Some might be thinking, “Oh great, another Taylor Swift article.” But, hey, you clicked on it. It’s no secret that the media enjoys discussing Taylor Swift. Undoubtedly, she is one of the biggest celebrities of this generation, and headlines, whether positive or negative, seem to trail her every move. Articles about her, tend to attract significant engagement from both her fans and critics, making it a pretty successful business model overall.
Nevertheless, is there an excessive amount of coverage on Tay Tay now?
As someone who has been involved in the creation of dozens of Taylor Swift articles within the year, my personal opinion is “Yes.” However, similar to many other Swifties, my subsequent response would be “So what?”
Because, here’s a spoiler alert, you’re going to encounter a considerable amount of content about her in the coming days, especially since she’s already in town for her sold-out Eras Tour concerts.
To her credit, Taylor Swift’s accomplishments do justify the articles surrounding her. Her ongoing Eras Tour holds the distinction of being the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, with research company QuestionPro projecting that the tour has the potential to generate US$4.6 billion in consumer spending in the US alone.
In Singapore, where she will be performing six shows, the “Taylor Swift effect” is in full swing, evident in the increased activity observed by hotels and airlines.
Recently, she also achieved historical significance as the only artist to win Album of the Year four times at the Grammy Awards.
You don’t have to be a fan to recognize that these accomplishments deserve celebration.
On the flip side, we have the headlines surrounding her personal life and actions, which is where disagreements might arise.
For instance, Swift’s romantic involvement with Kansas City Chiefs American football player Travis Kelce has been a subject of curiosity among fans. They are eager to see if he will show up to support her at her concerts, similar to how she cheered him on at his NFL games. There was notable interest when he arrived in Sydney, Australia, on Feb 22, just a few days before her shows there.
A few weeks ago, many fans were anxious to know if Swift could make it to Las Vegas in time for the Super Bowl after performing in Tokyo, prompting Japan’s US embassy to intervene.
Then there are miscellaneous articles covering aspects like Swift’s use of a private jet, which amounted to about 8,300 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2022 – 1,800 times the average person’s annual emissions. There are also pieces on her actions at the recent Grammy Awards, where viewers criticized her perceived snub towards Celine Dion, among other things.
Some may find articles on these matters nitpicky, while others may feel it is important to call out these actions given her significant influence.
It’s not just about Swift herself; there’s also interest in the people in her orbit. For instance, her 71-year-old father is currently under investigation for allegedly assaulting a photographer in Sydney.
So, when does the abundance of articles surrounding Taylor Swift become excessive, and has it already reached that point?
For 24-year-old fan Alex Foo, the oversaturation has become more noticeable “recently.” In a conversation with CNA Lifestyle, Foo reflected, “Frankly, I don’t think any other current pop star gets as much news coverage as her nowadays. However, I do believe the extensive coverage is also something that Taylor is in control of and permits as if she wishes to be hidden away from the spotlight, she can do so.”
A fan of Swift since her first album, Foo expressed admiration for the singer during her Reputation era, “for her ability to bounce back stronger and better than ever” after facing online slander.
Foo also questioned the accuracy of recent criticism surrounding Swift’s private jet usage, stating, “That is not to say that I will willfully choose to ignore the facts and blindly defend her, but rather, I have seen contrasting articles about how she is not the top celebrity in terms of carbon emissions for her private jet usage, and there have also been articles stating that she pays twice the amount of carbon tax to offset the damage of flying private,” he added.
Another Taylor Swift fan, who prefers to be identified as H, acknowledged the oversaturation of Taylor Swift content in the media but doesn’t find it particularly concerning. The 23-year-old explained, “I think with such a huge fan base and a worldwide reach, the media coverage is bound to be high. People need something to talk about, and she is the biggest pop star in the world.
I think some articles bring to light things that people want to know about. For example, her carbon footprint and her silence on politics. But I think it’s inevitable that people form a parasocial relationship because of how oversaturated she is in the media.
“I do think she becomes more mainstream, but, understandably, there is an oversaturation of her content, given her success worldwide.”
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