Game winner: Why is it so hard to criticize Taylor Swift?

game winner

The American singer has just released a new album, “The Tortured Poets Department”. But if the fans seem to be there, some American media are wondering about the beginnings of weariness among critics and the public.  Despite a game winner, the repercussions of communication that is a little too closed?

The release of Taylor Swift's latest album, the highly anticipated The Tortured Poets Department, has set the international press in turmoil. It must be said that this new game winner album, available since Friday April 19, exceeded 200 million plays on Spotify on the same day, beating the record previously held by the artist's previous opus.

Certainly, certain newspapers or magazines consider that this album is less inspired than her previous ones: The Atlantic, for example, wonders if the 34-year-old singer is not starting to suffer from her obsession with mastery, and a lack of renewal. . But these few reservations have in no way affected the media whirlwind.

This is also an indicator, if any were needed, of the control that Taylor Swift has managed to exercise over her image and her communication: she did not even need to grant the slightest interview to ensure the promotion of The Tortured Poets Department.

No press interviews

“Obtaining any kind of accreditation to approach Taylor Swift is now mission impossible,” launches The Wall Street Journal, which, like other media, has taken up the issue of the singer's very closed communication .

“Taylor Swift grants few interviews, and when she does, she usually reserves those interviews for Time, which has all the qualities the singer is looking for: a respected, mainstream, and accommodating title,” agrees Vulture, the pop culture site of New York Magazine. He recalls that last December Time elected the singer personality of the year 2023.

Earning Call: British Pub Gets Best Possible Advertising Thanks to Taylor Swift double album

earning call

A real earning call was brought byTaylor Swift fans hat stormed the London pub Black Dog, whose name is mentioned in the new double album.

Taylor Swift's fans stormed The Black Dog, a pub in southwest London, after the place was mentioned in the American singer's double album, "The Tortured Poet's Department". Spotify has announced that the American singer's new album broke the record for the most streamed album in a single day this year on the platform, a feat she achieved in less than 12 hours.

Lily Bottomley, the pub's social media and events manager, told Reuters that the commotion began last week ahead of Friday's release of the double album, which includes the 17th-placed song 'The Black Dog' '. The manager had to call in extra staff to cope with the demand and the pub, located in Vauxhall, capitalized on its newfound fame by introducing a new burger dubbed the Swift and a cocktail called the Taylor's Version)''.

Although she can't be absolutely sure that the Black Dog bar she runs and the one mentioned in the album are one and the same, Lily Bottomley said that at one point "she was a frequent blonde customer". "An anthology of new creations that reflect events, opinions and feelings from a fleeting and fatalistic moment", is the description Swift made on Instagram of her 11th studio album. Fans believe that the lyrics are aimed at the ex-boyfriend of the singer, the British Joe Alwyn. Swift mentioned in her songs other places in London where the couple spent time in the British capital and which aroused the interest of fans.

Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn broke up in april 2023 after six year relationship

''We're a very small, neighborhood pub, so it's a dream come true,'' said Bottomley. "We are very grateful to the fans, who have been amazing." Katie, a web developer and a ''Swifty'' (as fans of the American singer call her), told Reuters that she likes to go to the places mentioned in the singer's songs. "I went to New York last year and did a 'Taylor Swift' walking tour of the places she mentioned." Emilia, a master's student from Vienna, said she imagined Swift going to that pub. ''I love him, he's a lyrical genius,'' she said.

Taylor Swift: 6 love stories that influenced her double album lyrics

A real espresso lyrics to celebrate the release of Taylor Swift new album “The Tortured Poets Department” on April 19. An emotional remember of love stories that marked and inspired the American singer.

The story repeats itself. Taylor Swift draws on her heartbreak to create her musical masterpieces. On April 19, the singer marked her return with her eleventh album, “The Tortured Poets Department”, rich in emotions and stories. This is an opportunity for us to revisit the artist's former romantic relationships and to analyze the songs that came from them.

JOE JONAS (2008)

Between July and October 2008, Taylor Swift dated Joe Jonas, ex-Jonas Brother and current leader of DNCE. Their breakup, the first to be publicized for the singer, was characterized by an abrupt telephone conversation lasting only 27 seconds. His songs “Last Kiss” and “Forever and Always” are believed to have been inspired by this story. A little later, she revisited this relationship in a more positive light with the song “Holy Ground”.

TAYLOR LAUTNER (2009)

Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift met in 2009 on the set of the romantic comedy “Valentine's Day.” Although their relationship was short-lived, it inspired Taylor Swift to write the song "Back to December." In this song, she talks about "Your Tanned Skin, Your Sweet Smile" and apologizes for the complicated evening where she ended their relationship.

JAKE GYLLENHAAL (2010-2011)

This is arguably one of Taylor Swift's most publicized relationships. Despite the couple's numerous appearances on the streets of New York and Los Angeles, the age difference (10 years) led Jake Gyllenhaal to end their relationship. “All Too Well,” which is dedicated to him, refers to several specific moments in their history, such as a road trip to northern New York and a Thanksgiving dinner at the actor’s sister’s house.

CONOR KENNEDY (2012)

During the summer of 2012, Taylor Swift crossed paths with Robert F. Kennedy's grandson, Conor Kennedy. Their romance was scrutinized by the public, particularly because of their age difference (she was 22 and he was only 18). The relationship became complicated when Conor's family accused Taylor of being an unauthorized guest at his cousin's wedding in August. Taylor's song "Begin Again" is often interpreted as having a connection to the scion of the Kennedy dynasty.

HARRY STYLES (2012-2013)

One of Taylor Swift's relationships that has most divided public opinion. One of Taylor Swift's loves which sparked a lot of reactions. Although their affair only lasted three months, they shared a memorable kiss in Times Square on New Year's Eve and survived a snowmobile accident. The song “I Knew You Were Trouble” is said to be inspired by the charming One Direction singer. Fine allusions to Harry Styles dot Taylor's "1989" album, particularly in "Out Of The Woods" which evokes their December romance and the incident in question, as well as in "Style", whose title is self-explanatory.

CALVIN HARRIS (2015-2016)

The tracks “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” and “I Forgot You Existed” are inspired by her history with Calvin Harris. Taylor Swift and the DJ's relationship has captivated audiences, with the couple regularly appearing together at events and sharing their daily lives extensively on social media.

Mastermind Taylor Swift: The latest double album is deeper than it seems

 

Taylor Swift's Double album

The latest Taylor Swift double album is deeper than it seems

Taylor Swift dares to release an album of intimate confessions of rare authenticity before her appearance on the big stage of Groupama Stadium in Décines.

At first listen, everything seems cool in The Tortured poets department, barely released and already a new raid on the platforms breaking all records. Listening to it closely, the emotion continues to grow and the first track Fortnight with its soaring melody already evokes alcohol, drugs and separation like a laying bare.

This is the Taylor Swift miracle: being an interplanetary superstar capable of being herself in her own words in a double album of beauty evoking her own ills. The title The Tortured poets department evokes the club of his ex, the superb Joe Alwyn, a magnetic actor seen in Claire Denis whose evocation here never turns into a settling of scores.

Taylor Swift, confessions on the dancefloor

In her confessions in the form of a sentimental talk over, Taylor Swift never spares herself to evoke her past love: “You are not Dylan Thomas and I am not Patti Smith, you are just in self-sabotage mode, we were modern idiots , but who will hug you like me? ". The most famous artist on the planet keeps a cool head and all her lucidity. It's been a long time since we've heard such authentic confessions on the dancefloor, until So Long London to say goodbye to the city of its handsome British actor.

The Tortured Poets department, an ironic title?

The first beach of Fortnight already announces the departure for Florida!!! sung a few tracks later (in a duet with Florence and the Machine) and who should find an even more rock energy on stage... to “bury the regrets”. Just like I can do it with a broken heart, the most “Pet Shop boys” track of the opus. Superbly constructed, without affectation or ease, this breakup double album highlights the whispered voice of Taylor Swift like never before to tell her truth according to: "I am the queen of the sandcastles that you destroy, you sacrificed us on the altar of your saddest days. »

TAYLOR SWIFT: I'm so depressed it seems like it's my birthday every day »

The showwoman who will soon fill the Groupama Stadium in Décines for two evenings, dares her intimate confessions, like an American Mylène Farmer. Always with irony as a witness to her personality: “I'm so depressed that it seems like it's my birthday every day” she sings on a kid's disco on I can do it with a broken heart. We can already imagine him walking around the stadium's main stage in a sequin bodysuit to dust off his sadness. She's really pumped up and intelligent to still be able to be so much herself under the mask of notoriety.

Taylor Swift's double album album explodes the counters on Spotify, less than a week after its release

On April 22, 2024, Taylor Swift’s THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT became Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single week. The album has surpassed 1 Billion streams since release.

• 300 million streams in just 24 hours and more than a billion in less than a week, Taylor Swift's latest album is already breaking all records.
• “A historic date” that Spotify did not fail to highlight.
• The success of this new album is partly linked to the title “Fortnight”, a duet with the artist Post Malone.

As usual, pop star Taylor Swift is breaking records. Released on Friday April 19, his eleventh opus, The Tortured Poets Department, accumulated more than 300 million listens during the first 24 hours of its broadcast. “A historic date,” summarized Sportif sur X.

But the record didn't stop there. Less than a week after the release of his album, on April 22, it became the most listened to on Spotify by exceeding one billion listens, the platform announced on X. This success is linked in large part to its title “Fortnight” duet with Post Malone which has accumulated nearly 40 million streams. The single broke the record for the most streamed song in a single day, burying the one previously held by Adele with "Easy on Me".

Promposal Double Album - Taylor Swift didn't wait for "The Tortured Poets Department" to prove she is (I)

With a name like that - The Department of Tortured Poets in the language of Molière - the tone is set. Taylor Swift released her highly anticipated new album, The Tortured Poets Department, this Friday, April 19. The opportunity for the American singer to remind us that she is more than a pop star: she is a poet.

For her new album, Taylor Swift sets up a library in Los Angeles (and hides clues there)

Taylor Swift has always identified herself as a songwriter first, before being a singer. She now calls herself a poet by signing the promotional messages for her album “the president of the Department of Tortured Poets”. But she didn’t wait for her new album to write songs comparable to poems in verse or prose. From the start of her career in 2005, Taylor Swift was noted for her talents as a lyricist.

So much so that today, several universities, including the prestigious Harvard and Stanford, offer courses in analyzing the lyrics of his songs, in the same way as great texts of literature.

Taylor Swift, star of literary studies

Elly McCausland, professor of English literature at Ghent University in Belgium, and creator of the site Swifterature, is the first to give a course on Taylor Swift in Europe. For her, calling the star a poet is not surprising. “If we go back several centuries, poetry was an oral medium, spoken before being written, and often set to music. In a way, Taylor Swift returns to the roots of poetry,” she told HuffPost in the video at the top of the article.

Although all songwriters can, in some sense, be considered poets, Taylor Swift is a particularly relevant subject of study for literature teachers. Already, because she gives them a lot of material with her 243 songs (according to Rolling Stone counts), all of which she wrote or co-wrote.

But it is above all his refined writing style, without seeming to be so, which is well suited to analysis. Elly McCausland, for example, highlights her use of complex English vocabulary and literary techniques that are often associated with classical poetry. “She uses a lot of metaphors and comparisons, what we call figurative language,” notes the professor. But she does it in a way that we don't even think about it. It's subtle. His songs are made of layers, and when you peel them back, you find lots of interesting ideas. »

(to be continued)