Taylor Swift seems to have managed another rebranding related to one of the major narratives about her career. According to an extensive conversation with The New York Times, Swift said that criticism didn’t hold her back in any way. Instead, she found a way to use it for her songwriting. In her opinion, negative remarks served as a huge fuel, similar to a creative writing prompt that inspired her decisions. The comments were made during the promo campaign of her 12th studio album called The Life of a Showgirl.
In general, such an approach can be considered a continuation of something that has become Swift’s tradition over the years. Instead of fighting back, she decided to absorb the narrative that became popular and incorporate it into her lyrics. That strategy was proven to be successful since criticism became a source of content appealing to a larger audience.
Criticism Inspires Swift’s Hit Songs
The artist highlighted Blank Space as an example when she used her portrayal in the media to write a song that presented the picture from a different angle. As mentioned above, the media often portrayed Swift as a girl with a long list of boyfriends. Instead of opposing the idea, she incorporated it into her lyrics. Thus, criticism became the source of a song that presented an extreme version of the artist’s persona.
Moreover, Swift also connected criticism with creativity in this context. If people criticize her, she said, it means that they dislike the changes she is making in her artistry. As a result, criticism becomes a sign that she is moving towards something new.
The Difference Between Earlier Songwriting and Today’s Approach
The conversation touched upon the origin of Swift’s first popular song as well. In Love Story, she talked about a relationship that her parents did not approve of. She completed the song in about 20 minutes, giving the story an ending unlike that of Romeo and Juliet. The story is typical of Taylor’s style. She incorporates elements of reality in her works, altering them based on how she sees them.
However, Swift’s songwriting process is much different now. In particular, she noted that criticism no longer affects her emotionally since she stopped paying attention to online opinions. According to her, personal energy is limited and has to be spent on work-related activities only. This opinion was backed up by the artist’s statements about her independence and songwriting process.
The new visual concept of Taylor Swift as a Showgirl adds a new meaning to her independence as well. In her pictures, the actress uses theatrical elements to retell her history, keeping everything under control. Recently, Swift filed several trademarks for her name and likeness.
Taylor Swift has found a way to incorporate criticism in her works effectively.