Taylor Swift is still all the rage. With the roaring success of her new album Lover, Swift has come back with a force.

Somehow, I never identified as a Swiftie until I listened to Lover, which has been on repeat ever since. Heck, I can’t even drive places without “The Man” pumping me up for my two-minute cruise to McDonald’s.

To be fair, I remember the days of singing obnoxiously loud in my parent’s minivan to “Love Story” to prove that I alone knew all of the words. But even with my admiration for 1989, I still thought I was a unique individual with exquisite taste.

However, as I continued to mature and evolve with age and my understanding of the world around me, I now proudly exclaim my love for Swift. And not just for her insanely poetic and cleverly crafted lyrics, but for her effect on the world as a woman.

Swift is so much more than whether or not someone likes her songs. She is someone who crosses genres, breaks norms, and refuses to be predictable in a cutthroat industry. She does all of this while under the constant harassment and scrutiny of the media, her celebrity peers, and even random strangers who think they can tear down the empire she worked so hard to build.

Yet, as we know, the focus on Swift has always been through the lens of her relationships, her red lipstick, and whether or not she looked better with her curly hair. Of course, people have every right to not like this phenomenal woman, but not for such superficial and sexist reasons.

When it specifically comes to Lover, Swift bares her soul on her sleeve. She paints her heartbreak, desires, fears, hopes, and finding true love in colors that should be showered with all of the Grammys. She is a feminist icon, utilizing witty wordplay to call out double standards and incorporating upbeat tunes to tracks that throw the middle finger to people who didn’t deserve her. She even takes responsibility for her own part in failed relationships, acknowledges impulsive behaviors, and owns personal insecurities in her new music.

Swift has never seemed more human and relatable than in this masterpiece of an album. She’s had her own evolution, realizing that it’s alright to let her guard down and be completely vulnerable with her work. There is not a need to put on a mask or to be a false version of herself that everyone else wants or expects. Swift has climbed to legendary status simply because she is wickedly talented, and I believe she finally understands this, too.

I hope we can all at least respect the fact that she is one of the most influential people in the music industry, and she most certainly isn’t stopping anytime soon.

Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.

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