After much anticipation, Taylor Swift released her new album, titled 1989, on Oct. 27. Unlike most albums in the past, which seem to focus on her love interests and different relationship problems, 1989 is a record that explores more topics outside of relationships. While Swift tells various personal stories, many of the lyrics have changed from specific details to different emotions with figurative language and metaphors. This can be seen in various songs throughout the album, notably “Clean” and “Wildest Dreams.”
Swift recorded her first album at 16 years old with a majority of the album featuring acoustic instruments backing up a teenage girl with a high pitched voice. Eight years later, with her long locks cut off and red lipstick, Swift’s new appearance and album may appeal to a larger audience, as much of her old sound is deaf to listeners.
The first single off of 1989, “Shake It Off,” shocked many fans, as Swift released a video in addition to the song. Since “Shake it Off,” Swift has also released another video for one of the singles, “Black Space,” which was a huge success.
With Swift experiencing her first few years as an adult, critics have praised 1989 for being proof of the singer’s growth and maturity. Having been to Swift’s past two concerts, I can only imagine what her agenda entails.