Contradictory double standards between men and women are undoubtedly prevalent within the music industry and have been for decades. Ranging from a lack of criticism when male artists release more ‘surface level’ or feel-good music, to singers like Chris Brown and Axl Rose selling out stadiums, even after domestic abuse claims. Women are certainly scrutinised more intensely for lesser offences than their male counterparts. That being said, Swift’s latest album “The Life of a Showgirl” and its backlash (which is disproportionate to any other music she’s previously released) could be argued to be not indicative of modern day misogyny, but rather an apathy towards a crafted public persona that now lacks the relatability, creativity and universality in her music that swift largely owes her success to.
Taylor Swift rapidly rose to fame in the early 2000’s for capturing what fans would deem the essence of growing up as a teenage girl. Making reference to quintessential heartbreak and social hierarchies within high school, though the suburban privilege led many to struggle with resonating deeply with her on a personal level. Swift quickly became a record breaker, and many highly commended the narratives told in folklore and evermore, highlighting familial and romantic complexities and the effect it leaves on her characters. Far from conveying these skills in “The Life of a Showgirl”, many believe the album lacks the depth and power Swift’s discography became popular for demonstrating, instead appearing with lyrics that you wouldn’t think came from the same artist. The album consists largely of short-lived internet references that will cause the song to feel stale and awkward to listen to very quickly. Some of the worst offenders include “every joke’s just trolling and memes, i’m not a bad b**ch, this isn’t savage” and “did you girlboss too close to the sun?” Essentially, Swift has proven she’s far more capable lyrically than her recent album would suggest, leading to intense disappointment from fans and critics.
Furthermore much of Swift’s recent criticism runs deeper than simply cringe worthy lyrics and dwindling quality of story telling and metaphors. But in an increasingly political climate, many former fans break away from their adoration, as her environmental impact, detached white liberal feminism and problematic connections are brought into question. Facing criticism for privileged, surface level feminism that focuses on “defending herself and putting others down” whilst remaining inconsequential in the fight for women’s liberation from the patriarchy . On top of this, alleged connections to Trump supporters only give further weight to the argument that her politics is almost entirely self-beneficial and lacks any real desire for change. Intentionally associating with people who vote in the exact opposite direction to what you advocate for just makes her previous opinions seem hollow.
Ultimately, the deeply ingrained misogyny within the music industry and lack of accountability for male artists should not be glanced over, but it would be incredibly reductive to simply brush off Taylor Swift’s recent criticism as merely sexism manifesting. Though it certainly plays a part, criticism instead must be understood for what it is; discontent towards a privileged public figure who now lacks relatability both within her recent music and in the public eye, who consistently raises controversy for her political leanings despite marketing herself with liberal feminism.
Image Credits: @taylorswift Instagram
