Rediscovering Taylor Swift in College

By Amelia Robinson

Included in Spring 2021 Magazine

I’m a strong believer in the idea that different periods of my life can be defined by the music I listened to most at that time. For my sophomore spring at Cornell, the soundtrack of my life, through the highs and lows, the good and the bad, has been Taylor Swift. This might not seem too surprising at first, considering Taylor is one of the most popular artists in the world, with millions of records sold and a plethora of awards, including Album of the Year at the 2021 Grammys. But, my recent love for Taylor’s music has been a process of unexpected rediscovery that I’ve cherished more than I ever thought possible. 

Let me start by saying that I’ve never really considered myself a Swiftie, though I was generally a fan in my tween and early teen years. I attended one Taylor Swift concert, the 1989 World Tour at Soldier Field in Chicago, during the summer of 2015. More than an expression of my undying love for Taylor and her music, my attendance was a product of just wanting to see a concert and thinking that Taylor’s would be a fun spectacle with music that I liked. In preparation, I purchased 1989 on iTunes so that I’d be able to sing along and felt excited to hear all of the hits I’d heard on the radio a million times performed live. The show was an incredible performance, full of light displays, costume changes, and of course, stunning vocals. But, even that experience, as amazing as it was, never really prompted me to take a deep dive into her discography or become a die-hard fan. 

During the unusually long three-year gap between 2014’s 1989 and Taylor’s next release, Reputation, in 2017, my interest in her music naturally waned. I never listened to any of her subsequent albums all the way through. The extent of my knowledge of her work was from passively listening to whichever singles were currently in the Top 40 while driving to and from school or dance class. At least, that was until this year. 

I owe my reintroduction to Taylor to a few of my close friends who identify as passionate Swifties. During our many study sessions, late-night talks, and car rides this semester, they would always play their favorite Taylor songs. I was gradually introduced to a wider variety of her music than just the most well-known hits, from the old gems on Fearless and Speak Now to Taylor’s latest releases on Folklore and Evermore. I began adding them to my Spotify “Liked Songs,” listening to them on my own, and growing to love the music more and more. 

I think the true breakthrough in my journey as a reborn fan was in February when I finally listened to Folklore all the way through for the first time. The aspect of the album that impressed me most was the complexity of the storytelling, with each song its own piece of art. Every time I listen, I pick up on some previously unnoticed creative wordplay, beautiful musical note, or relatable wisdom. That listening experience gave me a much greater appreciation for Taylor’s range and evolution as an artist, from her early country days to her pop superstardom and now to this new chapter in Indie music. I can equally enjoy bubbly, fun songs like “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together” from Red and stunningly emotional ones like “Exile” from Folklore. 

As Taylor’s sound has developed and matured, so have I. My generation of young women has had the privilege of listening and relating to an incredible performer. I realized that I often took Taylor’s work for granted when it was really an intrinsic part of the pop culture landscape all along. Further, I think I may have unconsciously internalized some of the derisive, misogynistic rhetoric surrounding Taylor throughout her career. This may have turned me off from investing too deeply in her work or thinking of it as “cool.” More than a naive young girl singing about her exes, Taylor is a master storyteller, vocal powerhouse, savvy businesswoman, and expert performer. Her nearly 200 songs are lyrically complex, emotionally insightful, and catchy as hell. In the face of an ownership dispute with her former record label, Taylor’s decision to re-record her entire musical catalogue demonstrates this power and skill as an artist, which has only grown in the fifteen years since her first album. 

I’m proud to admit that I’ve listened to “Mr. Perfectly Fine,” the new, never-before-heard bonus track from Fearless’s rerelease, too many times to count. Other favorites include “Cruel Summer” and “Death By 1000 Cuts'' from Lover, “mirrorball” from Folklore, and the classic “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” from Fearless’ rerelease. All of these songs, and more, can be accessed on the Spotify playlist “Taylor Swift: Then and Now,” linked via QR code below. I hope you take my favorites as your own reintroduction to Taylor and then discover your own from her extensive collection of absolute bops. After all, Taylor’s songs do what music should: bring people together, help us feel understood, and serve as an escape. I don’t see my newfound Taylor Swift obsession dying down anytime soon, and one of my first post-pandemic priorities will be to look for tickets to her next tour with my friends. I guarantee I’ll be singing along to the songs even louder at twenty than I did at fourteen.