The Profile Classic: The Profile Dossier: Taylor Swift, America's polarizing pop titan
The Profile Classic: The Profile Dossier: Taylor Swift, America's polarizing pop titan"You are not the opinion of someone who doesn't know you."
A note from Polina: I first published this Profile Dossier two years ago, so I wanted to re-surface it in light of Taylor Swift’s billion-dollar tour and recent resurgence in the public eye. I think you’ll really enjoy this one even if you’re not a T-Swift fan. — Taylor Swift has mastered the art of self-reinvention. As a teenager, Swift established herself as a shining star in the world of country, with her eponymous debut studio album in 2006, which featured the singles "Teardrops on My Guitar" and "Our Song." Eight years later, she successfully crossed over into pop with her album 1989. She then played with the electro-pop sound in her next two studio albums, Reputation and Lover. During the pandemic, Swift surprised fans and dropped two albums, in which she experimented with folk and alternative rock. Unlike many stars who have found success in a single genre, Swift has embraced creative risk and re-invented herself at every stage in her career. Some might consider re-invention calculating, but Swift considers it progress. "You've got to allow yourself that grace to put on a certain lifestyle, or a certain outfit, or a certain creative mantra — and then discard it when you outgrow it," she says. Although Swift has turned into a full-blown brand, she still appears relatable because she's remained maniacal about warding off commodification. “The bigger your career gets, the more you struggle with the idea that a lot of people see you the same way they see an iPhone or a Starbucks," she says. With sales of over 200 million records worldwide, Swift is one of the best-selling music artists on the planet. And the accolades are many: She has won 11 Grammy Awards, 32 American Music Awards (the most wins by an artist), and 23 Billboard Music Awards (the most wins by a woman). Although you could argue that nothing about Swift's life is relatable, she's masterfully humanized her brand and built a mega-loyal fan base that refers to themselves as the "Swifties." Before you call her calculating, consider this: “Am I shooting from the hip? Would any of this have happened if I was? ... You can be accidentally successful for three or four years. Accidents happen. But careers take hard work." ✨ The rest of this newsletter is only available for premium members of The Profile, whose support makes this work possible. If you’re not already a premium member, consider upgrading your subscription below for access to the full Profile Dossier. ✨... Keep reading with a 7-day free trialSubscribe to The Profile to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.A subscription gets you:
|
Older messages
The Profile: Sam Bankman-Fried’s parents & Airbnb’s official party pooper
Sunday, September 24, 2023
This edition of The Profile features Joseph Bankman, Barbara Fried, Olivia Rodrigo, and more.
The Profile Dossier: Josh Waitzkin, the Man Who Can Master Any Craft
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
“Growth comes at the point of resistance.”
Sunday, September 17, 2023
In this interview, Salley shares his experience playing with the basketball greats and learning important lessons about a life of endless learning.
Sunday, September 17, 2023
This edition of The Profile features Kevin Plank, Martin Scorsese, Rene Haas, and more.
The Profile: The CEO fighting for the future of AI & the hedge fund that crashed down to earth
Sunday, September 10, 2023
Something magical happens when you cry in a New York City taxi cab.
The Top 3 Things CROs Are Quietly Talking About These Days
Sunday, December 10, 2023
And the top SaaStr news of the week To view this email as a web page, click here The Top 3 Things CROs Are Quietly Talking About These Days Hey SaaStr Community, So backstage at SaaStr Annual this year
Sunday, December 10, 2023
5 Tips That Made Me A Consistent Content Creator • 3 Ways to Find a Great Affiliate Niche (With Examples) • LinkedIn SEO Tips: Optimize Your Profile And Content • 📸 Snapchat+ • Unapologetically
Sunday, December 10, 2023
This edition of The Profile features Taylor Swift, Jamie Dimon, Tiger Woods, Robert Downey Jr, and more.
Sunday, December 10, 2023
"At some point, you just have to let go of what you thought should happen and live in what is happening."
Why hedge funds are leaving VC
Sunday, December 10, 2023
Plus: Biopharma VCs back to stable bets, fundraising slows overall, cash flows into generative AI & more Read online | Don't want to receive these emails? Manage your subscription. Log in The
Sunday, December 10, 2023
FS | BRAIN FOOD No. 554 — December 10, 2023 — Read on FS — Free Version FS "Within your circle of competence, you operate with an advantage. As you approach the perimeter (the limitations of your
Brainfood Live On Air - Issue 374
Sunday, December 10, 2023
Gemini from Google, Blackrock geopolitical risk dashboard, a very cool first 90 days in TA one pager and research on the state of jobs, recruiters and how to get a 90% response rate...
A big failure by Sean Ellis with a happy end
Sunday, December 10, 2023
Hackers!! Our RocketHub BFCM event is insane! Check out these high-quality tools available as a LIFETIME DEAL that can literally build your business or a entirely new service: https://rockethub.com/
[Limited Time Replay] 3 Steps to earn up to 1k with ClickBank and Automation
Saturday, December 9, 2023
See how to get a complete AI powered funnel up & running in under an hour. Hi there, The replay of the workshop "3 Steps up to 1k With ClickBank and Automation” is now available. ==> [
Why the Productize course is a smart investment. (Especially at $200 off!)
Saturday, December 9, 2023
Our wildly popular Productize course is just $299 until 12/15. Here's how it has helped other people blow past their business goals.