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? 

Swift rerecorded her earlier albums as a result of her previous record label named Big Machine which had ownership of her first 6 albums and to nullify involvement and gain control and ownership of her music and they have been massively successful as a mark of her resurgence and popularity.

2) Why did Taylor Swift choose to make the short film 'All Too Well'? 

The short film was as adaptation of the ten minute version of ‘All Too Well’ chosen to be made as a display of conscious and creative decision making representative of a prior relationship with unhealthy age gap dynamics following their downfall.

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

Another example of Swift utilising media to construct her own image has been prevalent since 2014's album 'Red' which caused widespread public criticisms of her private life which she then has responded with multiple songs dictating her own truth and communicated identity. 

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?

The typology of the song title is sans serif, including flourishes and details in line with the famous image she wishes to convey, the centring of her own image taking up most of the websites first page symbolises her embodiment as a feminist icon and the persistent self love she endures with in her argumentative and responsive songs and albums. There is also a clear presentation of all her album's to date as a representation of her diverse catalogue and long standing popularity and consistency as well as endorsing her brand and merchandise.

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

The presentation of all her albums collectively on merchandise and more manes the iconography recognisable as well as the gritty look of the iconography adds a nostalgic vibe that attracts older and newer audiences via audience pleasures as well as reinforcing a subversion of Mulvey's male gaze through expression of powerful vulnerability.

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? 

Her posts heavily focus on promoting music in a detached way that is removed from her younger intimate brand identity as well as her album iconography begin repetitively plastered in a dull way. However her pinned post includes a striking and close picture with actress Dakota Johnson, promoting a feminist image in suits as well as using her recent uptick in popularity as a result of a new movie adaptation of a best selling book 'Verity' draws more attention to the album promotion and invites new listeners. 

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

Her Instagram is quite similar to her X account, creating a consistent brand identity of endorsing music but the stories that corresponding with her prior albums give fans a sense of individual exclusivity. Furthermore, there are limited comments which further reinforce the exclusivity of the fan-base.

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 TikTok there is a focus on more intimate behind the scene vlogs for younger audience identification as well as engaging with viral trends to promote music video and album drops.