Taylor Swift’s Impact on Pop Culture and Beyond
By • June 22, 2023 0 2150
When I opened my Christmas present from my husband last December, I was delighted to see tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. They were for night-one of my hometown’s (Pittsburgh) show, so I was ecstatic. I knew how hard it was to find tickets, so I was incredibly grateful to my husband for being willing to spend a lot of money for the ultimate “date night.”
I am a “Swiftie,” the nickname given to Swift’s big fans. My husband is what we call a “Semi-Swiftie,” as he likes most of the superstar’s music, but is unfamiliar with some tunes. To give you an idea of our level of fandom, our wedding song was Swift’s 2019 hit “Lover.”
When 2023 came, little did I know how huge the “Eras” tour would become. With reviews that have been very positive (Rolling Stone called it “extraordinary”), Swift created a post-pandemic, three-and-a-half hour wonder of color, sparkles, lights and 44 of her earworm hits. The tour has even given economic boosts to the cities on its stop, getting people to restaurants for Swift-themed brunches, Swift drink specials and more.
Fans are spending lots of dollars on costumes for the show too — I saw it firsthand at the concert. There were more sequins than I could count! Bloomberg’s Augusta Saraiva called the phenomenon “Swiftonomics.”
The countdown to Taylor Swift’s opening, which was set to Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me,” a subtle nod to Swift’s re-recording of her first six albums, taking back ownership from executives Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta. Photo by Kate Oczypok.
Have you ever attended an event and realized you were a part of something so big you’d remember it forever? I felt that way at the Eras Tour, particularly during “Lover,” when Swift sang it on guitar while her background dancers swept around her in colorful ballroom gowns. Singing our wedding song with 70,000 other people was truly joyous, romantic and special.
Kate Oczypok and her husband Brad during the song “Lover,” the couple’s wedding song, at the Eras Tour. Photo courtesy Kate Oczypok.
It was equally special to be a part of a part of a big moment of pop culture. Swift’s “Eras” tour is a symbol of unity and coming together after a very dark time in our country. Everyone seemed optimistic and hopeful too, echoing Swift’s own excited, down-to-earth energy as she spoke to the crowd. The Pittsburgh Police even reported that there were no major incidents after the Swift shows.
Another aspect of Swift’s impact that blew me away was when my husband and I walked out of the concert. There were thousands of people outside the stadium, dancing and singing together, just merely listening to Swift’s concert. Swift is unifying, bringing together dads who brought their daughters to the show, husbands like mine who gave their wives an extraordinary Christmas gift, and even NFL players have been spotted dancing around to Swift’s music.
Swift performing during her Red album set. Photo by Kate Oczypok.
Even if you don’t like Swift, it’s hard not to respect her work ethic. She’s touring the country, and next year around the globe, for intense, three-hour-plus shows, while talking to the crowd like she’s their best friend. Not only does Swift perform the songs, she writes them too! Swift’s lyrics are poetic, and she has a genius for creating not only catchy bops but prolific indie pop and of course, (where she got her start) great country tunes. The Poetry Society of New York even called for her to be put in the running for U.S. Poet Laureate.
My coworkers at The Georgetowner have mentioned Swift almost becoming a model and that she might run for president. I don’t see Swift modeling, as she looks so much healthier than she did when she was actually hanging out with models like Karlie Kloss and Cara Delevingne. I doubt a presidential run either, because if you think about it, Swift has much more power now than she ever would as president. She’s an entertainer, a creative soul and is amazing at what she does.
Fans are eagerly awaiting Taylor’s version of her album Speak Now, as Swift is re-recording her first six albums. The albums were bought by executive Scooter Braun and Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta, both of whom were allegedly terrible to Swift. You can read more about Swift, Braun and Borchetta’s beef here.
Swift performing at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on June 16. Photo by Kate Oczypok.
In the meantime, I hope Swift continues to soak up her moment as a global phenomenon. She deserves every bit of praise she gets. There aren’t too many people in the world with the talent and heart to unify all ages through music.
After leaving the show, my husband and I felt a sense of happiness and joy that we hadn’t in the past few years due to Covid. My husband even said, “It felt good to get out, didn’t it?” I had to agree. After all, it’s Swift’s world and we’re just living in it.
