A post of Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour has popped up on your Instagram feed. You increase your brightness and are overwhelmed by glitter and fans: screaming, crying, and yelling. At the center of it all stands Taylor Swift. In a sparkly midnight blue dress and her classic bold red lip, Swift stands at the center of the stage, the biggest smile on her face shining bright on her face. After scrolling past that, you discover more and more posts lined up–a never-ending stream of Taylor. The recipient of over 540 awards, the breaker of 101 Guinness world records, and with a dedicated fan base, Swift is arguably the most prominent artist of all time.
Taylor Alison Swift began her music career in 2004, starting out in the country music genre but quickly finding her place in the pop culture world. She proceeded to release 10 studio albums, three re-recorded studio albums, five extended plays, and four live albums, 12 of which have become No.1. She has won countless awards and continues to break new records, for both female and male artists alike. Whether you dislike Taylor or you are in love with her it is undeniable that she’s remarkably talented.
Controversy isn’t a new concept in the world of Taylor Swift. For most, you are either a die-hard fan or simply think she is overrated. We have seen her kindness to other artists and also to her fans, she is a lyrical genius and her lyrics tell a story better than most books could. Swifties around the world love Taylor’s music because “she just flawlessly moves from genre to genre after each album like from country to rock, to pop to folk to everything…herself she is very inspiring to young women like the things she does, she engages really well with her fans the way she puts easter eggs, and I think that is why so many people connect and love her music”, said junior Jessica Rowe.
But her music is only part of it – her fans are the reason why she is where she is today. There has been a large amount of controversy over Swift’s fans, whether they are a cult or if they are just dedicated. While some of her fans are incredibly supportive there are more than a few who have “cult-ish” behavior, completely idolizing Taylor and doing everything she does. For example, when Taylor started dating Travis Kelcee and began to attend the Chiefs games, swifties around the world would buy jerseys and watch/attend the games, something often referred to as the “swiftie effect.” Then there are also the types of fans who obsess over her in an unhealthy manner, and that’s where it starts to get a little scary. There are obviously ordinary fans who just love her music and don’t take it to another level, but then there are unfortunately also fans that turn to “stans,” and then turn into cults. Just imagine someone being a celebrity and having millions of fans following your every move, trying to find your location, and trying to stalk you – it can freak you out a little. But Taylor Swift isn’t the only celebrity who has had this happen to her we have seen this type of behavior in fans of many other celebrities, such as Beyoncé’s fans, Rihanna’s fans and so many more.