Recently, there’s been quite a bit of Taylor Swift drama — you know, her new relationship with Tom Hiddleston, Calvin Harris’ admission she wrote the song “This Is What You Came For,” and now, the infamous “TaylorGate.” It’s easy to forget Swift is not just a public persona, but a musician, too. While Chapel Hill is far away from wherever she’s currently tweeting, I can’t help but remember how much her music has shaped my college experience.
“1989” came out during the fall of my first year. I wouldn’t have survived my first semester without the friends I made during those first few months, and of course, that album. I danced with my new friends almost every weekend to “Blank Space,” let “Out of the Woods” heal me out of a messy break-up and found myself walking through campus one night, listening to “Clean” and letting the words describe how I felt suddenly: Free. I swore “1989” would forever be my favorite Swift album. However, love can change.
Throughout this spring and this summer, I’ve had what I call a “Red” Renaissance. Somehow, Taylor’s second to most recent album resonates with me more than ever, possibly bumping “1989” from its top tier spot. “Red” captures a particular moment in Swift’s life: The songs are open and sincere, like she created melodies to pair with the words in her journal. It’s about experiencing all the turbulence of love and life and somehow still seeing the beauty of it. That was the “Red” era for Swift; that was my last semester.
Perhaps it’s the energetic opening song “State of Grace” that won me over, a song both epic and indicative of what’s to come on the album. Often I’d listen to it while crossing streets and the opening verse narrated my routines: “I’m walking fast through the traffic lights/Busy streets and busy lives/And all we know is touch and go.” The lyrics reminded me to remember there was more to life than just keeping myself busy. That song and “Holy Ground” described my feelings when I realized the answers about a new relationship were right in front of me. “Red,” the titular song, told me to go fearlessly under the riptide. “The Lucky One” got me through the recent and untimely passing of my favorite actor. “All Too Well,” a searing ballad, has often been dramatically sung with friends while driving.
Taylor Swift can’t be excused for her missteps (including a lot of recent lying); however, her music allows me to separate her from her public behavior. Her music has gotten me through many highs and lows at UNC. She reminds me it’s okay to be messy and it’s okay to fall in love. With her music, I can feel every emotion: Both red and every color in between.
