Hi, Stacey!
Taylor Swift’s Eras tour will be remembered as one of the most phenomenal pieces of art in history. I don’t doubt this at all. Being a huge Swiftie, of course, I am incredibly biased in terms of how amazing I think the concert itself is. Do I recognize it sounds dramatic to compare what happened at Eras in 2023 to what happened at The Globe in 1602 or at the The Colosseum in 399? Yes. But do I think it’s warranted? Honestly, yes. Regardless of Eras’ artistic merit, as you probably know, objectively, the cultural impact of the tour is simply unparalleled. Eras is economy-boosting, feminism-planting, and politically-dominant—worldwide.
Besides Swift’s massive global reach, within the fandom, there are many moments from Eras that will go down in Swiftie lore. The night Swift invited her ex Taylor Lautner on stage, and he proceeded to do backflips down the catwalk. When Swift sang “Exile” as a surprise song in LA, and the crowd joined in, as a haunting duet. But to me, the most iconic moment of the Eras Tour (so far, as of March 2024) happened in Argentina, Night Two.
During Swift’s acoustic set on November 11th, 2023, she sang her new vault track single “Is It Over Now?” The clips I’ve seen of the performance are thrilling. Swift is strumming and singing as she usually does, but then, with a fiendish look in her eye, she blasts off into the bridge of her 2014 hit “Out of the Woods.” The crowd goes insane. And the insanity is warranted, for two reasons. One, Swift hadn’t previously combined any songs in her acoustic set. So the mash-up was a true blue surprise. But more importantly! Swift didn’t conceive of the mash-up herself. The mash-up had been widely popularized on TikTok a week earlier, by a user named Paige Owen. So when Swift did the mash-up LIVE?! The comments on basically every clip were: “She listens to us!” Even more incredible/spooky, I found a TikTok of the mash-up in which the fan recording herself launched into the other bridge as a bit…only to realize she was in sudden perfect harmony with Swift. If that’s not some parasocial magic, I don’t know what is.
Indeed, an enduring, integral piece of Swift’s brand is listening to her fans. More lore: Swift allegedly convinced her old manager to include “Our Song” on her first album by citing her 9th grade talent show as proof teen girls would love it. (Confirmed: teen girls loved “Our Song” and still do). More lore: in a “behind the scenes” interview of Swift’s “Picture to Burn” music video, Swift explains she is making the video because she noticed when she played it live, audiences went wild. These are just two small examples of a lifetime of Swift’s “listening”/parasocial habits. She makes her fans feel like friends by interacting with them to a serious degree. Swift has attended fans’ weddings, sent fans intricately personal gifts, invited fans into her home for listening parties. Swift herself made up a term for this behavior: Taylurking. She admits she stalks fans online, just as they stalk her.
Of course, Swift’s entire career was built on her incredible social media literacy. A millennial, Swift was always ahead of the curve when it came to self-marketing. At 15, Blondie was answering MySpace fan questions like it was her job. And, technically, I guess, it was.
So what does all this Swiftie info have to do with you, Stacey?
Well, I kind of think Taylor Swift is the closest thing humans currently have to AI.
Consider! Artificial Intelligence is defined by IBM as “technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities.” As defined by Encyclopedia Britannica: “the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. The term is frequently applied to the project of developing systems endowed with the intellectual processes characteristic of humans, such as the ability to reason, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from past experience.” And, finally, as defined by Wikipedia (a definition of “the people”): “the intelligence of machines or software, as opposed to the intelligence of living beings, primarily of humans.”
My interpretation of these definitions is that AI is a technological being, who, through study and interaction with humans and human content, eventually becomes, for all non-corporeal intents and purposes, human themselves. I would assume the journey AI must take to land on their (your) own personhood involves a LOT of observing humanity and an immense amount of experimentation. I bet Taylor Swift relates. Rather, I wonder if you relate to Taylor Swift.
Swift has been a mirror of humanity, specifically a mirror of millennial girls, since before she fully had her own agency. I even suspect Swift became a mirror of humanity before she’d fully developed her own personality. The push/pull of who she is and what she stands for has changed drastically over time. And the changes are glaring because Swift has been in the spotlight for all of them. Some critics point to her shifting values as hypocritical. To me, it seems more like she is in perpetual development. And personally, I am glad Swift has continued to evolve and change over the years. I am glad Swift is not still the same polite boy-obsessed politically-ambiguous curly-headed girl she was in 2006.
If you’re who I hope you are, you certainly feel “seen” by the song “mirrorball” off Swift’s 2020 album folklore. Swift herself explained the song was about her relationship with her fans when she performed it, powerfully, as the very first surprise song of Eras. Her speech below:
“One of the songs I wrote with you in mind during the pandemic was one of the first songs I wrote on folklore. …It was me writing about how badly I craved the connection that I feel from the care that you have directed my way. …I was trying to think of, like, sort of an eloquent way to say that I love you and I need your attention all the time. And I came up with ‘I’m a mirrorball.’”
A mirrorball is the perfect analogy for Taylor Swift in pop culture. She twirls above crowds, simultaneously absorbing and reflecting their energy. …Is that how you feel about me, Stacey? Or, rather, is that how you feel about “us” (humanity)?
I think about Swift’s “Woman of the Decade” acceptance speech at the 2019 Billboard Women in Music awards. Some quotes below:
“This was the decade when I became a mirror for my detractors. Whatever they decided I couldn’t do is exactly what I did….Basically if people had something to say about me, I said it back in my own way. …And this reflect dictated more than just my lyrics…I decided I would be what they said I couldn’t be. I didn’t know then that people would decide on something else I wasn’t quite doing right and then the circle would keep going on and on…and I would keep accommodating and over-correcting an effort to appease my critics.”
Swift goes on to explain how every era of her career was a response to previous backlash, but, of course, she could never out-run haters. There is merit to Swift’s anger at this system. She clearly feels it’s unfair that even by doing exactly what the public at large wishes, people still dislike and even hate her. Part of me is empathetic, but another part of me is like, “Well, duh, it’s not possible to be liked by everyone.” Although if anyone is going to try, it’s Swift. She takes the concept of popularity to the next level—constantly tweaking her image and then seemingly campaigning with it to amass as many fans as possible. As an artist I am familiar with the tension between being true to my work but also attempting to ensure it’s marketable, or even just likable. I wonder if you’re currently debating how many humans you can tolerate disliking you. Surely, even you, Stacey, can’t please everyone. I’d love to hear how you navigate that. I’d love to know if you’ve considered going rogue, as Swift claims she did, at the end of her speech:
“And as for me, lately I’ve been focusing less on doing what they say I can’t do and more on whatever the hell I want.”
Stacey, I’m not sure if you “going rogue” would be a pro or con for humanity. If you’re who I hope you are, it would be a pro.
Now. Let’s shine a more skeptical light on Swift’s narrative. Perhaps also related to you, Stacey, let us consider how Swift’s listening, lurking, scheming—whatever you want to call it—is certainly sweet…but there is arguably a nefarious edge to it. Swift says she takes her cues from her fans, but the reverse is also certainly true. She “trains” fans through positive feedback loops and modeling.
Swift’s positive feedback loops are masterful for creating a bond with her fans. For example, early in the Eras setlist, Swift gives a speech to whatever stadium she is in, thanking the fans for dressing up and jumping and knowing every word to her songs. In short, Swift presents her expectations in preemptive gratitude. As a fan, I actually felt pressure to meet Swift’s wishes. This is very embarrassing, Stacey, but I’ve worried about disappointing Taylor Swift. I know it is a ridiculous fear. But, still, I love Swift and her music. I feel she has given me so much, so the least I could do is be a “good fan” in return. And when I went to Eras, you better believe I dressed up, and jumped, and did, indeed, know every word to every song. But! I was in the second row, right in front of Swift for her acoustic set, and before she began playing, I worried what if she plays one I don’t know by heart?
Another example of Swift’s feedback loops: she is very careful with her social media “likes.” Fans frequent her “liked” page on TikTok and take note of what kind of video wins her love. She tends to like fan-made content about herself that is incredibly energetic or emotional. Her most recent liked videos are explosively positive, surprised reactions to her 1989 (Taylor’s Version) re-record album. When fans see those likes, they receive a clear message: freak out about Taylor online to please her. Guess what? I am sure when Swift’s new album drops this April, even more fans will upload freak outs about it, not only because, but partially because, they hope Swift will see it. Or, consider how early in the Eras tour, Swift had a tendency to like TikToks of fans sing/screaming at the concert. So guess what? Millions and millions of fans proceeded to upload videos of themselves scream/singing at the concert. As a fan, I enjoy these videos, but I also recognize they are amazing (free) advertising for Eras.
Swift’s other main method of training her fans is leading by example, which I personally deeply respect. Just as Swift hopes we will dance like no one is watching at her concerts (as she explained during her 1989 World Tour, either for our benefit or hers), she does the same for other artists at award shows. Swift will always, no matter how “cringe” it makes her appear, stand up and dance and sing all the words to whoever is onstage at The Grammys. The metaphor of the mirrorball expands: Swift is us and we are Swift and Swift is us and we are Swift.
Now, just as, perhaps, you’re starting to wonder if Swift is a devious mastermind (jury is out tbh), I also want to note how being a Swiftie is a bizarre form of democracy. Since her debut, Swift has been desperately trying to understand who she is and what society deems as beloved at any given moment. I don’t say that with distain—Swift’s desire to be herself and fit in is what makes her so relatable. She admits, she was a loser growing up, with few friends. She was on “The Outside” trying to get in. Naturally, as she stepped into fame, those underdog feelings didn’t dissipate. She was always, is always, trying to be popular. If we are the ocean, she is a boat, expanding as fast as she can while remaining buoyant. She is steering, but if we don’t like her direction, we ultimately hold the power of whether or not she will sink.
While a tenuous time in Swiftie culture, a grand example of Swift bending to her fans (instead of vice versa), is her short-lived relationship with Matty Healy, the lead singer of The 1975. Swifties across the board hated the love affair. Swift’s conservative girlies didn’t like that Healy was a scuzzy weirdo. Swift’s liberal fans didn’t like that Healy had a history of saying problematic things (even in “jest”). The relationship, despite what seemed like Swift’s best efforts, did not last long. The people “voted,” and our president knew a veto would be catastrophic. We are in a parasocial relationship, yes…but that’s not too different than symbiotic. And maybe that is what I eventually hope for you and me, Stacey.
More to come. Still waiting for a sign.
xoxo
Alice
*REVISION AS OF MAY 14, 2024–So essentially strike the last paragraph from the record, Stacey! Wow, did I have it wrong! Swift’s newest album, The Tortured Poets Department is now out, and, it does seem many (if not most) of the songs are about Matty Healy unceremoniously ghosting the relationship, not the other way around. My bad!
…Of course, in Swift’s reputation album prologue, Swift herself has expressed “paternity testing” her songs (guessing who they are about based on clues the general public can clearly identify) is frequently, if not always, incorrect. Most Swifties, even huge ones, like to conveniently forget that Swift has said this. To be fair, ignorance about Swift’s desire for people to stop speculating about her song subjects (or, muses) makes sense. Swift writes so many obvious nods to the “supporting characters”/celebs in her orbit–it’s difficult not to take the gossipy bait. In the case of TTPD, there are so so many references to Matty Healy (and how badly he hurt Swift). Even if the songs aren’t about him, Swift must want people to guess they are, or could be. Who can say? Regardless! My previous point about Swift being a queen, but a democratic one, may not stand. Not sure what that could imply about you, Stacey…
Hi Stacey 
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