The media is a perilous place, just like quicksand; once you step into the limelight, it is incredibly difficult to get out. An artist who tries to masterfully navigate the crooked alleys of stardom with grace is Taylor Swift. Swift is a singer-songwriter born on December 13, 1989, in West Reading, Pennsylvania. Her career was mainly self-started, according to Forbes magazine, and she slowly rose to fame through her passion for music and powerful songs that resonated with the audience in a captivating and impactful manner. Despite facing many obstacles along her path to success, her songs and creative business tactics helped to skyrocket her to success. 

Taylor Swift captures the emotions resonating with her audience and implements them into her songs, making them more relatable on a larger scale. Her individuality and femininity in the music industry made her stand out to the audience. She has defied gender roles and established her role of femininity in society by creating a “Taylor’s Version” to her first six albums. This helped Taylor Swift gain ownership of her name, songs, ideas, and music as it was previously owned by the first record company she signed with. She has said that she often works for hours and sometimes even days to perfect a single song; she makes sure the melody, lyrics, and arrangement are set in a compelling way that will make the words hit home with and inspire her fans.

Her generosity is another considerable aspect of her personality that many fans admire. Taylor Swift supported food banks in cities she has played in, assisted with medical bills for a fan with cancer, helped families pay rent, supported a widow with five children during COVID, and many more. Recently, a fan named Ana Benevides tragically passed away due to heat exhaustion at her Rio De Janeiro Eras Tour Concert in Brazil, and Taylor Swift paid respect to her by posting a heartfelt message as well as donating money to her parents.

Although Taylor Swift has recently achieved this high position of success, her success has been pockmarked with comments about her gender, political stance, merchandise tactics, and disputes with many celebrities. Taylor Swift has been disparaged by many right-wing Americans due to her liberal views. As shown in the Miss Americana film on Netflix, Taylor Swift publicly endorsed two Democratic candidates, ushering in disapproval from many Americans. She publicly supports the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and is firmly against discrimination based on gender. 

In a similar fashion, many complain about the low-quality merchandise, and through TikTok, many fans have expressed concern for the fading and poor quality of her merchandise after washing it. These products often end up in the landfill as they cannot be used well. Her business tactics to produce different colorings of CDs led to consumerism, which eventually led to an increase in landfill pollution. 

Due to public disputes with Calvin Harris, Kanye West, and Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift fans had assumed that she had moved to London to escape the limelight of the media as well as focus on her mental health. Taylor Swift returned to the public eye a year later for a court case over a 2013 incident about the assault of a former morning show personality, David Mueller. Her Reputation album marked a new beginning as she incorporated many symbolic elements such as referring to herself as a snake, referencing Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s comments. She also included that the “old Taylor is dead” in her single, “Look What You Made Me Do”, to inform the public that her past self is gone and that a new, confident person has emerged from all of the negativity she had endured. 

However, even after her successes, Taylor Swift remains the main star in the media’s eye. At the 2024 Grammys, Taylor Swift was “shaded” for not thanking Celine Dion while receiving her Grammy, while other artists showed appreciation for the hosts handing them their awards, such as Miley Cyrus acknowledging Mariah Carey. This minor incident sparked much-heated disapproval for Taylor Swift, ignoring Celine Dion, but was later resolved when a picture of Taylor Swift and Celine Dion was released to the public. 

Despite her struggles and a long way to getting where she is now, Taylor Swift still faces criticism daily from many, including the media, and the general public. However, to many, she continues to be a pop icon and a role model to many worldwide. Her individuality and personality have won many hearts worldwide. She has inspired many Gen-Z artists, such as Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter. Her benevolent character has inspired many to follow in her footsteps and shine like she does.