The Swift Factor

As Taylor Swift continues on her all-conquering Eras tour, I was pondering her unique appeal. Personally, her insipid pop/country music leaves me cold. It’s cheery, radio friendly and catchy enough, but then as someone who’s more about alternative music, I’m not her demographic. She’s quite simply a global phenomenon. Her fans, the Swifties, are a worldwide community, who queue for hours to see her, get in touch via social media, and swap friendship bracelets.

Why then, has she captured the hearts of so many millions, of all ages and backgrounds? I think it’s because she’s the Doris Day of her generation. She is attractive in a wholesome, toothy way, and not remotely threatening. Not for her, the tits and ass of Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, Lady Gaga, Beyonce or even the young, mid-eighties Madonna. Swift is not weird, uncomfortable or avant-garde like Bjork, Kate Bush, PJ Harvey or FKA Twigs. She’s uncontroversial, her songs promote female empowerment and positivity without ever being didactic, sexy or hubristic.

When Ye infamously stormed the stage at the VMAs a few years ago, she maintained a dignified silence – a filthy look said so much in lieu of words. Personally, I’d have rugby tackled the dick to the ground and shoved him off his perch.

And that’s her appeal – she is the kind of woman with broad appeal, precisely because she comes across as humble, despite her incredible wealth and multiple awards. There’s long been a gap in the market since the demise of white girl groups. She’s the white bread Everywoman who fans have a para-social relationship with. Everyone feels like they know her, and parents see her as a virtual babysitter to their kida. With Swift and her likeability factor, there’s a sense of being in safe hands. Rock ‘n’ roll debauchery, this ain’t. But she’s undoubtedly a talented gal. Fair doozies to her.