What Do I Really Think About Taylor Swift?

TAYLOR SWIFT IS BACK!

THIS IS NOT A DRILL!

Yes, you read that correctly. The Queen of Mean, Taylor Swift has returned from the nether regions to seek revenge on those who have wronged her in the past.

Alright, let's get down to business. (to defeat the huns)

So, after almost three years since the 2014 release, "1989," the pop/country songstress reemerged late Thursday night to reveal the cover to her sixth album "Reputation." Along with it, came the lead single "Look What You Made Me Do."

"Look" proves to be an even farther departure from the music that first gained Swift popularity. It's darker, a bit creepier and kind of weird. So far, fan response has been divided. Some love it and some hate it to death.

The funny thing about this song though, is that I don't hate it. I'll admit that she's definitely had better music, (WAY better!) but by now I've accepted the fact that she's never going back to who she was before.

This couldn't be more apparent than in the song itself, where after the bridge Taylor promptly says "I'm sorry, the old Taylor can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, cause she's dead."

Now, Swift isn't one to just leave things be as we all know. So simply stating that the old Taylor is dead, was not enough. She had to go all out.

In case nobody noticed, about a week ago Swift scrubbed all of her social media accounts of everything. All of her pictures were deleted. She stopped following anybody and had nothing to show for herself. The only pictures present now are the ones from this week, from the new Taylor. Everything reminding us of her past is gone. So Taylor we knew, she's not coming back.

If I'm being honest, that sounds pretty cool. To cleanse yourself of the demons of the past and start over anew. Unfortunately, being a high profile celeb doesn't grant you that luxury. The Internet is forever and it saves everything. All of the shitty things of the past will still stay to haunt her. Which definitely sucks, but in the end, she did it to herself.

And to be even more honest, the old Taylor was dead a long time ago. This isn't the same girl we all fell for ten years ago.

Now, I know the biggest question is if I'm actually on Taylor's side. I mean, I have the albums to prove it. I've bought the last three and I follow her on everything, but I've seen enough to know that she isn't that great of a person.

That's where things get conflicting. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked this past year or two if I was a fan. Well, the actual word-for-word question I've received is "Wait, I thought you liked Taylor Swift?"

If you can call that a question.

Regardless, the thing is, I used to enjoy her music a lot. I used to think that she was the sweet girl who believed in love.

Flash forward to 2017, I can't say I agree with any of that.

Let's start with the music.

Taylor Swift begun her musical venture in 2006 with her country inspired self-titled debut album. I had heard of her then, but I wasn't a hardcore fan. Country just wasn't my thing. (It still isn't.)

I can say that I still jam out to "Our Song" and know all the lyrics to "Teardrops On My Guitar" as well as a few other songs like "Picture To Burn" and "Should've Said No," but I I think we can all agree that it wasn't her best album.

Next came "Fearless," which started Swift's venture into pop, slightly. From this album came two hits that were almost impossible to escape. "Love Story" and "You Belong With Me." With "Love Story" being called her 'signature song' and "You Belong With Me" becoming the song that got me through a lot of crushes and that I still refer to when I'm heartbroken.

For that, I thank you, Taylor.

And that's what I mean, she was so relatable and she seemed to have a more positive outlook on love and life. I mean her song "Fifteen" was released when I was 15. It doesn't get more relatable than that.

"Fearless" then went on to sell millions and win Album Of The Year at the Grammys, which she definitely deserved. The album reached more people with it's country/pop crossover sound. It was a bit more country leaning so it didn't turn out to be my favorite, but I still appreciated it.

That wasn't to say that I didn't like her more country sounding songs at all. I will always love the song "Crazier" she did for the Hannah Montana Movie. It's a wonderful love song and it brings back memories of high school because the DJ played it at my senior prom.

Shout out to DJ.... whatever your name was!

Next, comes my favorite Taylor Swift album, "Speak Now." This album is the perfect mix of pop and country. Led by the incredible and vastly underrated lead single "Mine," Taylor Swift created an amazing album that helped me believe in love again. (Well, Paramore's "The Only Exception" helped me believe in love again, but you know what I mean)

I remember that this album inspired me so much that I even posted constantly on Facebook about how much I loved how Swift painted such a beautiful picture of romance. (My Facebook Memories reminded and I apologize for being annoying in 2010/2011)

But I won't apologize for the feeling it gave me. My favorite song of hers is from that album, "Enchanted." It's the most beautiful love song about meeting someone new and getting this amazing feeling. I highly recommend it if you were to listen to only one Taylor Swift song for the rest of your life.

This was technically the first album of hers that I bought.

And it wasn't the last.

Another album that I definitely own, is the equally magnificent "Red." This album was almost completely pop, save for a few songs like "Begin Again" and "I Almost Do," yet Swift labeled "Red" a 'country album.'

She couldn't fool me. Just because she started out country and there are three or four country songs on the album, doesn't make it country. She was clearly pop, but I wasn't gonna complain because I approved of this sound very much.

I'm also going to go out and say this, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" is a masterpiece!

Fight me!

I remember the exact place I first heard it, with my friend in her car in the parking lot of the Mission Valley Mall. The second I heard the title I was immediately interested, and then the song came on and I was obsessed. Ask any of my friends, I would shoot them if they changed the radio when it was on.

This was another song that I would call relatable. You're lying if you've never wanted to say this exact message to an ex. Face it, Swift expertly constructed the perfect break up song.

And let's not forget about that bridge!

The first of many lead singles where Swift does 'spoken word' in the middle of the song. I could never go a listen without shushing everyone around me before I flawlessly recite "Huh, so he calls me up and he's like, 'I still love you.' And I'm like, "I just, I mean this is exhausting, you know. Like, we are never getting back together, like ever."

The album also housed some of her greatest hits like "I Knew You Were Trouble," "Everything Has Changed" and "22" which my friends and I couldn't stop quoting when we all turned 22 last year.

Okay, so next up, things aren't going to be as positive. Here is my unpopular opinion:

1989 was one of Taylor Swift's worst albums.

There, I said it.

I mean, I bought it, of course, but halfway through my first listen, I couldn't help but ask myself if I had made a horrible mistake in purchasing it.

I was already skeptical when the first single "Shake It Off" was released. Yes, it became a huge hit and I eventually came around, but when I first heard it I was disappointed. For one, "I stay out too late," the first line of the song, started on a very odd high note. It was just a strange way to start the song.

Of course, I was won over when she spoke in the bridge like her previous lead single. It was soon to become her signature thing.

With "1989" Swift finally came out as a pop star. The thing about it is that I liked her better when she was pretending not to be pop but obviously was pop.

If that made any sense.

In "!989" she embraces pop but in the most cliché way. When I listened to the album, I felt like I've heard the songs before. I seriously couldn't tell the difference between "I Wish You Would" and "All You Had to Do Was Stay." And "How You Get The Girl" sounds like every pop song out there.

Not to say that there aren't songs I enjoyed. At the end of the album were some of the best like the darker "I Know Places" and the outstanding album closer "Clean." The deluxe edition also houses some great songs like "Wonderland" inspired by the Disney classic and what I think is one of the most perfect pop songs ever "New Romantics." If she had more songs like that on the album I would be inclined to give it a better review.

So as you can see, my opinions on Taylor Swift's music vary with each release. She's definitely staying on the pop train and I'm used to it by now, but it did make me realize that I was a bigger country fan than I thought.

But Taylor Swift as a person, well there's a reason why her feed used to be filled with snake emojis. She's had feuds with Katy Perry, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian and countless other celebrities. Needless to say, I've never been on her side for any of those.

The thing with her is that she really needs to grow up. She's not someone who can let go of things and she loves to play the victim. With this new album, it doesn't look like she's changing her ways any time soon.

That's why I can see many people not being here for her in this era. "Look What You Made Me Do" is just her continuing to play the victim and the album will probably continue this wave of immaturity.

Sound wise, the song is different and again, the spoken word part is the best thing about it. I'll be a little more cautious about buying the album nearing its release. I'll have to hear another song or two to make sure it's my thing. Recently, my other queens like Gaga and Katy have released less than stellar albums and it seems like Taylor might be in the same funk.

So there you go. That is what I really think about Taylor Swift. I'm usually a fan, but not too hardcore and I sometimes talk shit about her because she's quite problematic but then again, who isn't?

I guess I could have just said that. It would have been much quicker and to the point...