Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has become a cultural force that not only delivered joy and created “earthquakes,” but also boosted the economies of cites across the globe in what has been dubbed Swiftonomics. The tour, which spanned five continents and nearly 150 shows, catapulted the singer-songwriter into becoming the first musician ever to make the Forbes billionaire list solely from songwriting and performing. Beyond the economic impact, Swift illustrates the enormous influence that a woman who stands fully in her power and uses her voice can have on our culture at large.
When I interviewed Swift for a Seventeen magazine cover story back in 2009, she was just 19 years old, had released her second album, and was about to kick off her first-ever headlining tour. Back then, she was already setting records and impacting culture, with “Love Story” being the first country song to reach number one on the Top 40 pop chart.
She grew from a girl into a woman in the public eye, openly sharing many songs that are autobiographical while also touching upon universal themes that fans deeply relate to (there’s a reason why lyrics such as, “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me,” became viral TikTok trends). The Eras Tour is a celebration of the 11 albums released over her nearly twenty-year career. Here are just a few examples of how Swift has been a positive role model for her fans by authentically standing in her power.
Swift Is A Leader Who Shares The Credit
Swift has always shared gratitude to her fans for helping her achieve successes, and that hasn’t changed now that she has achieved superstar status. This graciousness has created an atmosphere of kindness, belonging and openness at her concerts, with fans approaching each other to trade friendship bracelets (or give them away if a fan has none yet to trade), and crowds dressed in costumes reflecting Swift’s different albums or “eras” and collectively singing along together during the more than three-hour concerts.
At one of her last Eras Tour stops in Toronto, Swift gave the crowd credit for helping to make the tour so meaningful, saying, “The traditions and memories you’ve created for this tour, you’ve just threaded magic throughout this entire experience…Like I’ll write a song that has one line in it about a friendship bracelet and you just ran with it. All of a sudden, you’re making friendship bracelets and trading them, and then there is a huge sign of a friendship bracelet on the outside of the stadium. You did that!”
Swift Stands Her Ground And Finds Ways Around Obstacles
Swift may be known for her kindness and generosity, such as donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to food banks in the cities that hosted her concerts, but she has shown she is also a force to be reckoned with if crossed. One of the most known examples is how Big Machine Record CEO Scott Borchetta, who signed Swift on when she was just 15 years old, sold the masters of Swift’s first six albums to her nemesis Scooter Braun without her prior knowledge.
Swift, who was very public in her dislike of Braun, felt betrayed. In a strategic business move, Swift took matters into her own hands by re-recording her masters. The re-recorded albums, all sharing “Taylor’s Version” in their names, have dominated Billboard charts as loyal fans streamed the new versions, opting to drive royalties to Swift over the previous record label.
Swift Fights Back Against Harassment And Supports Other Women
Rather than stay quiet, Swift uses her voice to confront injustices against her, and in turn continues to be a voice for others. Take, for example, when former Denver country radio DJ David Mueller sued Swift after alleging she was responsible for getting him fired. Swift privately reported to the radio station that Mueller groped her underneath her skirt during a concert meet and greet in 2013. Swift in turn countersued Mueller for a symbolic $1 for assault and battery. She won.
Swift told TIME, “Going to court to confront this type of behavior is a lonely and draining experience, even when you win, even when you have the financial ability to defend yourself. Even though awareness is higher than ever about workplace sexual harassment, there are still so many people who feel victimized, afraid and silenced by their abusers and circumstances.”
Swift could have stopped after winning her counter suit, but continued to use her voice, her platform and her money to support other survivors of sexual harassment and assault, such as donating to organizations like Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation.
Swift has stood by other women in the industry, too. When a court ruled that pop star Kesha continue her contract to work with producer Dr. Luke, whom Kesha had sued for sexual assault, Swift donated $250,000 to help with her financial needs in a show of support.
With the Eras tour officially ending, Swift’s legacy may be even bigger than the records she has broken or the dollars she has generated. She has shown the women and girls watching, through emotional lyrics that helped connect a collective, that their interior worlds matter. She has taught that kindness and vulnerability are strengths in the right environments. She has modeled what it looks like when women support other women, because we are stronger together. She has demonstrated that fully owning who you are, using your voice and standing by your principles, regardless of the potential risks, is how to wield power.