I would call myself a big Taylor Swift fan. I know almost every song in a second of it playing, I’ve seen her in concert, I stayed up for “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” and I enjoy following occasional updates about her via social media. I love being a Swiftie, I am proudly open about it. However, I think there is a certain breed of Swifties that can occasionally take things too far and unfortunately, those people are the representatives of the fanbase.
Whether it is singers, sports or celebrities, every fan base has its more extreme members. Being a big fan of something is a good thing, and I want to be sure I’m not raining on anyone’s parade, especially when it comes to Swift. Everyone can be a big fan of something, but everyone should recognize that a fanbase should not be exhausting or borderline stalker behavior.
Swift has made it clear in interviews, songs and her documentary, “Miss Americana,” that being followed by fans to her recording studio or anywhere she has been spotted by paparazzi is something she does not enjoy. While she is an incredibly successful and famous person, she’s still a person. People are allowed to get excited over a celebrity sighting but should not be seeking one out.
Another behavior I’ve seen from Swifties is excessively observing every sighting, social media post and small detail she leaves. While Swift is known for her easter eggs, I think a lot of us need to collectively take a step back. I’ve seen some crazy reaches for theories on TikTok where people analyze even the tiniest detail. I think easter eggs are fun, but not even an Instagram post from Swift should be viewed as a piece of a puzzle.
Swift has told us in songs and has outright told the media that her love life is her own love life, and not anyone else’s. While I enjoy following some of the Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift updates, we should also take everything Pop Crave posts on “X” (formerly known as Twitter) with a grain of salt. Following their every move is just not my cup of tea. She can do what she wants, and your opinion about her relationship online is not going to change her decision.
Finally, relating to the more recent Swiftie behavior is some of the backlash that has followed her re-recordings. Each re-record has been met with an excess of excitement and anticipation followed by disappointment and complaints. Swift is bound to sound different after years of her voice maturing and the production, in my opinion, sounds more refined. Others are typically disappointed because the songs do not have the same punch as they did so long ago. I’ve also just been annoyed with the expectations of Swift by some of her fanbase. I’ve already seen too many posts about anticipation for “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” Let the woman rest, people. From a business standpoint, it does not make sense to drop two albums at the same time or in a close time period, even if she is Taylor Swift.
While I just dropped some pretty hot takes on being a Swiftie, I still enjoy the fanbase. I love seeing other people in Swift’s merchandise, hearing her music get played and bonding with other people over her music and vast success. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” will still be played on repeat for the remainder of the next six months. My favorite vault track is probably “Say Don’t Go.”
Abby Jenkins is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Let Abby know by tweeting her @abbyjenks18 or emailing her at aj205621@ohio.edu.
