It's easy to be critical of the new '1989' Taylor Swift. You can say she abandoned the world of country music, the world that brought her to such pop stardom in the first place. You can say she's gone too commercial, or she sounds like Katy Perry now, just the person she should want to avoid more than anything. I am guilty of being critical of her more than anyone. Whether I have voiced these opinions in published reviews, cryptic tweets, or even in little notes on my phone or in my head, I have thought all of these things. It's especially hard for me to accept that she's no longer that country sweetheart in cowboy boots an corkscrew curls singing about high school love. I grew up with that Taylor Swift. It's as hard for me to let go of that version of her as it is for the media to stop making up stories about her love life. More than anything, however, I am guilty of saying that Taylor Swift has lost her signature sound. But after seeing a 1989 World Tour show last week, I beg to differ with myself. Taylor Swift has not lost her sound. She has finally found it.
Throughout her career, Swift has toyed with the idea of pop. Even her debut, by far the most country record she ever put out, had the pop flair weaved in and out of the 11 tracks. But I don't think anyone quite expected her to take the leap and plunge headfirst into the world of pop stardom and completely leave behind the country world the way she did. Her fourth studio album, Red, had pop more easily pronounced than the other records, but she still hung onto the country record title with the tracks like "Begin Again" "Treacherous" and "All Too Well," even inserting a little country flair into the poppiest of tracks. But1989 is different. For the first time, Swift shed the country label and declared that this album was a pop album. No ifs ands or buts about it. This brought about much controversy and questions, about the record and the tour. How would she put on a pop show based on this heavily synthpop record, if she had relied so heavily on guitars and other country instrumentals so heavily in the past?
Well Swift did. And in doing so, she put on a show better than anything she's ever done before. She did use the synthpop recordings and layering in her performances of the most poppy tracks, but in others, Swift was able to bring back some old instruments. In three songs throughout the roughly 2 and a half long show, she brought back the acoustic guitar, the instrument she used to depend on, but was rarely heard on the new record. Swift went electric with a rock version of her past No. 1 hit, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," which honestly is the best way to manage anger: 45,000 teens and young women screaming at the top of their lungs about a stupid boy. Why pay a therapist when you can just curse out guys with Taylor Swift?
Well Swift did. And in doing so, she put on a show better than anything she's ever done before. She did use the synthpop recordings and layering in her performances of the most poppy tracks, but in others, Swift was able to bring back some old instruments. In three songs throughout the roughly 2 and a half long show, she brought back the acoustic guitar, the instrument she used to depend on, but was rarely heard on the new record. Swift went electric with a rock version of her past No. 1 hit, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," which honestly is the best way to manage anger: 45,000 teens and young women screaming at the top of their lungs about a stupid boy. Why pay a therapist when you can just curse out guys with Taylor Swift?
Just like her other shows, Swift approached the concert with remarkable casualness and poise, proving that she's still the same girl from the Fearless Tour so many years back. She would often take breaks between songs and speak to the audience as if she and them were old friends. Before she belted out the infectious but emotional "All You Had To Do Was Stay," she talked about her friends and romances in her life at such great length, that it took her more than ten minutes to get to her point. But this was to 45,000 pairs of eyes watching her every move and absorbing everything that came out of her mouth. It is a heartwarming experience to see a major pop star ramble on like a typical 25 year old, but to such a large crowd of people who she kept referring to as her friends. A similar thing happened before her heartwarming performance of one of the best tracks on 1989, "Clean." Swift spoke of the fact that we all go through trials and tribulations in life, and we are always comparing ourselves to other people, but that we just have to give ourselves slack. She brought the meaning of the lyrics to life and inspired every single person in that audience.
Despite the fact that this is still the same girl, this was a full on pop tour. It was polished, not too polished, but still a show that most people could compare to a Katy Perry show. Taylor Swift, however outdid Perry at her own game. She was able to keep the polish of the studio recordings and the overall pop feel, but also add a relaxed vibe to the show. She did strut her stuff during "Style" and overdramatize "Blank Space" and "I Knew You Were Trouble," but she also added an acoustic section and duet with the audience when she played "You Are In Love, having the crowd do the echoes. She was always so hesitant to go full pop, but I believe that she has always felt the want and the need to try out the pop world. Finally, with the help of Max Martin and Shellback, she was able too. When she was in country, there was comfort, but always the longing throughout her songs to do pop. There isn't any longing anymore. It is bittersweet to find that country music's biggest star belongs in pop music more than she ever belonged in country, but Swift will make a mark on music, whatever genre she sings in.
Musically, Swift does a different pop, as emphasized in this show. She has the throwback feel, but with modern roots. She has the synthesizers, but also the electric guitar. And most importantly she still has the lyrics. That is what brought her to stardom in the first place: the fact that so many young girls and women could connect to her songs. So even though Swift has changed the outside of her songs a bit, the root is still the same, and Swift is still the same person she was 10 years ago when she first landed a record label with Scott Borchetta. Just a bit more polished and less angry at the world now, and instead of no friends, having 50,000 of her closest friends selling out her shows every single night.
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS: "Clean," "You Are In Love (Acoustic)," "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Rock Version)," "All You Had To Do Was Stay"
SHOW RATING: 4 and a half crowns
- AJ
Musically, Swift does a different pop, as emphasized in this show. She has the throwback feel, but with modern roots. She has the synthesizers, but also the electric guitar. And most importantly she still has the lyrics. That is what brought her to stardom in the first place: the fact that so many young girls and women could connect to her songs. So even though Swift has changed the outside of her songs a bit, the root is still the same, and Swift is still the same person she was 10 years ago when she first landed a record label with Scott Borchetta. Just a bit more polished and less angry at the world now, and instead of no friends, having 50,000 of her closest friends selling out her shows every single night.
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS: "Clean," "You Are In Love (Acoustic)," "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Rock Version)," "All You Had To Do Was Stay"
SHOW RATING: 4 and a half crowns
- AJ
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