#longtxt

Thinking about the lyric “people love an ingénue” in Nothing New and how Taylor has reflected on the early years of her career. She was not seen as powerful or a threat to the structure of the music industry’s system so she was rewarded for playing into the “good girl”, non-threatening, passive role she was assigned—the bright eyed, shiny toy of an ingénue. She knew when to sing and dance and when to sit back and “know her place.” And that was a safe place because all she worked hard for wasn’t threatened so long as she stayed there. As things took a turn, though, despite still being young and bright and full of inspiration and with lots to share with the world… there was a shift. She didn’t have control of the lens through which people saw her—she never did, but seemingly suddenly the lens was a magnifying glass trained to only capture her in a bad light, as defined by people outside of her. So she’s only in the range of 20-22 years old but because she’s climbed so high, the spotlight she’s earned has turned into a target. And the industry powers do not want her to deflect what they’ve aimed at her. She’s moving from young adult into adulthood and realizing her own power and advocating for herself, but it was easier for those in power to maintain their control over her when she stayed put in the good girl, easy target box. An ingénue is described as the role of an artless, innocent young girl. When Taylor started her journey in music, she was every bit the ingénue in terms of image. She wrote “silly teenage breakup songs” that despite being incredible works were deemed less than because of her age and the subject matter. She won Grammys, but was still this wide-eyed girl who didn’t think she belonged, trying to find an open seat—and through that musical chairs, she was being pointed and laughed at and given moments of relief when she’d make sure to show greater embrace of her assigned role. And when the brilliance of her songs was recognized, her role as their writer was questioned—this young girl, writing the best music of the age? It didn’t work with what role she was meant to play. And on this story went, with Taylor trying to toe the line of being what they wanted her to be because she thought that was her only chance at capturing even some moments of getting to be who she is, and continuing to push herself creatively and professionally and gain more control over her life and her work. She’s still in her early 20s, contemplating whether or not all she has worked for could be taken away if she were to dare to keep advocating for herself and her work, writing Nothing New. The path she trekked to get to the present was treacherous and though she is glad to be a guide for others coming after her so the road can be easier for them, she knows both that the pain she suffered cannot be erased and that the system she had to fight is still in place and waiting to try and do to others what it did to her.

I want Taylor to keep up with the same energy she brought to creating folklore and evermore as she moves forward..... and the energy I’m referring to is quite literally Taylor doing whatever the hell she wants to do as a writer/creator, without making choices based on what she thinks she’s “supposed” to do to satisfy certain “requirements” of being a megastar in music. I want her to do what she wants, without a worry that her art won’t be accepted by fans. I love seeing her on tour, for sure, but her music is always a gift and whatever form the music takes I am so grateful to have it all. She doesn’t owe anyone a single thing, and seeing her be free with her creative process for folklore and evermore makes me happy. Do what makes you happy, Taylor, because you have support always. And when you make what you want to make, it is pure brilliance. Love you, girlie.

thinking about how “betty” and “all too well” sonically coexist, and that “all too well” is about j*ke, *and* in “betty” the character james sings “if I showed up at your party, would you have me, would you want me?” while in “the moment I knew” taylor sings about how j*ke missed her birthday party. this is what i mean when i say that even in the stories that are not necessarily all from Taylor’s real life situations, there are important elements of her past, present, and what she thinks her future may be. that is the essence of folklore: stories we hear and pass down and live out can all coexist and inform how we see the world.

“I knew you tried to change the ending / Peter losing Wendy” in the context of Betty and James’s relationship is a simple yet very telling analogy. In Cardigan, Betty talks a lot about how, despite her youth and the expectation with that youth to know nothing, she knows a lot. Especially when it comes to James. In Peter Pan, Wendy has always been a mature young girl who is underestimated despite her proven knowledge. Peter literally never grows up, and actively chooses to maintain that life; Wendy, even after all the fun she has with Peter and co., knows that she has to go back to her roots/home and continue to grow (up) because in the end Peter is holding her back. The same goes for Betty with James. She realizes that he is not at her level of maturity, but like Peter he very much wanted to make things work so that he could still be with Betty. But on *his* terms, which stifle Betty as Peter’s terms would stifle Wendy. Betty has gotten past her anger and resentment with James, having come to terms with the fact that moving forward without him is in her best interest. She still mourns the love and happiness they shared in their time together, and knows she will hold on to the memories (didn’t even mean to do that lol) for perhaps her whole life. As Peter changed Wendy and the trajectory of her life, so did James affect Betty. But not so much that Wendy and Betty will sacrifice their hearts and spirits.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but not everything Taylor is a part of must be critically acclaimed for it to have been worth her time. She’s challenging herself and having fun and if she’s happy doing something then I personally am going to support her. Because I care about her as a person, and I don’t really care what people who don’t know her like we do think about a movie she’s in or what song she put as her first single. I really enjoy being Taylor’s online pal and cheering her on for doing what makes her happy. Maybe that’s just me. Taylor has plenty of critics. I prefer being a fan :)