Taylor Swift’s newest album, Evermore, is more than just another album by one of this century’s biggest pop stars. It might just help redeem 2020 in a suprising way.
In a year that some have called the worst in recorded history, it’s not easy to find many silver linings. But in the waning days of 2020, it might be the unlikeliest of artists that has helped save the year, and ourselves, from utter despair: Taylor Swift. Swift’s newest album, Evermore, was released this week, making it her third full-length album in less than 18 months. The album is a companion to Folklore, which she released in July. The 15 songs, plus the 2 songs on the deluxe physical edition, once again showcase Swift’s gift of intimate, narrative-based songwriting that make her the icon of her countless fans, referred to as Swifties, around the world. The album also puts a capstone on a year in which Swift also released two film projects: the documentary film Miss Americana, directed by Lana Wilson, and Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, a documentary concert film directed and produced by Swift herself. Aside from her artistic output, Swift also had a transformative year in the way she translated her superstardom to influence causes she cares about. Unlike in 2016, when Swift was subdue about sharing her political perspectives, in 2020, Swift made her ideas, and her passions heard.
