A NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY ON TAYLOR SWIFT
“I live in Tennessee. I am a Christian. That’s not what we stand for.” – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s documentary Miss Americana begins by following the common cultural archetype of a good girl following her dreams to be a beautiful pop singer. As Taylor Swift reviews her teenage diaries in front of the camera, she admits that at a young age she had a strong: “need to be thought of as good.” But soon the documentary challenges viewers to see beyond Taylor Swift’s desire for fame. Her experiences and choices help Taylor Swift identify what she believes in and speak up, despite how it may negatively impact her career. We begin to see Taylor Swift as a creator, human being, and advocate for others.
Western culture sees female singers as performers, not creators. The assumption is that there is a male creative genius who is writing the songs for the female to perform. Miss Americana uses studio and cell phone footage to challenge this assumption, showing Taylor Swift writing many integral lyrics and musical parts found on her latest album Lover. Miss Americana also includes a brilliantly edited scene where Taylor Swift explains her vision of a music video to Brandon Urie from Panic at the Disco. The editors cut between Swift’s explanation and the finished video month’s later to illustrate Swift’s vision coming true.
Western culture perceives female pop singers as objectified products without human qualities or feelings. In Miss Americana, Taylor Swift opens up about the pressure she felt to look a certain way despite the harm to her health. She talks about her eating disorder and the impossibility of the image she was expected to have. She admits her human limitations regarding criticism and shares some of her coping strategies moving forward. She also shares the loneliness of fame, even asking at one point admidst her stardom: “Shouldn’t I have someone to call right now?” As the documentary reveals Taylor Swift’s human qualities and the impact of the audience’s objectification of her, the viewer is asked to consider their role in putting unreal expectations on celebrities.
Western culture protects the money and fame of a pop star at all costs. The assumed goal of any pop musician is to gain as many fans as possible and do everything to keep those fans. Management helps guide musicians towards the largest audience possible so that management can achieve their goal maximized profits. In the climax of the movie, we see Taylor Swift’s personal values conflict with this assumed goal that she wants fame as well as the goals of her management team. In the 2018 Tennessee Primaries, Swift wants to speak out against Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee politician whose policies Taylor Swift believes will harm the marginalized. A prominent member of her management team exclaims: “For 12 years we’ve not got involved in politics or religion.” They ask her why she wants to speak up now? They explain speaking up about a contentious topic could potentially cut her fanbase immediately in half as well as put her personal safety at risk.
The tension between Taylor Swift’s humanity and Taylor Swift as a cultural product formed by others are clear in the climax of the documentary. Management ask Taylor Swift to avoid using her authority for fear she will become vulnerable and their hard-work will be lost. Yet Andy Crouch explains that we are most human when we use the authority we have been given in the most vulnerable way. This is where we find true human flourishing. Miss Americana can be an inspiration to viewers, not because it tells a tired and false trope of the path towards female success. It is an inspiration because it shows Taylor Swift flourishing despite the pressure surrounding her to stay safe and fit in. (NETFLIX)