Taylor Swift: Language and Representations
Narrative
3)What other examples are provided in the article of Taylor Swift using media to construct her own image?
Since the original release of Red all the way back in 2012, Swift has been forced to control virtually every aspect of her public image. Many aspects of her follow-up album 1989 (2014) were a direct response to criticisms about her private life: the entirety of ‘Shake It Off’ is dedicated to telling Swift’s haters how little she cares for their opinions, while the video for ‘Bad Blood’ is yet another showcase of her filmmaking talents.
Taylor Swift textual analysis
2) Now visit her Eras tour microsite. What do you notice about the construction of this site in terms of images and website conventions?
-Top menu reinforces opportunities to either spend money or interact with fans
5) Research Taylor Swift across any other social media accounts - e.g. Facebook. Do you notice any differences in how she represents herself on different platforms? Comment on text, images or tone/content.
Go to our Media Magazine archive (issue MM79) and read the feature All Too Well on Taylor Swift and how she controls her own narrative. Answer the following questions:
1) Why is Taylor Swift re-recording her earlier albums?
She is re-recording her albums so that it can give her complete ownership of the records and nullify Braun’s involvement.
2) Why did Taylor Swift choose to make the short film 'All Too Well'?
In choosing to make the song into a short film, rather than just a music video, Swift has consciously chosen to push her professional creative boundaries for the sake of her art and her storytelling – and that’s something we can only admire her for. Swift has largely led a very public romantic life, and that
has historically been the source of much of the criticism levelled at her: that she ‘goes on too many dates’, and ‘can’t make ‘em stay’.
1) Why is Taylor Swift re-recording her earlier albums?
She is re-recording her albums so that it can give her complete ownership of the records and nullify Braun’s involvement.
2) Why did Taylor Swift choose to make the short film 'All Too Well'?
In choosing to make the song into a short film, rather than just a music video, Swift has consciously chosen to push her professional creative boundaries for the sake of her art and her storytelling – and that’s something we can only admire her for. Swift has largely led a very public romantic life, and that
has historically been the source of much of the criticism levelled at her: that she ‘goes on too many dates’, and ‘can’t make ‘em stay’.
3)What other examples are provided in the article of Taylor Swift using media to construct her own image?
Since the original release of Red all the way back in 2012, Swift has been forced to control virtually every aspect of her public image. Many aspects of her follow-up album 1989 (2014) were a direct response to criticisms about her private life: the entirety of ‘Shake It Off’ is dedicated to telling Swift’s haters how little she cares for their opinions, while the video for ‘Bad Blood’ is yet another showcase of her filmmaking talents.
Taylor Swift textual analysis
Work through the following tasks to complete your textual analysis of Taylor Swift's website and social media.
1) Go to Taylor Swift's website. What do you notice about the media language choices - text, font, images, page design, links?
-Colour scheme: black/white/grey, gives a classic & sophisticated look
1) Go to Taylor Swift's website. What do you notice about the media language choices - text, font, images, page design, links?
-Colour scheme: black/white/grey, gives a classic & sophisticated look
-Typography: Serif, fits with colour scheme
-Logo, brand identity
-Top menu: website convention
-Image analysis: quite revealing, Mulvey's male gaze, van Zoonen seen as spectacle, sex role stereotypes --> does the image dehumanize TS by cutting off her face?
-Front page of store: Physical media, cassette, CD, vinyl, Chances for fans to collect physical items, build on nostalgic 80s/90s feel, references senior swifties (older gen)
-Branding similar to Nirvana: reflects nostalgic aspects of modern culture. Culture reboots or reuses previous texts --> intertextuality or textual poaching- Jenkins
-Disney+ massive media conglomerate and mainstream brand is arguably perfect fit for TS
-Directed projects section reflects swifts status in contemporary culture, power to direct her own music videos
2) Now visit her Eras tour microsite. What do you notice about the construction of this site in terms of images and website conventions?
-Top menu reinforces opportunities to either spend money or interact with fans
-Design + colour- grainy, nostalgic feel to the design and colour grading --> reflects TSs ability to reinvent herself as an artist + celebrity: Neale, repetition and difference
-Social media links, fan interaction
-Representations- photography arguably still contains elements of male gaze
-Can also represent all her different 'eras'
3) Visit Taylor Swift's Twitter feed. Analyse her use of tweets/posts - are they promoting her music, her tour, or something else? Can you find any that are socially or politically oriented?
-Banner image shows consistency or brand across different platforms
3) Visit Taylor Swift's Twitter feed. Analyse her use of tweets/posts - are they promoting her music, her tour, or something else? Can you find any that are socially or politically oriented?
-Banner image shows consistency or brand across different platforms
-Bio promoting her album
-95.2M following emphasises her power + influence
-Kelly Clarkson tweet: origin of Taylor's version re-recording project which shows her power as an artist
-Political influence: she has since endorsed Kamala Harris in presidential race
-Tweet reflects TSs feminist credentials and support for female artists- US culture wars, TS would be considered 'woke' or liberal in the debate
4) Look at Taylor Swift's Instagram account. What do you notice about the selection and construction of images, reels and posts?
-283M following also emphasises her power + influence
4) Look at Taylor Swift's Instagram account. What do you notice about the selection and construction of images, reels and posts?
-283M following also emphasises her power + influence
-0 following shows Instagram account is just used as a promotional device
-Pinned post to promote album: rest of feed promotes her tour
-Royal post from Wembley reflets her incredible reach and mainstream influence --> mutually benefial photo OP
5) Research Taylor Swift across any other social media accounts - e.g. Facebook. Do you notice any differences in how she represents herself on different platforms? Comment on text, images or tone/content.
Even on her Facebook TS seems to have a large following of 80M which again shows her power. She is using this platform to also promote her album by posting pictures of her tours and people she has collaborated with. The banner is the same as twitter and her account has a link to her website.
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