How Taylor Swift Became the World’s (And My Own) Mirrorball

If you know me, even distantly, or you follow me on social media, you’re probably aware of my Taylor Swift complex. Allow me to explain. 

From a young age I loved Taylor Swift. Something about her music- whether it be the poignant illustrative lyricism, the innocent yet wise perspective, or the sheer musical beauty behind each song- spoke to me as a 7 year old girl, listening to “I’d Lie” for the first time ever, from a computer speaker in my sister’s bedroom. But unlike the fads most kids and teens grow quickly in and out of, my Taylor Swift “phase” was not a phase. It was here to stay. And even though my tastes and preferences grew with each year I did, I never outgrew Taylor’s music. Why? Because she grew with me. 

When I was 8 years old, “Fearless” swept country radio by storm, and even though I couldn’t relate to quite all of the passionate descriptions of love on that album, I still felt identification in a way I never had before through music. “Hey Stephen” and “You Belong with Me” gave me a roadmap of what it was like to have a crush. “The Best Day” reminded me how even when I grew up, I’d always need my mom. “Change” gave me the courage to keep fighting for the things I wanted even when people around me told me they were crazy. 

Then came Speak Now, which perfectly idealized the fairy tale dreams of someday that I had at 10 years old. To see Taylor Swift, at 20 years old, releasing an album full of whimsical romance and magic, made me feel seen. It taught me it was okay to have such a bewildered perspective on love and life. Coming off of the alternative rock music of the 2000s that had been the soundtrack of my childhood (thanks, older siblings), Taylor’s music was refreshing in that it told me it wasn’t childlike to dream of fairy tales, and that I could hold on to my youthful world view even as I entered teenagehood. 

Right in my transition from kid to teenager, Taylor made her transition from country to pop. With “Red” and “1989” coming right in the heart of my early teen years, Taylor gave me the perfect soundtracks to my every emotion and experience. Around this time is when the world started to catch on to the Taylor bandwagon, and finally I could sing to “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” in the car with my friends, or dance to “Shake It Off” at a party. Taylor had always reflected my own needs in music, and with Red and 1989 she gave the public scene exactly what it needed. These albums mark time in history. I view 1989 as a party album, and even though we didn’t know it yet, in hindsight 2014 was the party before the world got so scary. 

Next came Taylor’s disappearance. Following the Kanye West drama in 2016 (coincidence much, with the U.S. political drama of 2016?), Taylor wasn’t heard from. In this silence I went through a lot, and so did the world. I found other music I enjoyed, I got a clearer sense of myself. I grew up. And when “Reputation” came, my 17 year old self felt instantly connected with the Taylor music I had fallen in love with at age 7, even though the sound was worlds away from her self-titled first album. “Reputation” showed me it was okay to make mistakes, and even more importantly, that you can bounce back from them. Our country needed that same lesson in 2017. That even when things were going wrong, left and right, you could stay and fight. If Taylor Swift could redeem her “Reputation” after the Kim & Kanye drama, we could save our country from the broken state it was in. 

And when “Lover” was released, Taylor showed us that you can still make great art while finding happiness, and that even when the journey is tumultuous, true love is out there. Most of all, Taylor proved herself as a pop icon, mastering the genre of our top charts and giving us wedding soundtracks (“Lover”) and female-empowerment anthems (“The Man”) like no other. 

That brings us to: 2020. In the midst of a global pandemic, many of us are experiencing hopelessness, melancholy, and grief like never before. Taylor brought life to all of those feelings, giving us a chance to surrender to them while still giving us a sense of hope that even hard times can lead to good (“Invisible String”). Most of all, she made us feel less alone in those feelings. At a time in history characterized by isolation and fear, she brought us together to share in common themes, experiences, and feelings. On my own personal journey, “Folklore” was the album I needed to transition into adulthood. Right before my 20th birthday, this album gave me a chance to reflect on new emotions I’ve never felt and articulate them in ways I wouldn’t have been able to. In a time where I feel shaky and uncertain, “Folklore” gave me something to lean on. 

On “Folklore,” Taylor likens the narrator to a “Mirrorball,” reflecting everyone around itself and always finding a way to identify with and entertain others even in their constantly changing needs. Taylor Swift has always been my mirrorball, growing as I grow and always giving me what I need through her music. In 2020, she’s proven that she’s the world’s mirrorball too. 

Written by Brady Reiter. Instagram: @bradyreiter Twitter: @bradyreiteracts