I’ve been a swiftie since Red era and I haven’t really thought about this until now… I’m a big fan of several bands and artists who I even listen more than TS, but none of them produce the same amount of passion or love I feel for her. And it is not like a love in the romantic sense, it is something weird I cannot explain.
Like I normally don’t support the ideas of looking up to celebrities or artists because I think there’s just so much behind the scenes we don’t know, and in the end they’re also humans. But this logic just melts away in my mind for Taylor Swift. I’ve binged her entire concerts and sang along from my room, teared up just watching her in live streams, and also I’ve felt proud for her when she gets an award or when she is recognized in some way. Also it is just so cute when she’s just literally being herself, and I just cannot explain the warmth I feel I’m my heart when that happens.
I like literally feel myself like the most serious, skeptic, dead inside person within my social group, yet my passion and love for TS overcomes all that.
Now with the Eras Tour I think there’s been a lot of coverage of the fandom and how some of us behave to some (sometimes not very nice) extremes just to maybe see her, and it made me think that is not just me who feels this love for someone who doesn’t even know I exist.
My theory is that the feelings she portrays on her music have resonated with a lot of us to a personal level, to the point we feel identified with her. Myself I cannot put a finger in the exact set of songs that made me feel this, but it’s the best explanation I can give myself.
Anyone else?
As an outsider, it’s bizarre and kind of scary how many of her fans have a parasocial relationship with her.
Outsider as well (this community keeps coming up in All) and it’s honestly a little creepy from the outside looking in. Idc how much a musician resonates with people, posting pics of her constantly is just downright strange and I always assume most of the content comes from creeps in basements.
You’d think people would be sharing lyrics and discussing themes in these communities - nah, its 99% celebrity worship. This is the first post I’ve seen that actually is trying to have a discussion so I guess kudos for rising above the rest.
Exactly. The vitriol from the Swifty community when she dated Matty Healy went way beyond his supposed antics. It’s that their perfect Barbie doll wasn’t dating the man THEY approved of, and therefore their Barbie doll must withdraw. I can’t imagine having to live my life under that pressure, but I imagine she’s comforted by the hundred million or so dollars.
And that’s actually the reason why I’m asking this… like, maybe it’s just my social circle but I don’t see this happening for Dua Lipa, Rihanna, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, etc etc, or any other celebrity of the moment. Why Taylor? What is she doing different?
My biased response to my own question is that it’s because she’s genuinely a good person. She has shown numerous times that she does care beyond the money and the image she portrays of herself. Combine that with the terrific songwriting skills and the enormous career and legacy she has built. But again, that’s just an opinion coming from a biased swiftie.
To be honest it is understandable. I felt the same many years ago until I got swallowed by it.