Love Letters to Taylor Swift: How she soundtracked our road to adulthood
by readers of the foreword
Collating and combing through the following letters dedicated to Miss Swift felt very much like a full-circle moment. I sat here, poring over every story, each trip down memory lane and every relatable tale from adolescence into adulthood, all linking back to one musician who has, by a light year, exceeded all expectations. And I began to wonder, “What else could I possibly add?” When all else fails, we start at the beginning.
My sister and I had a commonplace 2000s hobby, we were mesmerised by the music video channel. I’m certain those countless days spent cross-legged on the carpet, eyes glued to our chunky CTR TV are to blame for my mid-twenties short-sightedness. As you’ve probably predicted, yes, Taylor Swift cast a spell on me with 2008’s ‘Love Story’ and I’ve been bewitched by her talents ever since.
Fast-forward and I’m walking to school among a drove of fellow year eight’s, pacing up one of many hills in my town. An early adopter of the smartphone is playing a song straight from its tinny speakers. My ears upright… it’s Taylor Swift. How did I not know she had released a new song? After shaking off the initial shock of being late to the Speak Now album cycle, I knew at that moment – I had it bad.
I could delve further into the minutiae of my love for Taylor. The Christmas Gift lists that aspired to buy out her entire merch store. How ‘State of Grace’ still makes me feel like I’m on the drive to school because I made my dad play it in the car every morning, in order of course. All the ‘What Swift Song Are You?’ quizzes I published at my first proper job and how I still sometimes go back to see if my answer has changed.
I could endlessly go on, after more than 15 years of listening, jotting down her album release dates in paper diaries which evolved into Google Calendars, debating lyrical meanings with friends, dissecting Easter Eggs in articles – it’s fair to say, I use Taylor as a sure-fire way to date my life.
I know I discovered Fearless at the end of primary school, I remember auditioning for a recital with ‘Dear John’, I recall the first Taylor’s Version record coming out just before I landed my first job in the industry.
Which brings me to now, digitally stapling together a stack of love letters from people who all feel the same, who have all experienced a love for the same music, with its impact weaving in and out of their lives over the years.
- Savannah, 26, London
Taylor, her CD’s, and my love for physical media
I remember owning my first ever Taylor Swift CD at ten years old. I’d listen to Red (not Taylor’s Version) all around the house as I danced and invented stories to go with the songs. My favourite place to listen to Taylor Swift was in the bath. I’d pour in too many bubbles, make the temperature slightly too hot, and turn up the CD player volume so I could hear the whole album uninterrupted front to back.
Red started a tradition of collecting every Taylor Swift CD. I searched record stores and charity shops to complete the back catalogue and made myself an imperfect collection. Fearless is the US Pop Mix version and Speak Now’s scratch means it always jumps on track three. But the collection is both complete and evergrowing.
Nowadays, the opportunity to listen to CDs comes up a lot less. The CD player was not a priority to pack in the car on the way to university nor did it have a place in my suitcase when I began travelling. But at home, Taylor Swift is what keeps my CD player alive, even my dad is a fan because he’s heard her so much. Whenever I go back, it is my tradition to run a bath, still with lots of bubbles and still slightly too hot, pick a Taylor Swift CD and listen to the whole album once more front to back.
- Jennifer Cartwright
When a woman asks if I like Taylor Swift, I can always drop my guard
On my second night of university, alone in my room and terrified at the prospect of being alone in my room for the next three years, I texted a group chat with other English Literature students and asked if anyone wanted to meet for a drink. Several girls showed up, all of them lovely, none of us ready to lose face. For the next few hours we talked about favourite books (heavy classics, all of them), music (the aim being to name someone so obscure that everyone else would just have to nod politely) and anything else we could think of that might give us any kind of social advantage. After a while, I found myself sat beside a girl with short brown hair, wearing a neon pink Freshers Week t-shirt. She turned to me and asked, “Do you like Taylor Swift?”
It was like a code. I let my guard down. We talked about her sixth album, which had just been announced and had us buzzing – no one who didn’t live through the 1989 to Reputation whiplash will ever truly understand it. The next day, we went for coffee. I came out to her, something I wasn’t much practiced at yet, and she told me about the boy it was never going to work out with. The next year, we were living together, both of us dealing with a toxic presence in our lives. Our coping mechanism of choice was to go to our local bar, put on ‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’ and scream it until the pool tables rattled.
We’ve been friends for seven years now. Since the first day that we met, neither of us has worried much about being cool. We dance by acting out lyrics and write in books for each other’s birthdays. She followed her dream of travelling and lives out in New Zealand – she called me the day that The Tortured Poets Department was released, to tell me that when she’d been running down the beach to ‘But Daddy I Love Him’, she’d imagined that I was running alongside her.
That feeling that I had on my second night at university comes back to me now and then. The pressure to put myself out there, the desire to impress, searching for the correct way to present myself. But when a woman asks if I like Taylor Swift, I can always drop my guard.
- Caitlin, 25, London
From 13 to 30: How my Taylor Swift Love Story went from Disney dreaming to Midnight Melodies
Few songs have the power to transport me back to my early teens, but Taylor Swift’s generation-defining ‘Love Story’ whisks me back to being 13 years old, sat in my parents’ living room being absolutely mesmerised by the curly-haired country singer who suddenly appeared on my TV during a Disney channel ad break.
Between Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Taylor’s music video for the Romeo & Juliet-inspired song, the only Shakespearean reference that could possibly pique my interest at that time, had my full attention, as I waited for the Tipton Hotel to return to my screen.
As a child who was obsessed with all things magical and mystical - I fully believed in Santa beyond the normal age but won’t disclose when - Taylor and her Disney-Princess-esque video became engrained in my mind.
After that, hearing her then-rising name immediately put my ears up and one afternoon my nose was almost pressed against the kitchen telly after I’d sprinted down the stairs upon hearing, “Please welcome Taylor Swift to the Paul O’Grady Show.” I was obsessed and couldn’t understand why no one else in my class was.
From then on, her music was on a loop on my iPod Classic as I went to bed every night - my Dad often assuring me he removed my headphones when I fell asleep - but being a few months late to her debut meant it was ‘Fearless’ that had my heart, ‘Fifteen’ and ‘Enchanted’ piercing my emotions like a knife as they played alongside visions of the crush I’d never even talked to at school. And yes I fully blame Taylor’s music for romanticising every possible, completely irrelevant encounter I had with the opposite sex.
Like a comfort watch, Taylor became a comfort listen, with at least a few songs on every album becoming so relatable as I figured out high school while ‘Red’ became the autumnal cosy solace I needed in my angst-filled first few months at uni. I even dragged my now-husband along to the tour because I knew no other Swifties, screaming every word whilst he half-heartedly filmed every song.
I won’t go into the chokehold ‘All Too Well’ still has on me, although I’m ashamed to say I’ve only fallen in love with it more since the 10-minute cut on Red (Taylor’s Version), one of her few re-recorded her albums I still go back to.
Sadly, 1989 was where the love suddenly dwindled. Going out to sticky-floored clubs on a Tuesday to Thursday and living with people who were into the likes of Drake, Travis Scott and Vybez Cartel meant I all of a sudden put Taylor aside, like when Jessie from Toy Story is dashed under the bed to gather dust for months on end. Or, you could say, like an old cardigan.
She fully lost me at Reputation, I’m sad to admit. I hadn’t quite kept up with all the drama and putting it on for the first time I just thought, “why has my heroine become so villainous?” My opinion was only spurred on by the Taylor-haters I worked with at the time, who laughed when her dark snake-theme was first teased on social media.
My nostalgia for Tay and the lavender haze that seemed to surround my memories of all that she’d soundtracked for me felt tainted by this dark, moody narrative she was portraying. It wasn’t until 2019 I watched the ‘Reputation’ concert film and became obsessed with ‘Delicate’ I finally gave the other songs a chance.
The release of ‘Lover’ however put me fully back in Swiftie mode, the title track quickly flying into my top 3 Taylor songs, even though I still skip a few of the others, including ‘ME!’ which even now I’m sorry to say I detest.
Folklore and Evermore were exactly what we all needed during the testing times of 2020, and I’ll always go to them when I’m feeling wintry and pensive, but it was Midnights that consumed me. You will not find me skipping a single minute of that album, ‘Bejeweled’ becoming my cheesy go-to anthem after I got engaged a few weeks later and ‘Anti-Hero’ becoming a song I played so much even my husband knows all the words against his will.
Because of ‘Midnights’ I had high hopes for The Tortured Poets Department and for the first few days after its release as I forced myself to get to know it, I couldn’t get into it. But overtime I’ve found myself putting it on every now and then, never for too long out of fear of falling into a solemn mood, but when I have the time and attention span to really listen to her words I’m reminded how genius Taylor is, and how no matter what she writes, her lyrics and her passion find a way to stay in your mind. She meant it when she said she puts narcotics into all of her songs. After the Eras Tour, ‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?’ looped around my head even while I slept.
Seeing her on the record-breaking tour just two days ago, I thought the ‘TTPD’ era would be where the crowd’s excitement dipped for the gothic, almost horror-like theatrical section, but the Swifites, three hours into screaming every word, were only more amped up for the psychiatric ward vibes and it only made me appreciate the album more as I watched the girls around me, many in their teens like I was when she first captured my heart, become as impassioned as the very woman who’s inspired them belted her heart out before us.
- Kathryn, 30, London
How Taylor let us make her songs our own
My first discovery of Taylor was, like many people, Love Story back in 2009. I was 12 years old and on holiday in the US, and I remember listening to the song on repeat and proudly declaring to my family “I know all the words to this song” when we next heard it on the radio. The obsession really snowballed from there - I loved her “girl next door” vibe and the honesty in her lyrics. I remember sending my best friend the music video to You Belong With Me and us agreeing, “it’s like she’s read our diaries!” as we pined over our school crushes.
(As a side note - just last month I danced to Love Story with this same friend at her wedding, and walked with her down the aisle as her maid of honour, soundtracked by ‘Mine’.)
It was Taylor’s whole persona that really captured our hearts, she felt so far removed from the celebrity sphere and more just like she could have been friends with us. At that age, where everything seems tumultuous and you’re learning so much, Taylor and her music were a consistent comfort blanket. She’s not much older than me, and watching her conquer the world with such honesty and vulnerability made it feel like growing up would all be okay. It felt serendipitous when she played ‘Fifteen’ as a surprise song at the O2 for the Speak Now World Tour, which I was attending on the day of my 14th birthday. That song then weaved itself firmly through my school life, and I remember listening to it nostalgically as I walked into the last day of school aged 18.
As I grew up and experienced first love and heartbreak, her music and words proved itself once again as a reliable comfort but also just fun, particularly as she started exploring more pure pop vibes on Red. She’s even been there in moments of intense grief over losing my Grandad (I can never listen to ‘Marjorie’ without crying). Taylor also manifested as a real source of connection between me and my friends. I’ve continued attending Taylor concerts with the same best friend I gushed over ‘You Belong With Me’ with age 12, including flying to Nashville with her last year to see the Eras Tour. Taylor has also led me to make and cherish new friendships. One of my immediate bonding moments with a flatmate in Freshers was finding out that we shared the same favourite Taylor song (at that point, ‘Wildest Dreams’) and Reputation soundtracked that same friendship and our nights out in third year.
At the risk of ageing myself, one of the real joys of Taylor Swift and the Eras Tour becoming such a behemoth has been watching so many young fans discover her music for the first time. I’m so excited that she’s able to soundtrack the lives of everyone in such different ways. It’s this sense of shared experience woven throughout Taylor’s entire discography that has made her a huge success, and in what feels like an increasingly misogynistic world, it’s incredibly special that the Eras Tour has become such a safe shared space to celebrate women and girls in particular. The beauty of it is summarised perfectly in the 1989 prologue by Taylor herself: “These songs were once about my life. They are now about yours.”
- Ellie, 27, London
Taylor and my friendships, I will love now and forevermore
Growing up with an obsessed sister, a healthy dose of second child syndrome, and a very much still closeted love of the pop genre, my appreciation for Swift's music juddered into being, somewhat by necessity rather than choice. Secretly preparing myself and rehearsing the lines to accompany said sister to watch The Red Tour at the O2 in 2014, I soon found myself fully submerged into this world of relatable metaphor and unapologetic prose; frankly, it wasn't long before it came all-consuming.
One year on I was watching the 1989 announcement livestreams, pawing over snippets with friends and utterly invested in the synth-heavy sound. At the time I had burned the CD onto iTunes, and none of the song titles had pulled through; for a few days my friend and I would have to discuss them in code, "track 2 is my favourite" (what soon transpired to be ‘Blank Space’), and “OMG we haven't given enough attention to "track 12” yet (‘I Know Places’) - that chorus! As soon as we were armed with the tracklist, we were steadily building a legion of Swift-centric fans to combat the rolling eyes and, looking back, explicit misogyny of school peers. For once it didn't matter that we were young boys liking pop music that wasn't targeted at us - I wasn't ashamed to admit I was head over heels obsessed with the woman. These same friends were my compatriots to the Reputation Stadium Tour in Wembley 2018 which we fondly look back on, laughing at how convinced we were we would be personally escorted to the Rep Room by Andrea herself (sadly, this is a wish yet to materialise).
I mentioned them in the dedications of both of my university dissertations, "to my friends, I will love now and forevermore" in the first, "to my friends, I will forever give my midnights to" in the second. Taylor has definitely had her fumbles and doesn't always get a free pass from me, as I don't think any artist should be afforded no matter the level of stanning, but I can say that in the vast, vast majority of cases I stand behind the mastermind. Her treatment in the press for the last eighteen (!) years of her career as her ‘girl next door’ persona soured to stand for something much uglier has showcased the worst of the media industry, as well as of the world’s adult male population. I think if The Eras Tour has done one thing, it's proven the power of sticking to your guns, always being nice to those who work with you, and making consistent fan-forward choices in your music making. It's undeniable karma really has been her best friend.
- TT, 24, London
A vibe-catcher, a moment-maker, and ultimately, a visionary
The first Taylor album I came across was 1989, and it stuck like GLUE to my life. I remember immediately loving the ‘Shake It Off’ video, and it’s one of the boldest memories I have of actually purchasing a CD and being so excited for it to turn up. An October release, but weirdly I remember it being July - which to me captures the essence of how strong Taylor's storytelling is - she manages to capture the vibe of a season so well it creates memories that aren’t even necessarily true!
Then, hearing Reputation leaks I was gagged by such an insane switch-up. The era was a MOMENT, and solidified what I wanted from Taylor - a true pop diva that could turn the needle, only likened to my love of Lady Gaga. While Gaga was Joanne-ing, Taylor was in full pop-baddie mode. It wasn’t till the pandemic that I came across Taylor’s back catalogue, influenced by my boyfriend’s obsession with her. Red, folklore, Fearless - all connected by Taylor’s understanding of the human experience. It made me realise Taylor’s music influences so many people’s lives because she has a taste level unmatched. She’s a vibe-catcher, a moment-maker, and ultimately, a visionary at connecting with how people feel when they don’t truly understand it themselves.
Owen, 25, London
The Love Story-sized hole in my heart
My first experience with Taylor Swift was during a family holiday, when you couldn’t escape ‘Love Story’ on the radio. I would be lying if I said I was instantly captivated by her. However, through sheer determination by the DJ’s of 2008, I became a fan, and the song eventually made its way into my collection (via Now 72…) and my heart.
Only passing knowledge of her artistic journey was derived from the following years, still mostly ensuing from family holidays. From this point on, her music didn’t make another emotional connection with me until several years later when I had started Sixth form.
Cut to 2014. I was 16, my friend was freshly 17 and had already passed his driving test and generously began offering me lifts to school. He was obsessed with Capital radio, and they were obsessed with Taylor Swift. I had no autonomy and no path leading me anywhere but fandom. But I wasn’t mad about it. What started as vague surprise and muteness, quickly steered towards vigorous karaoke. It was this 1989 era that began my rediscovery into her backlog. What started with Capital dictating our listening habits, swiftly migrated to us belting out “Re-e-e-ed” and so many others through the power of the aux. This is my favourite of all her eras, likely biased with my nostalgia-tinted glasses.
Since leaving Sixth form, my interest in her music has waned, with uncertainty regarding the culprit. Most of these songs from previous eras still find space in my modern playlists and never fail to evoke a smile and a boogie, but her modern songs struggle to break this ground. Whenever a new album is released, I always make the effort to listen to it, yet I am always disappointed I no longer feel the way I did back in 2016. We have both moved on, but there will always be a Love Story-sized space in my heart.
- Ben, 26, London
Rediscovering everything misogynistic powers took from me
I absolutely loved Taylor when she first came around- I remember hearing \Teardrops on my Guitar’ for the first time when I was 8 years old and listening to it over and over again, watching the music video on repeat. Then dancing to ‘Love Story’, ‘You Belong with Me’ and ‘Fifteen’ in my best friend’s bedroom, I was 10, 11,12, on the cusp of becoming a teen and feeling so grown up. It was like she was narrating what was about to come for us in a few years time - an epic love story that I was so excited for.
Then I went through a massive stage of thinking she was uncool, too girly, because who in their right mind would want to be girly? Internalised misogyny really did a number on me and I remember telling people, “I liked the old Taylor” but didn’t like how she’d evolved. I wanted her to stay in her box because I’d learned that for a woman to jump out of the box others created for her was a bad thing. This massively mirrored the approach I had to my own life as teenage-me was constantly people-pleasing, trying to mould myself to be what others expected. The evolution of Taylor was like being confronted with my own discomfort around being myself. She was doing what I hadn’t found a way to do yet and I didn’t like that.
Years later after being introduced to feminism, coming out as a raging lesbian, and finally breaking out of my own boxes, I rediscovered her while living alone in my little flat in Bristol. No one around to judge me or tell me I was silly for liking Taylor Swift. Lover had just come out and for whatever reason I decided to put it on. I fell instantly in love with its softness and sensitivity, it was so dreamy and articulated the romanticised way I viewed the world. It connected me with my inner child again, a girl who I’d lost along the way. It was like giving her, this raw part of me a massive hug. Naturally, I went back and did the deep dive on all her albums, rediscovering everything misogynistic powers took from me and reclaiming it, grabbing my girlhood back through Taylor’s back catalogue.
folklore and evermore were also monumental albums for me, seeing me through my final year of uni and inspiring a lot of my creative writing module. Taylor was breathing life into me again, she was getting to the very depths of my soul and unearthing my truest feelings, desires, experiences of love and heartbreak and growing up as a woman in this world. So even though I feel like I missed out on years of Taylor, I’ve more than made up for it and am proud to have her as my most listened-to artist year after year!
- Harriet, 26, Devon