Unraveling Taylor Swift’s eighth identity in ‘Folklore’ — Album Review
Just like each one of you, I was in a complete state of shock when I discovered that on a one fine day that Taylor Swift is going to release a new single and a self-directed music video for ‘Cardigan’ accompanied with a new record this year.
When, exactly?
Nope, not in a month. Not even in a week. But in 17 hours.
Just like that, Swift birthed her eighth studio album, ‘Folklore’ that she penned and produced in isolation where she teamed up with a handful of musical geniuses including her long-time collaborator, Jack Antonoff, The National‘s Aaron Dessner, Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon, and the mysterious ghostwriter under the pseudonym William Bowery.
When I tried to visualize Swift’s next era, cottagecore aesthetics, alternative & indie-folk influenced record is something that I least expected coming from her. I was expecting sassier and more aggressive bops, because of, you know, the ownership battle with her former label.
Nevertheless, this is what I would imagine Taylor Swift at her best. Poetic, melancholic, and magical.
After eight successful albums, I can confidently say that Swift is an expert at musical and identity exploration. Let’s see, she dipped her feet into the music industry with her self-titled country album in 2006 as she embraced her ‘girl next door’ persona. Then she explored the country-pop sound in ‘Fearless’ and ‘Speak Now’ and matured in her vulnerable country and pop-rock record, ‘Red.’
Decided to put her country roots aside, she transformed herself into a bubblegum pop princess in ‘1989’ which was inspired by the 1980s musical styles. And after three long years, she released the electronic pop album, ‘Reputation’, where she channeled her ‘bad bitch energy’ inspired by her trials and tribulations and love life in the past few years. Influenced by her desire to provide a record that showcases her authentic self, she celebrates love in ‘Lover.’
I used to think that ‘Lover’ is Swift’s album that is closest to her most organic and unpolished identity but ‘Folklore’ debunked my belief about ‘true identity.’
There is no such thing as a true identity. We are multifaceted beings with countless complexities and layers and ‘Folklore’ is Taylor Swift’s way of unveiling her previously concealed identity.
“The lines between fantasy and reality blur and the boundaries between truth and fiction become almost indiscernible.”— Taylor Swift.
With the unconventional contemplative narrative in ‘Folklore’, Swift revisits the past by making the most of her imagination by narrating personal stories, tales inspired by other people, and fictional scenarios.
Every track on ‘Folklore’ delivers a purely blissful experience. ‘Exile (feat. Bon Iver)’ introduced the collaboration we never knew we needed. As Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon shies away from his signature auto-tuned vocal production, it makes the song more emotionally raw and honest as Swift and Vernon’s vocals are intertwined in an ethereal harmony.
The most fascinating part of Swift’s promotional strategy is her ‘easter eggs’ and the mindblowing theories that arise. As a part of the easter eggs, the general audience in the fandom is convinced that the three songs about the ‘Teenage Love Triangle’ series are ‘August’, ‘Cardigan’, and ‘Betty.’
‘Betty’ is proclaimed to be written from the perspective of a guy named James, which sparks fan theories that the track is written for the 27-year-old model with the middle name ‘Elizabeth’ while the story is told from the perspective of a woman who is named after James Taylor. Wondering who that is…
Meanwhile, ‘Mad Woman’ simply proves that Swift is a metaphor expert as she brilliantly narrates her frustration about presumably infamous feud with a high-profile couple into a powerful ballad.
Even a song that is speculated to be written about the falling out with the CEO of her former record label, ‘My Tears Ricochet’ is perfectly concealed as a heartbreaking poetic anthem for a long lost lover.
Furthermore, ‘Illicit Affairs’ is just the kind of song that makes you question the true meaning of the song, ‘Is she talking about a high-profile relationship that she struggled to hide from the public eye? Is it her way of addressing her sexuality? Is it about infidelity? Is it about the controversial fictional TV couple?’
It will take a lifetime to put the puzzle together, yet there is no guarantee that we will be welcomed with closures. And that’s the beauty of music. You can let your imagination run wild with your interpretations.
However, the only weak point from this album is how the tracks are too similar to one another unlike Swift’s tracks in her few predecessors that are strikingly different to each other. But it still flows beautifully though, because there are no tracks that you are dying to skip throughout your listening experience.
Needless to say, it is easy for people to underestimate Taylor Swift’s musical gift because of the preconceived views of her ‘America’s sweetheart’ image. Due to the never-ending media distortion and fabrication, people would assume that she is just another top 40 artist with a shallow lyricism and excessively repetitive production.
And ‘Folklore’ is a testament that Swift is not just another pop phenomenon, but a genius storyteller who is capable of portraying her emotions charmingly as her continuous musical exploration reflects how vastly ranged she is.
“Before this year, I probably would’ve overthought when to release this music as the ‘perfect’ time, but the times we are living in keep reminding me that nothing is guaranteed. My gut is telling me that if you make something you love, you should just put it out into the world.”— Taylor Swift.
So I would like to say thank you, Taylor, for your fruitful endeavor of ‘not worrying about doing the right thing at the right time’, and letting us indulge in your wild imagination.
Now, excuse me while I cry and listen to ‘Folklore’ in isolation.
Writer’s Picks: exile, the last great american dynasty, illicit affairs, this is me trying, invisible string. (Bet my life this would change within two days or so, though).
4.5/5
