taylorswiftinfluence

[taylorswiftinfluence]

Taylor Swift: The Reality of a Successful Woman

Taylor Swift's remarkable success in the music industry is a testament to her talent, business acumen, and resilience in navigating the challenges of sexism. Through her journey, Swift has not only transformed the landscape of modern pop music but has also confronted and challenged pervasive gender biases, showcasing the need for continued dialogue and progress in addressing sexism in the entertainment industry.

Those that aren't fans or don't follow Taylor Swift essentially label her as nothing more than a "cringey blonde millennial." However, those that do follow her, are well aware that there are thousands of reasons to respect her as a woman, an artist, a poet, an entrepreneur, an advocate, and many other labels.

Tune into this blog to examine the role that Taylor Swifts gender has played in her career!

[taylorswiftinfluence]

[taylorswiftinfluence]

Business Sense and Branding

Beyond her musical prowess, Swift's keen business sense and strategic branding have contributed significantly to her success. Her early understanding of the importance of controlling her narrative, image, and intellectual property has empowered her to navigate a predominantly male-dominated industry successfully.

[taylorswiftinfluence]

Economic Impact

The Eras Tour had a projected gross of $2.2 billion in North American ticket sales alone, and hundreds of millions of streams, reaching about an 80% spike in those listening to her music in the weeks after the tour started.

Over the summer, Taylor gave truckers for the tour $100,000 bonus checks each, which Michael Scherkenbach, trucking company CEO, called “life-changing."

Food banks across the country in the communities where she has performed have said they received hefty donations from Swift. One food bank network in Arizona said Swift’s donation allowed it to send several tractor-trailers filled with 40,000 pounds of fresh produce to its member food banks.

Retailers have also seen a boost from concertgoers looking for clothes that match the theme of Swift’s “eras.” Shops are marketing outfits featuring everything that may resemble Taylor Swift in any way possible.

Federal Reserve officials noted that for some businesses, “May was the strongest month for hotel revenue in Philadelphia since the onset of the pandemic, in large part due to an influx of guests for the Taylor Swift concerts in the city,” 

Analysts estimate that the Eras Tour will likely surpass the $1 Billion mark while Swift is touring internationally. If this turns out to be true, she will achieve the milestone of the biggest tour in music history, surpassing Elton John’s multi-year farewell tour, which holds the current record of $939 million.

The Eras Tour is projected to generate close to $5 billion in consumer spending in the United States alone. Dan Fleetwood, President of QuestionPro Research and Insights, stated that,

“If Taylor Swift were an economy, she’d be bigger than 50 countries."

On the opening night in Glendale, Ariz., the concert brought in more revenue for local businesses than Super Bowl LVII, which was held in February in the same stadium. To use that as a comparison, Swift has been performing the equivalent of two to three Super Bowls every weekend for the past five months.

Typically, every $100 spent on live performances generates an estimated $300 in local spending on things like hotels, food and transportation. But for the Eras Tour, Swifties are dropping an estimated $1,300-$1,500 on things like outfits and costumes, merchandise, dining, and travel. This has boosted local economies by hundreds of millions of dollars in one weekend.

[taylorswiftinfluence]

Re-Recording (Taylor's Version)

Taylor Swifts dispute with her old record label started when Big Machine sold to private-equity group Ithaca Holdings, an entity owned by music manager Scooter Braun. He then sold her masters to another company, Shamrock Holdings, for a reported $300 million in 2019. Swift’s master recordings reap profits whenever the songs are streamed or bought. However, Swift claims Braun, who manages stars like Kanye West and Justin Bieber, has repeatedly bullied her, and so she slammed the sale publicly and promised to rerecord those original six albums, this time with the masters under her own control. Anyone who still plays an old version of Swift’s early songs right now will essentially be paying Scooter Braun.

“Artists should own their own work for so many reasons. But the most screamingly obvious one is that the artist is the only one who really knows that body of work.” 

[taylorswiftinfluence]

Navigating Sexism in the Music Industry

Swift's experiences with sexism, as evident in public controversies and personal accounts, shed light on the pervasive gender biases within the music industry. From double standards in the scrutiny of her personal life to dismissive attitudes towards her songwriting, Swift has faced and addressed these challenges head-on.

[taylorswiftinfluence]

“When I was a teenager, I would hear people talk about sexism in the music industry, and I’d be like, I don’t see it. I don’t understand. Then I realized that was because I was a kid. Men in the industry saw me as a kid. I was a lanky, scrawny, overexcited young girl who reminded them more of their little niece or their daughter than a successful woman in business or a colleague. The second I became a woman, in people’s perception, was when I started seeing it."

“It’s fine to infantilize a girl’s success and say, How cute that she’s having some hit songs. How cute that she’s writing songs. But the second it becomes formidable? As soon as I started playing stadiums—when I started to look like a woman—that wasn’t as cool anymore. It was when I started to have songs from Red come out and cross over, like ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ and 'We Are Never Getting Back Together.'"

“I wanted to say to people, You realize writing songs is an art and a craft and not, like, an easy thing to do? Or to do well? People would act like it was a weapon I was using. Like a cheap dirty trick. Be careful, bro, she’ll write a song about you. Don’t stand near her. First of all, that’s not how it works. Second of all, find me a time when they say that about a male artist: Be careful, girl, he’ll use his experience with you to get—God forbid—inspiration to make art."

[taylorswiftinfluence]

Behind the scenes of Taylors feminist anthem, The Man.

[taylorswiftinfluence]

Feminism and Activism

Swift's evolution into a feminist icon and advocate for gender equality is noteworthy. Her vocal stance on issues such as the gender pay gap and the importance of women supporting each other has sparked discussions about sexism not only in the music industry but also in broader societal contexts. However, it's never right for her critics. She's either too vocal and has "the wrong opinion", or she is radio silent on matters and should speak up.

In 2018, she took a very strong stance just before the midterms. On Instagram, she endorsed Democrats for the Tennessee Legislature and called out the Republican running for Senate, Marsha Blackburn.

“She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples.” “She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values".

The post was partly to help young fans understand that if they wanted to vote, they had to register. To tell them, as she puts it, “Hey, just so you know, you can’t just roll up.” Some 65,000 new voters registered in the first 24 hours after her post, according to Vote.Org

Trump came to Blackburn’s defense the following day. “She’s a tremendous woman,” he told reporters. “I’m sure Taylor Swift doesn’t know anything about her. Let’s say I like Taylor’s music about 25 percent less now, OK?" Sure, Donald. Let's say that . . .

In April, after a handful of anti-LGBTQ bills in Tennessee were proposed, Swift donated $113,000 to the Tennessee Equality Project, which advocates for LGBTQ rights. She called the legislation and "horrendous" and exclaimed “They don’t call it ‘Slate of Hate’ for nothing.” Taylor admired that the Tennessee Equality Project had organized a petition of faith leaders in opposition. “I loved how smart it was to come at it from a religious perspective."

Meanwhile, the “You Need to Calm Down” music video provoked a Colorado pastor to call Swift “a sinner in desperate need of a savior” and warn that “God will cut her down.” It also reignited a debate within LGBTQ communities about the terms and conditions of allyship and corporatization of Pride. Some critics argued Swift’s pro-LGBTQ imagery and lyrics were overdue and out of the blue. However, for those paying attention, this action was not out of the blue, nor was it for the purpose of capital benefit.

By Time Magazine, she was asked why she became more explicit about LGBTQ rights when she did. She exclaimed, “Rights are being stripped from basically everyone who isn’t a straight white cisgender male." “I didn’t realize until recently that I could advocate for a community that I’m not a part of. It’s hard to know how to do that without being so fearful of making a mistake that you just freeze. Because my mistakes are very loud. When I make a mistake, it echoes through the canyons of the world. It’s clickbait, and it’s a part of my life story, and it’s a part of my career arc."

[taylorswiftinfluence]

Impact on Future Generations

Swift's success and her battles against sexism have had a profound impact on the perception of women in the music industry. Her resilience has set a precedent for younger artists, encouraging them to stand up against gender biases and demand the respect and recognition they deserve.

[taylorswiftinfluence]

The #MeToo Movement and Legal Battles

Swift's involvement in the #MeToo movement, her legal battles, and her willingness to take legal action against sexual assault and harassment have highlighted the systemic nature of sexism in the entertainment industry. Her actions have contributed to a larger conversation about the need for change and accountability.

In 2017, Swift accused the DJ, David Mueller, of groping her under her skirt at a photo session in 2013. Her team reported the incident to his employer, who fired him. Mueller denied the allegation and sued Swift for $3 million, but his case was dismissed. Swift countersued for a symbolic $1 and won.

She provided description testimonies of the incident: “He stayed latched onto my bare ass cheek” as photos were being snapped. When asked why photos of the front of her skirt didn’t show this, she said, “Because my ass is located at the back of my body.” When asked if she felt bad about the DJ’s losing his job, she said, “I’m not going to let you or your client make me feel in any way that this is my fault. Here we are years later, and I’m being blamed for the unfortunate events of his life that are the product of his decisions—not mine.”

[taylorswiftinfluence]

In Conclusion . . .

In examining Taylor Swift's success and her experiences with sexism, it becomes clear that her journey is not only one of musical triumph but also a narrative of challenging and overcoming gender biases in a male-dominated industry. Swift's impact on the conversation about sexism in entertainment continues to inspire change and push for a more inclusive and equitable future for female artists.

[taylorswiftinfluence]

References