This article isn’t to convince readers to be a fan of her music, it’s for those curious about why Taylor Swift deserves the immense love she receives, because she does deserve it.
Every city she visited for the past eras tour had transformed into the biggest party in town.
Yet, why is there so much criticism directed toward her? Scroll through any post about Taylor Swift on social media, and you'll notice distinct categories of responses about her concerts or her in general: some fans lament they couldn’t get tickets, others celebrate her talent, while a vocal segment dismisses her, questioning the hype, labeling her untalented, or even calling her fake.
Most of the common criticisms from trolls online include:
What’s the hype?
She is fake? She isn’t talented.
She’s a money grab. She’s a mean girl.
She only writes songs about dating and dates around.
The truth? Much of the criticism stems from a lack of understanding or an unwillingness to acknowledge her positive impact. Haters and trolls often underestimate her talents and grace, which have propelled her to global stardom.
As someone who has been a proud Swiftie since I was 14 years old, I want to give context to the phenomenon that is Taylor Swift. I’ve grown up with her music, and today, I continue to be inspired by her evolution, artistry, and the community of kind-hearted fans she fosters. The fans of Taylor Swift grew up at the same time with her. Taylor’s old music brings nostalgia of school days, friendships, and young love. Then the later works resonates with being independent, building careers, and making our way into the working world, relationships, heartbreak, and life events.
In this article, I’ll discuss how she is not only a remarkable artist but also a generous and admirable person, while addressing some of the unwarranted criticisms she faces.
A picture of Taylor Swift, when I attended Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Toronto, and this was my view during her performance of ‘my tears ricochet,” from the folklore album. (Nov 2024).
1. She’s Generous
Critics often focus on her wealth but overlook her generosity:
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Economic Impact: "The Eras Tour generated $282 million in economic growth for Toronto alone” (CBC News).
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Direct Support: She gave $55 million in bonuses to her tour crew. (Forbes, 4 Aug. 2023).
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Philanthropy: Taylor consistently donates to food banks at cities she plays at Fans: She’s donated to fans facing financial hardships, covered tuition costs, and even sent personalized gifts. (Global News, n.d.). (Capital FM, n.d.).
Some claim her ticket prices are too high. However, consider the following:
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She employs many people for this show; she gives 100%.
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She invests in top-tier technology, visuals, and performers. Inflation a ects costs.
Resale prices, not Taylor, are the real culprit behind absurdly high prices. Her concert was one of the best, I've ever attended.
She also gets a bad reputation for traveling in her private plane, and I do love the environment and understand that flying is one of the worst polluters, but I am not sure what her other option is. She has stalkers; it could be unsafe for her. People would parade around her at an airport; it would be chaos. She has to protect herself. Also, there are many people who travel every day for business, she’s not the only one.
2. She’s Vulnerable and Lets Fans Peek Into Her Life
Taylor Swift’s success isn’t built on songs that are surface level. Impressively, her empire— worth over $1 billion—is driven almost entirely by music (which is a rare success). She’s talented, writes her own lyrics, and continuously experiments with different genres.
Her relatability is unmatched.
The honesty in her lyrics allows fans to feel like they’ve grown up alongside her, sharing her journey of love, heartbreak, resilience, and joy. To talk about your own life and share it with the world requires bravery. Yet trolls on the internet and media decide to take cheap shots, failing to acknowledge the courage it takes to be an open book.
As Brené Brown highlights in Daring Greatly, true bravery lies in being vulnerable. Those who criticize others often do so out of their own insecurities, as they’re unable to dare greatly themselves (Brown, 2012). Taylor embodies this vulnerability.
I highly doubt the people bashing her are fellow creatives because we understand the struggle. Having started my own creative journey with my horror-drama book Evergreen Peaks and music gigs, I understand the courage it takes to put yourself out there. I don’t do anything remotely close to what she does, but standing in front of others still makes my heart race, my legs shake, and my voice wavers. I’m wide awake the night before and after the gig. I feared failure and rejection of my art, imposter syndrome, this is part of the journey. Taylor performs to sold- out shows, she is loved by many, yet people who hate on her refuse to acknowledge her bravery.
3. She’s an Advocate
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Standing Against Assault: After being groped/assaulted by DJ David Mueller in 2013, Taylor took him to court in 2019—not for money, but for justice. She donated her settlement to organizations supporting survivors. Her level of power could raise awareness to this issue. (Taste of Country, n.d.).
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LGBTQ+ Advocacy: Songs like You Need to Calm Down and donations to equality organizations reflect her commitment to inclusivity.
4. Her Music is Diverse and Talented
What’s the hype? One common critique is that Taylor only writes about love and heartbreak. WRONG. This oversimplification ignores the depth of her discography. She’s a talented songwriter, no doubt about that. Writing a song isn’t easy, but she does it with grace. Here’s a glimpse into her thematic range:
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Family Love: The Best Day celebrates her bond with her mother.
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Hardship: Soon You’ll Get Better addresses her mother’s illness.
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Resilience: Look What You Made Me Do reflects her strength in overcoming criticism.
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Gender Commentary: The Man tackles double standards.
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Advocacy for LGBTQ+: You Need to Calm Down promotes inclusivity.
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Loneliness and Hard Work: You’re On Your Own, Kid.
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Insecurity: Anti-Hero.
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Beloved Grandmother: Marjorie.
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Life’s Plan: It’s Time to Go.
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Youth and Nostalgia: Never Grow Up. Fifteen.
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Fictional Stories: Folklore Album (my favorite) and Evermore.
Also, who cares if she writes many songs about love? It’s an important aspect of happiness, life, and so on, for many. She has the reputation of dating around too much, yet many people date lots of people; she’s had long relationships, but it shouldn’t matter. All this focus on her love life is a double standard. But, also as my funny friend once said back some ten years ago, “Who cares if she dates around? If I were that hot and in a dating pool with attractive people, hell yeah I would date! What’s wrong with that?”
One thing to note is Taylor’s love/heartbreak songs are emotionally deep; see the lyrics below:
“Every morning, I glared at you with storms in my eyes. How can you say you love someone you can’t tell is dying? I sent you signals and bit my nails down to the quick. My face was gray, but you wouldn’t admit that we were sick. And the air is thick with loss and indecision; I know my pain is such an imposition.” - Taylor Swift, “You’re Losing Me" (Swift, 2023).
5. She’s a Positive Role Model Fame comes with constant scrutiny.
Ever go out for dinner and they say “Enjoy your meal,” and you respond, “Thank you, you too”? Then afterward you feel that tinge of embarrassment. Now imagine that being turned into a viral article questioning your intelligence. This isn’t a true story, but it gives an idea of being ridiculed.
Taylor Swift lives under a microscope. While many celebrities face scandals, or loss of self, Taylor has maintained her integrity, valuing her family, friendships, and fans. She’s especially close to her parents and is often seen touring with them. In addition, she hasn’t been tied up in scandals. Being a young budding star with all the pressure and life-changing ways, she has always strived to be a positive role model. She continues to work hard and take the world by a storm, in the best way possible with her kindness shining through.
Taylor is real about her struggles. For example, her candidness about body image issues in Miss Americana dismantles the unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by Hollywood. In her early career, she would discover scrutiny typically generated from the tabloids, paparazzi, and media, which would then lead her to not eat, causing an unhealthy relationship with her body. She is healthy, strong, vibrant, and has always been beautiful, but I find her realness in talking about this, when so many struggle, to be the most beautiful thing of all.
Growing up in the 2000s, the obsession with being thin was a crazy reality, our culture extremely toxic. The thinness obsession growing up brought much insecurity as a teenager. I remember my obsession with trying to be thin because of shows like The OC, and it was terribly sad to be a minority and not look like any of them, classifying myself as not beautiful. Now, I am proud of my culture and ethnicity. Yet, back in high school, many of my friends had the same fate, where we struggled with our weight image of ourselves, because of the media. In hindsight, we know that these actresses were adults, not teenagers for the most part, yet we compared ourselves to the media standards, but in the moment it was painful. I appreciate that Taylor Swift vocalized some of her struggles; it resonated with me. Thank you, Taylor, for your vulnerability; you’ve helped so many.
6. She’s a Businesswoman, and a damn good one.
Taylor is involved every step of the way! Taylor’s fight to own her masters was a game-changer for artists’ rights. By re-recording her albums, she reclaimed control over her work and set a precedent for musicians to protect their intellectual property. Taylor is a trailblazer; she runs and operates her business.
7. She’s Unstoppable
Even during the pandemic, Taylor released critically acclaimed albums (Folklore and Evermore). On tour, she performs for over three hours. During this world tour, she wrote a double album, then incorporated it into the concert. I struggle to do my laundry and fold it in the same day, like wow, she’s so impressive. Taylor got tied up in some drama in Hollywood (not her doing, they distorted the truth about her), but she came back from it with honesty, releasing the album Reputation. She came back swinging and has created a legacy for herself.
One speech I love from her is the following:
“I need you to hear me when I say that there is no career path that comes free of negativity. “If you’re being met with resistance, that probably means that you’re doing something new. If you’re experiencing turbulence or pressure, that probably means you’re rising. “And there might be times when you put your whole heart and soul into something, and it is met with cynicism or scepticism. You cannot let that crush you; you have to let it fuel you.”- Taylor Swift (NME, May 11, 2021).
Conclusion
Taylor Swift is more than a pop star—she’s a cultural icon. Her vulnerability, talent, work ethic, and generosity make her a beacon of inspiration. Haters may stay on the sidelines, but Taylor is too busy being in the arena, shining brightly for those who appreciate her. It also shows with her fan base; after attending the outstanding ERAS concert in Toronto, the community was flooded with kindness. I met people around me who were sharing bracelets, and everybody was singing. I personally think that because she is a positive influence, the energy she creates ricochets, resulting in a very peaceful and fun audience. I loved them.
Next time you see trolls online, remember: most hide behind screens, spewing negativity born of insecurities. You wouldn’t invite them to your party, so why let their words matter? It’s okay not to be a fan of Taylor Swift’s music. But please don’t underestimate or ignore her talent, business savvy, and remarkable mind. Celebrate her intelligence and talents, even if you won’t put on her record, but appreciate her hard work as a businesswomen and artist.
Next time a troll online insults her, remember all that I've said here, she’s more than a pop- star. I hope this brought some clarity, to why she is so loved, for people who may not know too much about her.
Thank you Taylor, I love your kindness, talent and discipline to your dreams and creations. You’ve been such a great role model, and continue to inspire me to follow my dreams with writing and singing, even though the creative and life struggles. The world is a much better place with you.
Sincerely written by, Sylvia Lily (a Swiftie for life).
Big Announcement: “Yukon Lost” - Sylvia Lily and Calm Canopy comes out March 28th, on all streaming platforms!
This indie alternative song is about my true story of discovering my Indigenous roots. After my father’s closed adoption, we knew we were First Nations, and living in Ontario, we had no idea from where. I had always felt like an outsider to Indigenous culture and communities, not understanding my origins. A letter from the government confirmed we were part of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nations, in the most northern part of Yukon, the biggest surprise. We took a leap and flew into the unknown. After an 10-hour day of traveling across Canada, we arrived in Old Crow, Yukon, a remote fly-in community, not knowing our family name or ties. The elders and kind community tried to help us find our connection. Their help would bring us to meet our family years later. The song represents my intial insecurity of finding answers, a piece of myself missing and finding myself lost and found at the same time, under the 24/7 July sun. This song is a testament that sometimes we need to welcome the unknown, because if we hadn’t taken that trip in 2016, we’d never have met so many wonderful people.
Yukon Lost, Sylvia Lily and Calm Canopy- Song Title/Cover Design (2025)
References Cited:
Brown, Brené. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead.Gotham Books, 2012.
Erb, Kelly Phillips. “Taylor Swift Says Thank You to Eras Tour Workers by Handing Out Checks.” Forbes, 4 Aug. 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2023/08/04/taylor- swift-says-thank-you-to-eras-tour-workers-by-handing-out-checks/.
Swift, T. (2023). You’re losing me [Song]. Taylor Swift Productions.
"Taylor Swift at the BRITs: 'No Career Path Comes Free of Negativity'" (NME, May 11, 2021). https://www.nme.com/news/music/taylor-swift-at-the-brits-no-career-path-comes-free-of- negativity-2939151
"Taylor Swift Commemorates Sexual Assault Trial with Inspiring Speech" (Advocate, August 16, 2018). https://www.advocate.com/music/2018/8/16/taylor-swift-commemorates-sexual-assault-trial- inspiring-speech
"Taylor Swift Donates Money to Help Fans During the Pandemic" (Capital FM, n.d.). https://www.capitalfm.com/news/taylor-swift-donations-money-pandemic
"Taylor Swift Donates to Joyful Heart Foundation After Sexual Assault Trial" (Taste of Country, n.d.). https://tasteofcountry.com/taylor-swift-joyful-heart-foundation-donation-sexual-assault/
"Taylor Swift Economic Impact from Toronto Concerts" (CBC News, n.d.). https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/taylor-swift-economic-impact-1.7352467
"Taylor Swift Gifted Jobless Fans Financial Support During COVID-19 Pandemic" (Global News, n.d.). https://globalnews.ca/news/6741618/taylor-swift-gift-jobless-fans-coronavirus/
"Taylor Swift Opens Up About Eating Disorder in Miss Americana Netflix Documentary" (Sky News, n.d.). https://news.sky.com/story/taylor-swift-opens-up-about-eating-disorder-in-miss-americana- netflix-documentary-11916466
"Taylor Swift's Donation to Support Sexual Assault Survivors Through Mariska Hargitay's Charity" (Time, August 18, 2017). https://time.com/4904802/taylor-swift-hargitay-charity/