OPINION: Tired of Pretending that Taylor Swift Isn’t Just, Boring, Basic and Blonde.

Reporter: Isabella Gomez

Taylor Swift via Getty Images, Jeff Kravitz

Taylor Swift is the epitome of a basic, generic pop star. The argument here isn’t that she’s not a good artist; however, the art she produces is simple and caters to a specific demographic: a white demographic. While this isn’t necessarily bad, it highlights how Black and Brown artists often have to work twice as hard to achieve even a fraction of the fame that artists like Taylor Swift have. The only reason Swift’s music is so popular is that she fits the stereotypical white American mold.

Taylor Swift has a fan base large enough and crazy enough to make up its own religion. Take a closer look at the demographic of Taylor Swift fans, known as “Swifties.” Seventy-four percent of Swifties are white, according to Statista. This can be explained by the fact that many people of color aren’t drawn to the simple melodies and tunes that Swift creates.

Black and brown musicians have been shaping the music industry in the U.S. since before the Civil Rights Movement. During the movement, black artists used their voices to fight for equal treatment alongside their white peers. Iconic artists like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Louis Armstrong helped unite people for the cause of civil rights. Unlike many of their peers, these artists survived the odds and reached fame. Throughout history, countless black artists with tremendous talent have been washed away with the tides of white privilege. 

Whitewashing extends even to black music, with genres like jazz, scat, and blues often relegated to the underground until white artists and audiences found them "cool" enough to rebrand. Once a white face is attached to these black-created genres, the music seems to gain more mainstream popularity. Some white artists will take “inspiration” from black and brown musicians, creating songs that closely resemble the originals, but with the pretense of cultural appreciation. This trend stretches across genres such as R&B, hip-hop, soul, and disco.

Thus, it’s understandable why people of color may not connect with Taylor Swift’s music. They’re used to a little more flavor than what Swift produces. Swift, true to her style, writes her own songs and doesn’t borrow from Black and Brown influences like some other artists. But the truth is, without that influence, her music often feels bland, repetitive, and worst of all, it feels like she uses the same melody in every song. 

That’s not to say Swift is a bad musician. Over the course of her career, she’s earned the adoration of millions, won 14 Grammy Awards, and sold over 200 million records for good reason. She’s been ranked among Forbes’ most powerful women, and to the dismay of male critics, she’s had a positive impact on young women. Her vocal performance, while sometimes criticized as weak, has improved significantly over time. Each performance brings energy and color. Swift has written an extensive catalog of songs, so it’s hard to argue that every one of them is bad.

Don’t get me wrong—there are definitely Swift songs on my playlist. I enjoy many of her hits and older tracks. But I can’t see myself sitting down to listen to any of her newer albums. It feels like listening to the same three-chord pop song on repeat.

Swift’s 2010’s era of music brings nostalgia to me as well as others. That era however, is gone, and I find that many people including myself are having a hard time connecting with Swift’s music if it isn’t something I can sing out loud in the shower. And no, I can’t belt out any of the “Evermore” songs in the shower—they’re just too boring.

Many praise Swift as a lyricist and songwriter, but ultimately, I find that most of her lyrics are rather simple and dull. Compared to other artists of her time, Swift’s songwriting feels limited. Her themes are often repetitive—either the pain of a broken heart or the joy of finding love. Her songs often feel like the poetic diary entries from a 16-year-old girl cobbled together into a song. She pushes too many metaphors into two-sentence structures, making her imagery feel disjointed to the listener. 

I can understand Taylor Swift being an alright pop star, but I draw the line at calling her one of the greatest of all time. She’s not on the same level as The Beatles, Adele, Whitney Houston, The Rolling Stones, or Beyoncé, who has won 26 Grammys. Swift is good, but not that good. Swifties need to recognize that Swift, too, needs to stay in her lane.

Swift has succeeded by being a pop star who presents herself as relatable and makes music that resonates with people. The question is: Who is she actually relating to? I know she doesn’t relate to every young girl who isn’t blonde and doesn’t just aspire to a failed relationship.

Swift represents the American dream. Pretty, blonde, pop star from Pennsylvania writing about love and the pain of romance all while traveling on her billion-dollar jet to attend her current football champion boyfriend’s games.

None of this makes her a bad artist or even a bad person. But it does mean she represents a white, “classic” American dream that feels redundant, basic, and exclusionary to those who don’t fit the mold of the so-called "classic" American stereotype.

I will admit though, Taylor Swift is a marketing genius. It seems that once her name starts to fade from the media, she knows exactly when to reemerge with a fresh narrative about her love life or stardom. She knows how to maintain a large, loyal audience while also seeming relatable. Her "girl-next-door" persona is just that—a persona. It resonates mainly with the white teen girl demographic, which is abundant across the country.

Now, Taylor Swift is a household name who easily takes home awards every time she announces a new project. Swift may not care what some college journalist writes about her, but her devoted Swifties seem intent on attacking any differing opinion about their idol. Swifties need to learn to accept criticism instead of quickly labeling anyone who doesn't share their opinion as a “hater.”

Once they develop a personality outside of bracelet-wearing and “Eras Tour” raving, they might start to see that there are many other artists out there who don’t rely on the same four acoustic guitar-driven tunes.

Please, Swifties—take a breath.