Shake it off, world: Taylor Swift is uncancellable 

Taylor Swift, American singer-songwriter, has landed in Australia, taking over the world as this month’s hot topic. Through dating a Superbowl winning quarter back, taking trips in her private jet, causing climate change and inspiring the next generation of ‘Swifties’, it’s hard to not know who she is and what she does. However, being this famous comes at a cost; all eyes on her means nothing goes unnoticed. Her pitch may be perfect, but can she be cancelled? 

Taylor Swift stands as an indisputable icon of our generation, wielding influence over her worldwide fans like no other. Her impact exceeds well beyond pop culture realms even landing in a Harvard course of over 300 students called ‘Taylor Swift and her world’. But it’s her relatable and catchy lyrics that stand out and creating a connection between her and her audience. Through themes of heartbreak, love, resilience and self-discovery, Taylor created a worldwide fan base/army called the ‘Swifties’. As she enters her 20^th year of making music it doesn’t seem like she is slowing down anytime soon, as she is currently performing her ‘Eras Tour’. Due to this long career of hit after hit Taylor has grasped the hearts of fans ranging from 8-year-olds up to their 50-year-old parents who were at first forced to listen and now catch themselves playing her on repeat. Her influence is undeniable as she shapes the music industry as well as the minds of her listeners who undoubtedly draw inspiration from her.  

Many say no one is perfect, but the Swifties seem to believe that Taylor is the one exception. Are they blinded by their love for her? Not everyone is a Taylor Swift fan although sometimes it feels like that. Many news articles have been published slandering her about climate change and carbon emissions. Not only is Taylor Swift topping the charts, but she also comes in first on the list of celebrities with the highest Co2 emissions from flying in her private jet. One of her most notable flights was a mere 26-minute flight from St Louis, Missouri to Cahokia, Illinois. This public record was posted by a university student Jack Sweeney on X. Swift’s team caught wind of the posts and responded by sending Sweeney a cease-and-desist letter to take down his account, accusing him of stalking and harassing. Raising the question, is causing climate change just part of the job or something to pass the time? 

If you thought she couldn’t get more attention than millions of fans and private jet scandals, you were wrong. Her boyfriend Travis Kelce is a quarterback for the Chiefs NFL team and recent winner of the Superbowl. After attending her first Chiefs game in September 2023, prompting a media frenzy, 20 per cent of the 2024 Super Bowl’s viewers were rooting for the Chiefs because of Kelce and Taylor Swift. This celebrity relationship is holding her fans by the collar. With their PDA and romantic gestures the Swifties just can’t get enough. A long-distance relationship doesn’t seem a possibility between the two, as Kelce is seeming to be part of the drive for Swift’s travel bug; maybe he should be paying more attention to “look what you made me do” to keep Swift out of trouble.  

Eve M & Ava R, Year 11