Media Moments Taylor Swift Can Never Erase
The following article includes allegations of sexual assault.
Taylor Swift has had quite the career. The queen of heartbreak songs began pursuing a record deal when she was just 11 years old. Although most producers shut the door in her face at the time (quite literally as she was knocking on doors up and down Nashville's Music Row), she only had to wait two more years before she was singing professionally. Swift told Entertainment Weekly that her middle school rejections pushed her toward music at such a young age. "But I wouldn't change a thing about growing up and not exactly fitting in," she added.
Swift released her debut self-titled album at age 16. From there, the country artist-turned-global pop icon has enjoyed meteoric career success with the release of Grammy-winning albums like "1989" and "folklore." As of March 2024, she has released (and re-recorded) 19 albums – a very impressive feat for any musician, let alone one as young as Swift.
But starting her spectacular career at such a young age means Swift has spent most of her life in the industry and literally grown up in the public eye, and it definitely hasn't been easy. She has been vilified by the media, with critics attacking all aspects of her life, from her vocals and music to her style to her relationships. Swift fought back in her own way, writing songs like "Shake It Off" to combat her haters, but there are some moments she just can't erase.
Kanye West's interruption at the VMAs has followed her career
If you've paid attention to pop culture news in the past 15 years, then you'll know about the feud between Taylor Swift and Kanye West. It started back in 2009 at the MTV Video Music Awards when Swift won the Moonman for best female video for "You Belong With Me." After accepting her award from her former beau and "Valentine's Day" co-star Taylor Lautner, Swift told the audience that winning was a dream come true.
Swift was nominated alongside Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, and Pink. And unfortunately, West, who is now legally known as Ye, thought one of her competitors was more deserving of the VMA win. Barging on stage and stealing the mic from Swift, he announced that Beyoncé should have won for her "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" video. Swift was left confused and embarrassed by West's unwanted interruption on stage, and despite initially moving on from the incident, it led to a decades-long feud between the pair.
The worst of it came in 2016 when West took a shot at Swift in his song, "Famous," which the "Blank Space" singer called out for its derogatory and misogynistic language. Swift received huge public backlash after West claimed Swift had given him permission to call her a "b***h" in his lyrics. The conflict took a massive toll on her professional life. "Make no mistake — my career was taken away from me," she later told Time.
Taylor Swift's Shake It Off outfit was accused of cultural appropriation
Even if you're not a Taylor Swift fan, you've heard the song "Shake It Off." Released as part of her 2014 pop album "1989," the anti-hate tune has been lauded as one of her most empowering songs of all time. It was also her second song to ever make it to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. However, her music video for "Shake It Off" did not receive the same reaction. The video features Swift wearing a variety of outfits as she belts out her pop anthem, showcasing different styles of dance. But in one part, Swift dons denim shorts, a leopard print top, and a lot of gold jewelry. Her backup dancers wear the same outfit while twerking.
The outfit quickly sparked criticism for cultural appropriation, with fans, media, and musicians all sharing their thoughts. Rapper Earl Sweatshirt called it out for appropriating cultural stereotypes, while the Daily Beast denounced the performance. "While Swift's interpretation of black culture was doubtlessly meant as a celebratory homage, it comes off as lazy and reductive at best, and racist at worst," the outlet wrote.
Swift didn't respond to the criticism at the time, but director Mark Romanek defended the video in an interview with Vulture: "If you look at it carefully, it's a massively inclusive piece. It's very, very innocently and positively intentioned. And — let's remember — it's a satirical piece. It's playing with a whole range of music-video tropes and clichés and stereotypes."
The moment Swift showed her interest in politics
Taylor Swift made waves in 2018 when she broke her own long-standing rule not to voice her opinions about politics. She took to Instagram to make a statement about the 2018 midterm elections in Tennessee, denouncing Republican Marsha Blackburn in her bid for Senate.
"As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn," she wrote. "Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women ... She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry." The singer then shared that she was voting for the Democratic candidate, Phil Bredesen, and endorsed Democrat Jim Cooper for the House of Representatives. In the unprecedented post, Swift also urged her fans to vote for the candidate that most represents their values.
Although Blackburn ultimately won that race, speaking up about politics was a significant moment for Swift, who had largely stayed silent on her ideological stance until that point. "Throughout my whole career, label executives would just say, 'A nice girl doesn't force their opinions on people. A nice girl smiles and waves and says thank you.' I became the person everyone wanted me to be," the singer admitted in her 2020 documentary, "Miss Americana." But, in 2018, Swift couldn't stay silent any longer.
Swift sued a DJ who groped her — and won
Taylor Swift was involved in a very public lawsuit against a DJ who sexually assaulted her. The incident occurred in 2013 when the former KYGO radio host, David Mueller, attended a backstage meet-and-greet at Swift's concert alongside his girlfriend. While taking a photo together, the DJ groped Swift by placing his hand underneath her skirt. He lost his job two days after the concert as a result and attempted to sue Swift for slander, but the lawsuit was dismissed. However, Swift filed her own countersuit for assault and battery, which went to court in 2017. Swift won the case and was awarded a symbolic $1 in damages.
The lawsuit had dominated headlines since the first suit was filed in 2015, and details of Swift's deposition were made public. She detailed how she felt after the assault, saying (via Billboard): "I remember being frantic, distressed, feeling violated in a way I had never experienced before. A meet-and-greet is supposed to be a situation where you're thanking people for coming, you're supposed to be welcoming people into your home, which is the arena for that day, and for someone to violate that hospitality in that way, I was completely stunned." After winning the case, Swift vowed to donate money to help other victims of sexual assault who aren't as privileged as her.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun
Taylor Swift signed with the Nashville-based music label, Big Machine Label Group, when she was 15, releasing her first album, "Taylor Swift," at age 16. She released five more albums — "Fearless," "Speak Now," "Red," "1989," and "Reputation" — under the label, which was owned by Scott Borchetta, before leaving and signing with Universal Music Group. During her time with Big Machine and after leaving, Swift tried to procure the rights to her maters, which were owned by the label. Not only was she unsuccessful, but they were actually sold out from under her when Scooter Braun bought Big Machine in 2019.
In a Tumblr post, Swift revealed that she learned about the sale the same time it was announced to the world and revealed details of her past interactions with Braun. "All I could think about was the incessant, manipulative bullying I've received at his hands for years," she wrote. "Scooter has stripped me of my life's work, that I wasn't given an opportunity to buy. Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it. This is my worst case scenario."
Braun never gave Swift the chance to buy back the rights to her first six albums when he sold them to an investment group in 2020. However, she proved her mettle when she decided to re-record her original albums and claim back ownership of her music.
Her Woman of the Decade speech went viral
In 2019, Taylor Swift made history as the first ever recipient of Billboard's Woman of the Decade Award. After accepting the award from Jameela Jamil at that year's Women in Music Awards, Swift made a monumental speech that was around 15 minutes long. In it, she discussed much of the media criticism she has experienced during her public life, how she had been treated by Scooter Braun, toxic male privilege, and the impossible standards that women in music are held to.
But there was one part of speech which really stood out and five years later made the rounds on TikTok. The standout section addressed the "Swift backlash" she received in her career and how she often felt like she had to change herself. "I would keep accommodating, over-correcting, in an effort to appease my critics. They're saying I'm dating too much in my twenties? Okay, I'll stop. I'll just be single ... for years," she recounted. "Oh, they're saying my music is changing too much for me to stay in country music? Alright, okay, here's an entire genre shift, and a pop album called '1989,'" she said, proving her point. This speech — and Swift's subsequent global success with the Eras Tour — ended up being a great reminder not to bow down to critics.
She stood by Cats; the movie, not her pets
Although her focus is obviously on music, Taylor Swift has done some acting in her time. Her biggest screen role was the 2010 rom-com "Valentine's Day," which she followed up with a voice role in 2012's "The Lorax," a guest spot in an episode of "New Girl" in 2013, and a role in the sci-fi romantic drama "The Giver" in 2014. Swift had a substantial break from acting between 2014 and 2019, reserving her screen credits for her own music videos. When she made her big return to the silver screen in the musical movie, "Cats," unfortunately, it was a box office flop.
Despite the star-studded cast — which included the likes of Judi Dench, James Corden, and Idris Elba alongside Swift — the movie did little to live up to Andrew Lloyd Webber's original Broadway musical. Sadly, it received negative reviews all around and holds a measly critical rating of 19% on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, The Guardian, who gave the movie one star, observed that Swift was its saving grace because at least she looked like she was enjoying herself. Well, that's because she was, and she stands by the movie. "I had a really great time working on that weird-a** movie," Swift told Variety. "I'm not gonna retroactively decide that it wasn't the best experience. I never would have met Andrew Lloyd Webber or gotten to see how he works, and now he's my buddy. I got to work with the sickest dancers and performers. No complaints."
The folklore cardigan controversy
Taylor Swift is known for leaving coded messages in her songs and music videos as a special treat for her loyal fans. Her 2020 album, "folklore," was a major treat for Swifties in that respect, and specifically, the album's lead single, "Cardigan," which is full of hidden meaning, with many speculating it was written in appreciation of her fans.
As an extra treat, Swift started selling replicas of the iconic cardigan that she wears in the music video on her website, with the album's name embroidered on it. But Amira Rasool — the CEO of a company called The Folklore, which highlights fashion and beauty brands from African countries – criticized the logo on the jumper for being a copyright violation of her brand. Swift's jumper read, "The folklore Album," but Rasool claimed it used a very similar font and style as her company's.
She told InStyle that it felt like Swift had copied the design of her logo. "I'd heard of so many different Black women in particular who had been ripped off by large corporations by celebrities. And I just couldn't believe that it was happening to me." After Rasool came forward with her claims, Swift responded by changing the logo on the sweater and pledged on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she would donate to The Folklore and the Black in Fashion Council.
She was accused of being fatphobic in her Anti-Hero video
2022 was a banner year for Taylor Swift as she enjoyed the success of her album, "Midnights." The album's lead single, "Anti-Hero," quickly reached the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart when it was released in October. In fact, the "Lavender Haze" singer claimed the top 10 spots in the chart. But, similar to when she released the music video for her pop hit, "Shake It Off," the video for "Anti-Hero" was less favorably received.
Celebrating its release on Instagram, Swift wrote: "The Anti-Hero video is HERE, which I wrote and directed. Watch my nightmare scenarios and intrusive thoughts play out in real time." However, she faced major backlash for one scene where she steps onto a weighing scale and sees the word "fat" instead of any numbers. Fans accused Swift, and the video, of being fatphobic by implying that's the worst thing someone can think about themselves. Realizing the error of her ways, Swift made amends and edited the video to remove the scene.
The Eras Tour seriously excited fans
The Eras Tour has arguably been the biggest moment in Taylor Swift's professional career. Beginning in March 2023, the set combines the music and style from each of her past albums into an epic three-hour performance, and each show is a love letter to every fan who has supported her impressive career to date.
Swift has pulled out all the stops for her tour and works hard to give fans the unexpected; From diving into the stage and having synchronized light-up bracelets in the crowd, to bringing out a variety of celebrity guests. The likes of Marcus Mumford, Aaron Dessner, and Phoebe Bridgers have joined her to perform songs. But it's her reunion with former beau Taylor Lautner that sent fans totally wild.
As any Swiftie will know, Lautner is the subject of the song "Back to December," and he has been dubbed her "best ex." They reunited when he starred in her 2023 "I Can See You" video, and Swift subsequently welcomed him on stage during her Kansas City performance, where she confirmed that they have remained close. "He was a very positive force in my life when I was making the 'Speak Now' album, and ... he and his wife have become some of my closest friends, and it's very convenient because we all share the same first name," she gushed on stage (via Variety).
Changing this Karma lyric sent the internet into a frenzy
In September 2023, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce hard-launched their relationship. She was seen supporting the Kansas City Chiefs tight end at his NFL games, while he, in turn, flew out to support her on The Eras Tour. They stepped it up a notch again in November when Swift changed a lyric in her song, "Karma", to make a sweet tribute to her beau during her concert in Argentina.
In the line, "Karma is the guy on the screen, coming straight home to me," Swift replaced the word "screen" with "Chiefs" as a nod to her beau, who was in the audience. The original lyric was a reference to her ex-fiancé, Joe Alwyn.
Swift and Kelce's relationship really began in the summer of 2023, and the pair has made several public appearances since then. But while the couple seems to be enjoying their romantic bliss, Kelce opened up about coping with the intense pressure of Swift's fame. "I've never dealt with it. But at the same time, I'm not running away from any of it," he said during an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "The scrutiny she gets, how much she has a magnifying glass on her, every single day, paparazzi outside her house, outside every restaurant she goes to, after every flight she gets off, and she's just living, enjoying life. When she acts like that, I better not be the one acting all strange," Kelce added.
Swift made music history at the Grammys in 2024
Taylor Swift made history as the youngest person to win album of the year in 2010 for "Fearless," but it wouldn't be the only time she would claim this coveted award. In 2021, Swift won the album of the year award for the third time for "Folklore," having previously won it in 2016 for "1989." Along with her new trophy, Swift accrued the honor of being the first woman to win the award three times.
But in 2024, she broke this record and made music history again by becoming the only person to have ever won the Grammy Award for album of the year four times. Swift celebrated this monumental achievement in her acceptance speech, expressing how much gratitude she has felt on a daily basis. "I would love to tell you that this is the best moment of my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song, or when I crack to code to a bridge I love, or when I'm short-listing a music video, or when I'm rehearsing with my dancers or my band, or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show," she gushed. "For me, the award is the work. All I wanna do is keep being able to do this. I love it so much, it makes me so happy."