Nothing in Taylor Swift's career was a coincidence - her lyrics set her apart from her peers.
The music industry renews itself every decade. Few events really define its direction and therefore its identity. However, nothing in Taylor Swift's career was a coincidence. Even when her family took the raw gem they had and decided to move from Reading, Pennsylvania to Nashville, Tennessee, they were beginning the musician's journey to conquer the world. Although she was still a rising star at the time she fell in love with country music, it was her lyrics that set her apart from her peers. Soon, Swift broke through genre barriers, collected records and, more precisely, became a reference in storytelling.
Back in 2008, her sophomore album, "Fearless", emerged in several country-field awards and won her first Grammy at the time, later in 2010. Among the four trophies, her first among three for Album of the Year stands out, and a highlight as a songwriter with 'White Horse', taking Best Country Song, a songwriters’ category. The song marks a closer look of a teenager contemplating the idea of fantasy, actually questioning the symbology of white horses and the ideia of prince charming by taking on the fairytale's narrative by herself. However, with the success of Fearless, the singer still suffered a hard backlash, being questioned as the main songwriter of her songs and even for her vocal abilities. These factors culminated in the fan-favorite 'Speak Now', an album composed entirely by Swift, and 'RED', which marked her transition to pop stardom.
Over the years, many more accolades have filled her shelf, such as the BMI Taylor Swift Award, a prize honoring her contributions to the creative community; the Hal David Starlight Award, which placed her among the Songwriters Hall of Fame highlights; and, more recently, an even more pertinent honor for her impact on a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, releasing sister albums, 'folklore' and 'evermore'. The NMPA Songwriter Icon Award also celebrates Taylor Swift's advocacy for new artists and other songwriters in the industry. Taylor herself is the most nominated female artist in the Song of the Year category at the GRAMMYs, yet to score a win. What does she have to do that she hasn't already achieved to score the highest songwriter achievement?
Thus, with the reintroduction of her catalog into the mainstream through re-recordings, the composer still has a more breathtaking challenge to face: the task of not only making her new work similar to the original performances and productions, but improving it. But nothing will stop Taylor Swift, the songwriter of her generation, from overcoming yet another barrier and, this time, with the certainty that she will succeed.