By: Isla Rollinson

Taylor Swift took the world by surprise after announcing her new album Folklore on the morning of July 24, only twelve hours before releasing it at midnight. Taylor Swift fans all over the world obsessed over the indie, fairytale vibe of the singer’s eighth studio album. 

Swift finished the album alongside two producers, Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner. Swift and Antonoff have worked together before on previous albums. The album, containing 16 songs, was written and produced during the Covid-19 quarantine. 

Taylor Swift is known for switching her style. She has performed country, pop, and now indie rock. She is also known for switching her personal style. She has been the young girl, the good girl, and the bad girl. Swift has always been at war with her image. She has often had a hard time breaking away from the media’s views of her and her music. Folklore marks the new independent style of Swift both in her music and personality.

Folklore contains a series of soft, detailed storylines mainly directed towards other characters point of view. Each song tells a story. Three songs on the album; “Betty”, “Cardigan”, and “August” tell a story of a teenage love triangle where each song focuses on one character’s point of view. In past songs, Swift has focused on current or past moments of her own life, but these songs were born from her own, raw imagination. All the songs contain detailed lyrics with hidden meanings, causing listeners to decipher a story. 

Most people have appreciated the fresh and atmospheric style of the album saying it is the best album of her career. Fans are gushing over the intimate lyrics and beautiful acoustics. Some fans say it is a musical masterpiece. Although most critics had positive comments about the album, some are uncomfortable with the large and unexpected change in style. Some people believe the music to be repetitive or boring. Jon Caramanica described the album as desolate, stubborn, and over composed. He believes that it won’t matter if the album is played because it wont receive an “era” as her past albums have due to Covid-19. Fans mostly disagree with the negative reviews and stand by the songs. 

Personally, I have found the album to be relaxing and different. I am a huge Taylor Swift fan so you can imagine my excitement to wake up to a brand new album. I also love Taylor as a person so it makes me happy to know she is finally choosing what she wants to write and perform. I appreciated the soothing instrumental music because of how crazy the world is right now. Everything is easy to listen to and it really brings out my personal imagination. 

Folklore has over all been a relief in these difficult times. The different songs have given people something new to talk about. With all the terrible things happening in the world, a well-written album was much needed . Taylor Swift has brought joy to people around the world for years. Her talent and imagination was a breath of fresh air and started a new conversation.