Taylor Swift’s latest hit album, Red, is a remarkable departure from her previous releases. All of 23 now, Taylor has definitively left behind many of her younger mannerisms and fantasies. Gone are the days of the modern princess with luscious, golden curls, running through a sunlit field in a beautiful, flowing dress into the arms of her prince charming. I suppose everyone has to grow up one day and let go of their childish fancies but Taylor’s change, arguably, appeared relatively swift and sudden. Her gradual evolution from country girl to princess seemed a more natural, and acceptable, succession. Nonetheless, this straight-haired lady with a touch of edge remains as talented and relevant as ever.
Taylor’s musical style in Red reflects this metamorphosis. Known to be one of music’s most successful pop-country crossover artists, it is no surprise then that Red greatly lives up to that name with pop smash hits like We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together and I Knew You Were Trouble. Other similar sounding beats include Red, 22, and Starlight. Starlight caught me by pleasant surprise and sounded like a hit straight out of the golden era of pop, markedly the period between the late 90s and early 2000s. She explores the pop genre in this album more than any other she has made, and though we no longer remain in the pop era (sadly), Taylor has proven she would have done just as well back then as she is doing now. Her music and lyrics are timeless to the ages and human emotion.
There are other beautiful songs on the record certainly worth more than just a listen. The Last Time, a duet with Gary Lightbody, is haunting, chilling, and in a class of its own. Begin Again sounds like a classic country Taylor song and would indeed be well received, especially by her longtime fans. Treacherous reveals a little rebellion, but nothing any of us who have been in love would deny. Everything Has Changed, a lighthearted duet with Ed Sheeran (the opening act for her world tour), is uplifting and sweet. Sad Beautiful Tragic is a heartbreaking masterpiece and its dulcet, dreamy melody recreates a state of melancholy and love loss. The Lucky One struck my fancy for it tells a deep tale of one who had it all, and then gave it up.
Taylor’s maturity does not simply emerge through her revamped image, but more significantly, through her lyrics. The depth of Red is unprecedented as Taylor explores everything from the beauty of the ordinary to what being young and famous really means — and if it is worth it all. I appreciate and love the deeper side of her and was in amazement of the imagery she would conjure up in simple, compelling words. As a lover of metaphors, her lyrics never resonated with me more. In State of Grace, Taylor speaks of being alone with a lover: “We are alone, just you and me. Up in your room and our slates are clean. Just twin fire signs, four blue eyes.” Powerful, in my estimation. In the heartbreaking and poignant ballad All Too Well, she cries out: “Hey you call me up again just to break me like a promise…so casually cruel in the name of being honest.” The beauty of simile and metaphor lies in the translation of something essentially flat and factual into something that comes vividly alive in more forms than one. The track Red itself is wrought full of these, creating a song without bounds. Certainly, this was one of the goals Taylor subconsciously embarked on in this album, and voilà, what success.
While Taylor’s evolution may remain jarring and an acquired taste for many, the truth is, she is growing up and doing the best she can with it. She is no longer the fresh-faced, flowy-dress-cowboy-boots-wearing teenager. And in a way, we should be thankful for that. Surely it would be most unnatural if she should retain that starry-eyed princess fervour even in her late twenties. She is not a fictional commodity; she is a young woman, and her priorities and preferences are maturing accordingly. We are, in a sense, privy to her unveiled growth and honesty with the world. While Taylor has gathered a little more sensuality into her step thus arousing controversy, I do not think that calls for frenzy or focus. I think it is far more important how Taylor has preserved her humility and love for her fans and what she does. For that, I am most grateful. I have never heard of her being arrogant or distasteful. Despite the astronomical fame Taylor Swift has experienced, she has managed to remain humble and quite becoming amidst it all, and that to me, is a feat greater than all the accolades she has received.
Being a world-renowned artist and remaining relevant in the 21st century is one of the trickiest means. You have to perpetually reinvent yourself, maintain your freshness, stay connected with your fans, reach new ones, and always surprise and satisfy the masses. I believe Taylor Swift has done just that, again.
