My Apology to Taylor Swift

                I've always been quite proud of my music taste. I've loved everything from old classics to mainstream pop and indie rock to contemporary ballads; but I could never bring myself to like Taylor Swift's music. I had justified reasons for this, including the fact that I wasn't a massive fan of country music and I didn't appreciate the way in which her lyrics would tear down other girls in order to win over the high school heartthrob (You Belong With Me being a prime example). But then when Swift released singles from her album Red including I Knew You Were Trouble and 22, which featured addictive melodies and empowering lyrics, I still could not admit to liking them. Whenever I was asked why I held on to my hostility towards her, I would reply in a bitchy manner about how annoying it was that she was this crazy clingy girlfriend who acted  like a Queen bee. I hadn't developed this opinion by myself though- I hadn't watched interviews with her and given up my time to find out more about her- I had simply just repeated what the media had told me: that she was a flirty attention seeker.

                But while Taylor Swift had a two year break to tour and evolve her sound, I also spent the time educating myself about female empowerment and sexism within the music industry. So when Swift returned to 2014 with Shake It Off, I fully embraced the "let the haters hate" anthem and was thoroughly impressed with her Radio 1 Live Lounge session. I thought this would be the end of my love for Taylor, but after reading the huge amounts of fabulous reviews of her record 1989, I decided to purchase it and give it a chance. Now, a month later of listening to the album repeatedly and watching interviews with the reigning pop princess, I have fallen in love with Taylor Swift. 1989 is cleverly mastered with layered chorus vocals and synth sounds reminiscent of the 80's music scene but is also entwined with the feel of modern musicians including HAIM and Lorde. It also links in well with her intelligent and witty attitude discussing equality of the sexes and her career in a brutal and misogynistic industry whilst using sarcasm (Blank Space being a prime example).

                So I guess I have to apologise to Taylor Swift. I'm sorry that I made assumptions based on what I had read in gossip magazines and I'm sorry that I was a hypocrite and judged her for tearing down fellow girls when I did the exact same thing. I've matured as has she and now I am obsessed with a completely new artist! I've done this exact same thing before with other celebrities such as Kristen Stewart and Katy Perry but thankfully I have managed to let go of my prejudice. But I can't help but pity other girls stuck in the same mindset as I was. While we read and believe the bitchy articles that cover our media about our fellow females, we therefore restrict ourselves to embark on the work of so many talented women. This is especially a problem for teenagers who are trying to build a version of themselves constructed by what they see in our society so they need to make sure that they explore pop culture for themselves instead of being  tricked by the headlines on the magazine racks. 

Fozz.