One of my most vivid childhood memories includes Taylor Swift and her music. Though I no longer tell everyone I know how much I love her music and hope to have a career like hers someday, I do still find myself seeking out her songs when I feel down.

I was almost primed to be a fan of Swift. Her debut album was released in October 2006, just two months after I was born. My mother was the same age as Swift at the time, and the rest was history. 

But eventually, I stopped listening to Swift just because my mom did. It took me a few years to figure out my own opinion, which I am still working on, to be honest. 

At some point in middle school, things changed, and I started listening to her music on my own. 

By then, I had already seen her in concert, and Swift was on the verge of releasing her 2017 album “Reputation.” That was the first album of hers not tainted by my mother’s thoughts and feelings.

 It happened to be around the same time I was discovering my joy of writing. I was able to finally appreciate the way Swift writes her lyrics in “Reputation,” overanalyzing every line and finding the meanings behind them. 

My love for her music expanded in 2020 when she released “folklore.” I still have so many memories tied to that album, and it is the one I look for when I am going through a rough time. It helped me get through everything I was struggling with, and even inspired some of my current writing.

Now, none of this is to say I support Swift as a person. It has been difficult for me to stop listening to her music these past few years because of how ingrained she has always been in my life, even if I agree with personal criticism. 

Despite still taking time to listen to her music, I no longer seek out her new stuff and have not heard anything from her new album yet. It is the old stuff that holds a large part in my life, and I have not found myself enjoying her new work as much as what I loved from childhood.

There are so many instances throughout my life in which Swift’s music has been a part. One of the shows on her “Red” tour was my first concert, and for most of my life, she was the only artist I had ever seen more than once in concert. 

Many of my oldest friendships from middle and high school began with a bond over her music. 

One of my favorite birthday presents, a pink acoustic guitar, was inspired by my love for music, which started with Swift’s songs.

Though I may not see myself as one of her biggest fans anymore, her music will always have a special place in my heart.