How Taylor Swift Rose Up From The Dead On Reputation | DEEP DIVE

In a detailed exploration of Taylor Swift's "Reputation" era, Zach, the swiftologist, delves into the transformative period marked by public backlash and personal reflection that followed the infamous "snake gate" incident. He examines how the album signified a pivotal shift in Swift's career, challenging her to redefine her pop star persona amidst the evolving music industry, streaming trends, and cultural expectations. The essay discusses the album's thematic focus on love, redemption, and the complexities of fame, as well as its bold departure from Swift's previous sound, incorporating darker, more experimental production. Despite initial mixed reviews and predictions of failure, "Reputation" achieved commercial success, particularly through its record-breaking tour, underscoring Swift's resilience and her deep connection with fans. Zach highlights the album's lasting impact, its role in the pop music landscape, and Swift's adeptness at navigating celebrity through a crafted narrative and strategic marketing.

• Taylor Swift faced a devastating public backlash, which was a combination of the "snake gate" incident, overexposure, and perceived arrogance.
• The "Reputation" album marked a turning point in Swift's personal and professional life, prompting her to reconsider the type of pop star she wanted to be.
• Swift was entering the later stages of her career, contending with changing music industry norms, streaming trends, and expectations for female pop stars to fade away.
• The album was meant to be different from "1989" and was polarizing upon release.
• "Look What You Made Me Do" symbolized the death of the "old Taylor," which was initially mocked but later led to a retrospective appreciation of the "Reputation" era.

"I'm wearing snake print and we all know what that means after a devastating public backlash which was mostly triggered by the dishonic antics of the now defunct kimie but also partly a natural effect of a years-long overexposure and not a small amount of arrogance on Taylor Swift's part reputation was essentially the turning point in Taylor Swift's personal life and her professional life too."

This quote describes the factors that led to the public's backlash against Taylor Swift and how it became a pivotal moment for her, changing her image and approach to her career.

• Swift faced existential questions about her identity as a pop star and her ability to maintain privacy while being successful.
• She had to navigate the traditional expectations of a pop star's career trajectory while trying to surpass the success of her previous album, "1989."
• The creation of "Reputation" was a response to the intense scrutiny she faced, and the album's tone was a departure from her past work.

"The question that she really needed to ask herself was what kind of pop star do I want to be and what kind of pop star am I capable of being after such an intense and ferocious intrusion on my private life."

This quote summarizes the internal conflict Swift faced regarding her pop star persona and privacy in the wake of public scrutiny.

• The line "The old Taylor can't come to the phone right now" from "Look What You Made Me Do" was a cultural moment that was initially ridiculed but later understood as Swift's reinvention.
• There is an acknowledgment that some aspects of Swift's previous persona will never return post-backlash.
• The "Reputation" album had a retrospective renaissance, with fans and critics reassessing its value over time.

"The old Taylor can't come to the phone right now why because she's dead was ruthlessly mocked and not taken seriously and when lover came out eventually we the fans turned around and said okay thank God the old Taylor is not dead she is still alive and kicking."

This quote reflects the initial public reaction to Swift's symbolic line about the "old Taylor" being dead, and the later realization by fans that Swift's core artistry remained intact.

• In November 2016, Swift began a period of reclusion, which was a stark contrast to her previous overexposure during the "1989" era.
• This reclusion was a response to various controversies, including her break-up with Calvin Harris, "snake gate," and the "hiddle Swift" media frenzy.
• Swift's decision to step back from the public eye was influenced by her desire to protect her new relationship with Joe Alwyn and to gain perspective on her career.

"Taylor Swift began a period of reclusion that now seems obvious and commonplace given you know how little we heard from her during the pandemic and in the gaps between you know folklore Evermore and midnights."

This quote highlights the beginning of Taylor Swift's withdrawal from the public eye, which was a significant shift from her previous constant media presence.

• During her reclusion, Swift wrote "Reputation," which was initially marketed as a vengeful takedown but later revealed to be a covert love story.
• The album dealt with themes of redemption, reincarnation, sacrifice, loss, envy, regret, and despair.
• Swift contemplated whether she could make a comeback and how to address the public backlash in her music.

"The record she was writing was not the vengeful takedown that was eventually marketed we all know now that reputation is a covert Love Story a tale of redemption and Reincarnation of sacrifice loss Envy regret and despair."

This quote explains that "Reputation" was marketed as a fierce response to her detractors but was actually a complex narrative of love and personal growth.

• Swift's time away allowed her to heal and reconsider her approach to being a pop star.
• She created a character for the public eye, allowing her to re-enter the spotlight while protecting her vulnerable self.
• Swift's strategy for her return involved addressing the controversies through her music and character, rather than engaging directly with the media.

"She created this whole character that allowed her to re-enter the public eye while still protecting her real self this fragile and frangible self that was still definitely under repair at the bottom of an exile."

This quote captures Swift's strategy of using a character as a shield to protect her true self as she navigated her return to the public eye.

• Swift's marketing strategy for "Reputation" was to let the concept of reputation itself lead the narrative.
• She refrained from over-promoting the album, allowing the themes and music to speak for themselves.
• The album's release was a testament to Swift's self-awareness and ability to pivot in response to criticism.

"Her strategy when marketing this album was to let the concept of a reputation which is a widespread belief that someone or something has a particular characteristic precede her usual tactics of talking the album to death."

This quote describes Swift's marketing approach for "Reputation," which focused on the theme of reputation rather than excessive promotion.

• Taylor Swift's strategy for her album "Reputation" was to maintain public consciousness without being visible.
• Prior album rollouts were highly involved, with extensive promotional activities, but "Reputation" relied on social media.
• Taylor Swift developed a mistrust of the media, influencing her promotional approach for "Reputation."

"She was not going to speak on and remain ever present in the public Consciousness without being actually visible really using her Aura and her mystique and the kind of Legend surrounding her at that moment to build hype."

This quote emphasizes Taylor Swift's intention to use her existing public image and the mystery around her to generate interest in her album without engaging in traditional media interactions.

• Taylor Swift's relationship with the media changed due to negative experiences, leading to a desire for control over her narrative.
• Her team, including her publicist and representatives, began to act punitively towards journalists.
• Journalist Eve Barlow's experience is cited as an example of how Taylor Swift's team managed media relations.

"Her publicity team became very increasingly discontent with factual inaccuracies but even more deeply they wanted to have these total controls over what was being said truth be damned as well."

The quote describes Taylor Swift's publicity team's dissatisfaction with how she was portrayed in the media and their attempts to exert control over her public image.

• Taylor Swift is described as having unusual control over all aspects of her career.
• Decisions in her professional life are made with her heavy involvement, and nothing is approved without her consent.

"So any decision that's made in Taylor's professional life was likely made with a heavy involvement from her nothing goes off her desk without her stamp of approval."

This quote highlights the extent of Taylor Swift's involvement in her career decisions, indicating that she has significant influence over her professional activities.

• Taylor Swift employed a "tabula rasa" approach for her "Reputation" album, erasing her social media presence.
• The release of snake-themed videos and the album cover was a dramatic departure from her previous image.
• The new image was confrontational and marked a stark contrast from the "1989" era.

"She wiped her social media and dropped three videos over a couple of days which amounted to a hissing snake in the Square format on her profile with the comments turned off."

The quote describes the specific actions Taylor Swift took to erase her previous public image and create a new narrative for her "Reputation" album.

• "Reputation" is seen as a boundary for the risks Taylor Swift is willing to take musically.
• The album's sound is characterized as daring, confrontational, and reliant on studio effects.
• "Look What You Made Me Do" broke streaming records and is considered a polarizing song.

"The Sonic palette of reputation is probably the most daring and adventurous Taylor's pop music is ever going to get."

The quote from a New York Times album review of "Lover" reflects on the musical risks Taylor Swift took with "Reputation," suggesting it may be the most experimental her music will get.

• The visual aspect of "Reputation" is considered cohesive, with a Gothic and cinematic vibe.
• The album cover, photographed by Mert and Marcus, reflects themes of gossip and notoriety.
• Some feel there were missed opportunities in the visual storytelling of the album.

"With all the videos being produced by Joseph Khan we get this really moody Gothic almost Neo horror Vibe throughout all of the visuals for this record."

The quote describes the consistent Gothic and cinematic style that Joseph Khan brought to the music videos for "Reputation," contributing to the album's visual identity.

• The visuals from Taylor Swift's "Reputation" album play a crucial role in establishing its legacy.
• Taylor Swift adopted a "no explanation, just reputation" approach, letting the visuals speak for the album.
• The era is considered unique as Swift refrained from explaining the album, leaving interpretation to the audience.
• The music video for "Look What You Made Me Do" was a cultural moment, premiering at the VMAs and capturing widespread attention.

"The visuals from reputation play such an important part of the role of creating the album's Legacy because of the there will be no explanation there will just be reputation conceit that she had developed."

This quote emphasizes the strategic decision by Taylor Swift to let the visuals communicate the album's message without verbal explanation, enhancing its impact and legacy.

• Taylor Swift used the music video to address misinformation and public perception.
• The video features symbolic imagery such as the grave scene, the snake motif, and the "ET tu Brute" inscription.
• The imagery of Swift surrounded by diamonds and the symbolic one-dollar bill references her sexual assault case.
• The video is filled with metaphors for public scrutiny, self-sabotage, and the transformation of her public persona.

"The first frame of this video is instantly iconic we have Neil soberg the pseudonym that she wrote this is what you came for under with Calvin Harris that was his string of tweets was one of the first dominoes that flicked the cancellation attempt."

This quote refers to the opening scene of the music video, which symbolically addresses the events that led to a shift in public perception of Taylor Swift, setting the tone for the video's narrative.

• The video comments on the media's portrayal of Swift as a capitalist figure and the public betrayal by her friends.
• It also reflects on the culture of gossip, fake news, and cancel culture that was prevalent in 2017.
• The music video serves as a critique of the media's role in shaping celebrity reputations and public discourse.

"It was very clearly the product of a meticulous assessment by Taylor of what the specific misinformation she wanted to make fun of a dress or a clarify."

This quote highlights Taylor Swift's intentional use of the music video to address and satirize the false narratives and rumors spread by the media.

• Taylor Swift's music video showcases a transformation from her previous country music persona to a more assertive "girl boss" image.
• The video depicts Swift reclaiming the snake motif, a symbol previously used against her, and turning it into a part of her visual identity.
• The "Look What You Made Me Do" video symbolizes Swift's control over her narrative and public image.

"She's really truly reclaiming this symbol so actually thank you Kim Kardashian for giving Taylor another brilliant Motif and image to add into her visual discography."

The quote illustrates how Taylor Swift took a symbol of mockery and criticism and repurposed it as a powerful element of her artistic expression.

• The video features Swift confronting and discarding her past personas, symbolizing a break from previous expectations.
• The dialogue among the "old Taylors" at the video's end reflects on how her traits have been used against her.
• The music video serves as a self-aware commentary on Swift's career and the public's perception of her.

"She really selected her most beloved uh iconic Taylor personas as well I'm really thinking of fearless and red Taylor here."

This quote points out the deliberate choice of showcasing and then rejecting her past iconic personas, signifying a departure from her previous image.

• The concept of a "Taylor Swift Multiverse" is introduced, indicating a complex and interconnected narrative across her work.
• The visuals from the "Reputation" era are noted for their consistency, setting them apart from other eras.
• The "End Game" and "Delicate" videos are mentioned as part of the album's visual narrative, though with varying levels of impact.

"This was the start of the Taylor Swift Multiverse a place where I now live and it is crazy in here it's hard to keep track of everything that's going on."

The quote introduces the idea of an expansive and intricate narrative universe created by Swift's music and visuals, which engages fans on multiple levels.

• The album "Reputation" is described as 80% a love story and 20% vindictive.
• Taylor Swift collaborated extensively with Jack Antonoff, who contributed to the more emotional and intimate songs.
• Max Martin and Johann Shellback, known for their work on pop hits, handled the more public-facing and radio-friendly tracks.
• The album is characterized by its cohesiveness and the blending of different production styles.

"The production work is basically divided between him [Jack Antonoff] and Max Martin and Johann schellback the tried and true Swedish pop god dream team from Red through 1989."

This quote details the division of production work on the "Reputation" album, highlighting the collaboration between Taylor Swift and established pop music producers to create a cohesive sound.

• In 2017, the pop music genre was diverse, with influences from trap, Hip-Hop, tropical house, EDM, and R&B.
• Taylor Swift's "Reputation" reflects these trends while maintaining her signature songwriting style.
• The album represents Swift's ability to adapt her music to current trends without compromising her core artistic identity.

"Taylor has always been really good at understanding where and how she can chameleon her core skills into being relevant for whatever Trends are developing in The Wider world of pop music."

The quote captures Taylor Swift's strategic approach to evolving her music to stay relevant in the changing landscape of pop music while staying true to her roots.

• The pop music scene during the release of Taylor Swift's album "Reputation" was characterized by a darker and less optimistic tone.
• Lyrics in pop music at the time were more nihilistic and capitalistic, focused on material success.
• Taylor Swift adapted to this environment by incorporating small elements from various musical genres.

"It was a darker less optimistic time for pop and the world in general and pop music the lyrics. Etc it was definitely more nihilistic it was definitely a little bit more capitalistic too it was all about getting the bag and [ __ ]."

This quote describes the general mood of the pop music scene during the period in question, emphasizing the focus on materialism and a darker tone in music.

• Taylor Swift incorporated tropical house, trap hip-hop, and EDM influences into her album "Reputation".
• She walked a fine line sonically, focusing more on her delivery and performance rather than her traditional strength in melodic songwriting.
• The use of rap and a more conversational singing style marked a departure from her previous work.

"So she keeps up by incorporating elements very small little bits and pieces of all those genre experiments [...] we can see the tropical house influence on the album highlight delicate. and we can also see the Trap hip-hop and EDM influences on ready for it end game."

This quote explains how Taylor Swift adapted her music style by integrating elements from different genres to keep up with the contemporary pop music landscape.

• "Reputation" featured a lack of live instruments, a departure from Taylor Swift's earlier work.
• The album's production heavily relied on synthesizers, drum machines, electronic beats, strings, vocal processing effects, and sampling.
• This production style contributed to the album's maximalist, bombastic, and Gothic vibe, reflecting the narrator's combative yet emboldened state.

"The producers really relied heavily on since drum machines electronic beats strings vocal processing effects and sampling and this gave reputation an extremely maximalist bombastic lavish and Gothic but very strategically and expensively DIY filter and Vibe."

The quote highlights the significant shift in production techniques on "Reputation," emphasizing a move away from live instruments towards a more electronic and processed sound.

• Despite limited promotion, "Reputation" was a commercial success, showing that Taylor Swift's main competition was herself.
• Critics had mixed responses, with some songs having a lasting impact while others did not endure as well.
• The album influenced popular culture, with people relating to the concept of a "reputation era" in their lives.
• The "Reputation" era strengthened the connection between Taylor Swift and her fans, particularly during a time when her public image was controversial.

"The album was still a commercial Juggernaut [...] the enduring hits however didn't really endure."

This quote reflects on the paradox of "Reputation's" commercial success despite the lack of enduring hit singles, highlighting the album's complex reception.

• Critics initially projected that "Reputation" might mark the end of Taylor Swift's career, but these predictions were proven wrong.
• The album is now seen as an underrated work in Taylor Swift's discography.
• "Reputation" is considered one of the final chapters in pop's monolithic era and is appreciated for its skillful execution and devotion to performance.
• The "Reputation" stadium tour was one of the highest-grossing tours in history, defying negative expectations.

"It is very fondly looked upon as an underrated Taylor Swift album I think."

This quote indicates that over time, critical perception of "Reputation" has improved, with many now viewing it as an underrated part of Taylor Swift's body of work.

• The speaker shares their personal favorite songs from "Reputation" and expresses admiration for the album's storytelling and lack of filler.
• "Reputation" is considered Taylor Swift's last truly great pop record by the speaker.
• The album's themes of resurrection and fame are seen as a testament to the strong connection between Taylor Swift and her fans.

"I am always intrigued by the storytelling on that record and the more that I revisit it the more I realized how well thought out it is."

This quote reveals the speaker's personal engagement with the album's storytelling, suggesting that repeated listening has deepened their appreciation for its craft.