Time magazine announced Taylor Swift as their Person of the Year on December 6, 2023. This title is given to a person, group, thing, or idea every year. The criteria for Person of the Year is that the winner is someone/something that has the most influence on different events throughout the year.
Swift’s interview with Time gives the reader a glimpse into her life and mind as a successful singer, songwriter, and businesswoman. The article begins with Swift recounting a pivotal moment from her early career. She goes on to say that at only 17 years old she was offered the chance to open for country singer Kenny Chesney, but unfortunately that opportunity fell through. However, to make up for it Chesney gave Swift a large check on her 18th birthday. Swift describes how that check changed everything and enabled her to achieve her dreams.
Throughout the entire interview Swift discussed the ups and downs of her career, but in the past year she has definitely been on the up. As stated so perfectly in the article, “She became the main character of the world.” That quote can almost be considered an understatement when it comes to the amount of things Swift has achieved this year.
Swift’s huge tour that follows her 17 years in music during her 3 hour long performance has already been a big hit, and she has even more shows throughout 2024. Time describes “a mini economic boom” that happens in every city Swift visits on her tour. She knew how challenging the performance would be, so she began preparing and training her body six whole months before the tour started. Swift wanted the show to be absolutely perfect for her fans.
Self-acceptance has become an important theme in Swift’s life recently. She’s learned to embrace her past “eras” and everything that comes with them. However, this path of acceptance hasn’t always been so easy. Swift describes two career and life changing events that led her to where she is now: her cancellation in 2016 by Kanye West and Kim Kardashian and her masters being sold.
The 2016 drama not only made Swift go into hiding for a year but made her feel like her career was officially over. Swift persisted, and she released her sixth album titled Reputation. Once again tragedy hit when Swift lost not only Reputation but her other five albums when her masters were sold. Even in a time when nothing seemed like it could go right, Swift kept going. She would go on to release four more original studio albums and begin her re-recording process. Currently, Swift has four of the six albums re-recorded and only has Reputation and her debut album Taylor Swift left.
Alongside everything else Swift has done this year, she also released her concert movie. To no one’s surprise, the movie received great reviews and praise.
In this interview, Swift also gave a rare look into her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce. She says she attends his games to support him and pays no attention to how often they are showing her during the games. Swift goes on to say how she doesn’t know, ‘if I’m being shown too much and [upsetting] a few dads, Brads, and Chads.’ After this, Swift discussed how she and Travis began dating before the public became aware of it.
One of the last things Taylor talked about was her unconditional support for other women. She spoke very highly of Greta Gerwig, the director of the movie Barbie. Swift then praised Beyonce and described how the two of them are always pinned against each other, but she has nothing but respect and love for her.
The article comes to a close with recognizing how much of a true “Mastermind” she is. Swift is not only Person of the Year, she is an idol, hero, and inspiration for so many people every single day.
