Taylor Swift's announcement of her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl"—on her boyfriend Travis and brother Jason Kelce's "New Heights" podcast, nonetheless— could frustrate conservatives, but they shouldn't discount her because of her politics.
Swift had her start in conservative country, but ever since she endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president last year, a large swath of Republicans changed their views on the pop star. A 2024 NBC News poll showed about 47% of Republicans said they viewed Swift negatively, a huge increase from the 26% who reported viewing her negatively the year before.
I get it. Swift has a huge platform. It's disappointing when someone so influential wants to push a message or a person we think could actually have hurt the country. On the other hand, Swift holds incredible sway. Her appearance last week on the Kelce's podcast drew over 1 million viewers live on YouTube in just the first hour.
I am a mom of two teen daughters who like to jam to Swift's albums, and well, I confess, I don't hate her music either. Does that make me a bad conservative or mother? A lot of parenting older kids is teaching them how to filter life's challenges appropriately, this includes choices of entertainment or pop star icons. As tempting as it might be to toss Taylor Swift out with the bathwater because she's a Harris-endorsing Democrat, she still offers some valuable insights about the industry, love, politics, and capitalism.
Swift is a workhorse, producing 19 albums since she started. I always say she's secretly a capitalist and doesn't know it, because she works hard, sells well, and audiences simply love her. Her Eras tour sold a whopping $2 billion in ticket sales. When she dropped the news of her forthcoming album, a glitzy orange shade, brands all over the nation embraced the news as if they were her personal public relations manager.
The Empire State Building turned orange. Restaurants like Shake Shack, Olive Garden, and Buffalo Wild Wings plastered their brand's social media posts with orange and glitter themes. Either Swift's team personally persuaded dozens of massive brands to talk about her release, or they all want a part of her growing empire—a capitalist's dream.
She's no dummy either. On the podcast, Swift dropped some truth bombs that, honestly, were good enough to pass along to my teenagers. "Think of your energy as if it's expensive, as if it's like a luxury item. Not everyone can afford it," Swift said at one point. I love this, and it's so true. I hope my daughters—and I—remember it.
Even Swift's love story with Kelce was touching, and I think it shows a shift in her romantic energy that traditional conservatives might appreciate. Her songs often relay a romantic energy with men that seems like she's been desperate, chasing, and yet unfulfilled.
Two years ago, on the same podcast, Kelce told his brother he wanted to meet Swift at an Eras tour concert and was disappointed she didn't speak to him personally. He had no problem broadcasting to the entire Internet that he wanted to meet her and take her out. She finally agreed.
"If this guy isn't crazy, this is sort of like what I've been writing songs about wanting to happen to me since I was a teenager," Swift said on the podcast.
It looks to me like Swift is finally in her soft, romantic era because she finally let a strong man pursue and lead her into a loving, reciprocal relationship. As a woman who has dated a lot and appreciates a strong, good man, this was lovely to see.
One thing that was missing from the podcast was a mention of politics. I noticed this probably because I'm a commentator and I'm used to everything being about politics these days. I don't always mind, but it's not real life. In real life, there are more important things sometimes, like finding the love of your life and a career you're proud of. This, too, is a message conservatives should embrace.
One of the things conservatives are notorious for doing is being black and white, especially about Hollywood. It's hard not to think that way. I slam the entertainment industry all the time. But I think we can influence more people when we ourselves embody a bit more nuance. Not on everything and not on principles, but at least on some things.
Swift's rise to stardom is a reflection of the conservative audience she once catered to, even though now she looks like a dichotomy, balancing her more leftist views with traditionally conservative values like hard work and capitalism. I don't care for her embrace of Democrats or her stance on abortion. And no, she's not all that traditional either: She hasn't gotten married or had kids.
But conservatives should look at her fame and influence and ask ourselves what her audiences are resonating with. She's popular because she says some good and true things. She writes songs with a real sick beat. She also works her tail off, and she's notoriously generous with her staff. These are great values, too.
