By Nicolette DiMura
Staff Writer
Taylor Swift shook off her country roots with a new sound in her recently released album, “1989.” Swift released her first pop album on Oct. 27. Her first single, “Shake It Off” immediately made it to number one on the Billboard charts.
The bold record, she said, was inspired by the late ‘80s pop she had been listening to prior to making the album. Swift describes the ‘80s as “a time of limitless potential,” a time of rebellion and taking risks.
“Artists need to play with different things to keep themselves interesting,” Taylor Greene, a senior elementary education major, said. “Even though her sound changed, I think she still appeals to a similar audience.”
Unlike previous albums in which Swift focused on breakups and relationships, “1989” is different from any other album that she’s written. “1989” focuses on past life experiences.
“I woke up every single day not wanting, but needing to make a new style of music than I’d ever made before,” Swift told the Yahoo live-stream’s studio audience.
The seven-time Grammy winner is set to break multiple records with her album, which is anticipated to have the biggest sales week since Britney Spears’ album “Britney” in 2001. This week, her album was labeled the first platinum record of the year.
There are 13 songs on the album, including: “Shake It Off, “a fast and upbeat tune, “Welcome to New York,” a transition to being independent, “Wildest Dreams,” an emotional ballad, “Blank Space,” jokes and taunts about previous boyfriends, “Clean” a sentimental masterpiece and “I Know Places,” a magical thrill.
“I think “1989” is a much more fun than “Red“—Swift’s previous album—which sold 10.2 million copies worldwide,” Greene said. “The lyrics are a little more adult. This album overall is fun and catchy. At first, I thought it was a little different than her older music, but it’s definitely a good change.”
Swift is well known for her publicizing her past relationships and calling out her ex-boyfriends in her lyrics.
“As Swift writes autobiographically, her romantic affairs will be the subject of speculation, but it’s the expertly crafted sound of “1989” that marks her most impressive sleight of hand yet—shifting the focus away from her past and onto her music, which is as smart and confident as it’s ever been,” Time Magazine said.
Meanwhile, during an interview on The Talk (USA), Swift said it was important to be on her own and form closer relationships with her girlfriends following her most notorious split with One Direction’s Harry Styles.
“I think there’s just a bigger priority on the women in my life now. They have taken the place of any other relationship that I used to prioritize.” Swift said.
Taylor Swift’s new album may be the best one yet with her catchy lyrics that will get stuck in your head.
