Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift had one of the most successful musical careers and genre shifts of the decade. With the release of her third album, “Enchanted,” Swift began her transition from a country musician to one of the best-selling pop artists.

With pictures posing with her renowned girl squad, serial-dating rumors and a lot of Keds advertisements, it seemed as though Swift was reaching a level of fame that belonged to royalty. The peak of her domination in pop lasted past her world-renowned album “1989.” It ended when Kim Kardashian West leaked a heavily edited phone call, in which Swift approved a line in Kanye West’s song, “Famous,” which describes Swift in a derogatory way. This caught Swift in a lie. After the leak, Kim Kardashian West called Swift a snake, indirectly starting the #KimEndedTaylor trend on Twitter.

After this, Swift disappeared for over a year. She went months without being spotted or releasing new music. Little did we know, Swift was working on an album titled “Reputation,” which showed a vulnerable Swift trying to live her life in a world that scrutinized her every move. Immediately after coming out with her new album, Swift led a much more private life.

Expressed in her latest album, “Lover,” Swift has become an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. No longer avoiding the topic of politics, Swift began pushing her followers to become more involved with their governments via a series of social media posts. She has since encouraged her audience to sign a petition imploring the government to sign the Equality Act.

It is important to view Swift not only as a woman who has had one of the most successful musical careers of the decade but also as a girl who started off small and became one of the most influential stars in the spotlight.