Taylor Swift: Language and Representations

Taylor Swift: Language and Representations blog tasks

Narrative
Go to our Media Magazine archive (issue MM79) and read the feature All Too Well on Taylor Swift and how she controls her own narrative. Answer the following questions:

1) Why is Taylor Swift re-recording her earlier albums?
Taylor Swift is re-recording her earlier albums to regain control of her music. The master recordings of her original albums were sold without her consent, so by re-recording them, she owns the new versions and can control how they're used, ensuring she benefits financially and creatively.

2) Why did Taylor Swift choose to make the short film 'All Too Well'?
Taylor Swift made the short film All Too Well to visually expand on the story told in her song of the same name. The song is deeply personal and emotional, and she wanted to bring its narrative to life in a more cinematic way, adding depth to the storytelling through visuals, actors, and her own direction. It also marked her debut as a filmmaker, showcasing her creative vision beyond music.

3) What other examples are provided in the article of Taylor Swift using media to construct her own image?

• Shake It Off’ is dedicated to telling Swift’s haters how little she cares for their opinions.
• The video for ‘Bad Blood’ is yet another showcase of her filmmaking talents.
• This idea of image control remained at the fore with Swift’s next album, Reputation in 2017. Here, she divorces herself from her former personas entirely with both her musical styles and her look.

Taylor Swift textual analysis
Work through the following tasks to complete your textual analysis of Taylor Swift's website and social media.

1) Go to Taylor Swift's website. What do you notice about the media language choices - text, font, images, page design, links?

• Typography-- serif- fits with the colour scheme, original concept
• Central image-- quite revealing- Mulvey's male gaze, Van Zoonen- women as spectacle- to be looked at 'sex role stereotypes'. Does this reinforce the negative female stereotypes or is it designed to be empowering??
• Logo/brand identity-- reflects and reinvents herself with each album, possibly a way of helping her celebrity persona/brand
• Colour scheme/ page design-- grey black, white. Gives off classic and sophisticated + timeless vibes. Subverts her celebrity persona. Taylor usually wears and posts herself wearing vibrant clothing however in her website she kept it very minimalistic, to expand her fan base and to diversify her target audience. Simplistic colour scheme could  be targeted to older generations that listen to Taylor Swift (Senior Swifties)

2) Now visit her Eras tour microsite. What do you notice about the construction of this site in terms of images and website conventions?

• Typography-- serif- links to class and sophistication- fits branding of Taylor's latest 'era' album, synergy or brand identity
• Branding is very similar to Nirvana (90s band)-- could reflect nostalgic aspects of modern culture, which is driven by online/social media/fan communities
• Re-use of previous text-- intertextuality ^^
• Website is designed to encourage fans to be directed to spend money- reinforces capitalistic ideologies
• Front page of her online store are all physical copies of media e.g. cassettes, tapes, vinyl, CDs. This is a chance for the 80s/90s nostalgia and links to the minimalistic colour scheme. Links to it being suitable for older audiences. Chance for fans to collect physcal copies to demomstarte or determines how much pf a swifite they are.
• competes with other contemporary artsits emulating beinging back retro types of media

3) Visit Taylor Swift's Twitter feed. Analyse her use of tweets/posts - are they promoting her music, her tour, or something else? Can you find any that are socially or politically oriented?

• On Taylor Swift's Twitter feed, her posts predominantly focus on promoting her music, her Eras Tour, and new album releases. 
• Many of her tweets are directly linked to events such as concerts and albums, keeping fans updated on her current projects and appearances. 
• Taylor occasionally tweets about personal reflections or messages of gratitude towards her fans, contributing to a relatable and personal touch. 
• There are also some socially and politically oriented tweets, especially regarding voter registration and social justice, reflecting her advocacy work.

4) Look at Taylor Swift's Instagram account. What do you notice about the selection and construction of images, reels and posts?

• Taylor Swift's Instagram account features a combination of promotional content, like album artwork and concert footage, and more personal imagery, such as behind-the-scenes photos from tours or candid moments with friends. 
• Her posts are curated to maintain a cohesive aesthetic, often making use of warm tones and glamorous visuals, contributing to an overall polished and relatable image. 
• The use of Instagram Reels also highlights her performances and other artistic ventures, effectively reaching a wide audience.

5) Research Taylor Swift across any other social media accounts - e.g. Facebook. Do you notice any differences in how she represents herself on different platforms? Comment on text, images or tone/content.

• On other platforms like Facebook and TikTok, Taylor Swift's representation appears consistent in tone, primarily focusing on her professional endeavors, such as album launches, tour highlights, and fan engagement content. However, there are some subtle differences. 
• On Facebook, for example, she may share more in-depth written updates or links, appealing to a slightly older demographic. 
• TikTok, on the other hand, includes more playful or behind-the-scenes content, aligning with the platform's youthful, casual vibe. The tone across these platforms remains accessible and friendly, with a focus on connecting directly with her audience through varied media and styles.