issue with this, the woman is a powerhouse and needs to rest. Though likely what we know about her she's likely recording another album or making a movie or who knows what amazing feat she's pulling off next.
That said, many Taylor Swift influencers aren't super happy about her lack of movement which means for them lack of content. So, what is the next logical thing to do? They make things up. I've seen rumors she's pregnant, rumors her and Travis Kelce secretly got married, rumors they split up, people doing whole think pieces on how she's not speaking up enough about the current political climate or the issue of the day. The truth is, these folks make revenue for getting mass clicks and views on their content. When There is no Taylor content, they have to make up that void. So they do it by making shit up, hot takes or just dragging her for sport.
Anyone who has been on social media for any length of time knows that the controversial opinions and hot takes get more views and revenue than saying nice, non-angry things. People are more likely to hate watch something or respond out of anger than they are when its something they like or agree with. I can attest to that with this blog. I see I get a lot of views some days, but very few comments, because I try to keep this space a positive play of joy and healing.
Maintaining as a Fan when She Goes Dark
For those of us who were around during the Kanye Kardashian "Snakegate" this isn't a new thing for us. She went totally invisible for two years before dropping reputation. I remember still listening to her music and just hoping she was ok. When she resurfaced with Reputation, it took me some time to adjust to that album as it was so different, but its grown to be one of my favorites.
Also during that time, when she did resurface, she was in a relationship with Joe Alwyn who hated the spotlight, so she still wasn't seen out in public very often and when she was it was quick glimpses. So for six or seven years, the true Swifties know what a Taylor drought is really like.
Let the Girl Rest
I love Taylor Swift as much as a person can love someone they never met and only see on TV or listen to their songs. I'd love to see her in public again, or put on an appearance somewhere or anything. But she's given us so much the last few years, she definitely has earned a break. We still have the Eras Tour movie to watch over and over on Disney+. We have literally hours and hours of music she has given us, we have her tour book.
I know we all love new things and new content and surprises from Taylor, but we can't demand it of her. And I think she's learned at this point in her career, she does what she wants to do when she's good and ready. And good for her for doing so. I'll keep listening to her music, watching the Eras Tour and hanging out with the 210 Swifties until Taylor decides to show up somewhere again or release whatever she's going to release. Now, this doesn't mean I'm going to stop clowning about Reputation Taylor's Version. I'm just not expecting it for real any time soon. Most likely she'll just show up and drop it one day with no warning or fanfair.
Whatever she does, or doesn't do I'm going to support her. If you're a fan you will too. Like I said she's not beyond criticism, but most of what I see against her is pretty unfair and not to the same standard of other celebrities or even lawmakers with actual power to do things. This is the time for us to enjoy everything Taylor Swift has given us and when she is comes back with something new, we'll be Ready for it.
