Music as Communication With Fans
Apart from literal interactions with fans, Swift is also an expert in getting in touch with her fans in a deeper, more emotional level through her music. In order to examine her relatability as a musician, it is useful to study the thematic and narrative motifs in her lyrics. The most consistent themes of her songs include dealing with breakups and bad relationships, whether it be hopelessly romantic, downright adorable, or cathartic, the subject matters center on the relationship concerns of teenagers, especially girls. For example, she tells the story of a shy girl who has a crush on a jock that is dating a cheerleader in “You Belong With Me;” in “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” she writes about the frustration and exhaustion of being in an on-and-off relationship; in “Shake It Off,” she conveys the joy of getting over bad relationships with music.
More importantly, Swift does not communicate these themes in a homogenous way; as many of discussed, her songs are often deeply personal. Most famously, the song “Dear John” is rumored to be about the star's relationship with John Mayer, fellow musician whom she dated in 2009. Swift does not hold back on specific allusions to real life, like in the line "Don't you think nineteen's too young," in which 19 is the age when Swift was dating John.
More importantly, Swift does not communicate these themes in a homogenous way; as many of discussed, her songs are often deeply personal. Most famously, the song “Dear John” is rumored to be about the star's relationship with John Mayer, fellow musician whom she dated in 2009. Swift does not hold back on specific allusions to real life, like in the line "Don't you think nineteen's too young," in which 19 is the age when Swift was dating John.
By writing about her personal feelings, sometimes with shameless and obvious references to real-life people, Swift opens up about her heartbreaks to her fans, which is what a true friend would do. Psychologist Carl R. Rogers once said: “What is most personal is most universal.” Swift’s personal feelings were successfully communicated to a wide audience, who can all relate in their own perspectives. Her tendency to share personal details in public also embodies the spirit that social media encourages. After all, social media creates an environment where one readily learns about other people's private lives.
