Taylor Swift teaches her fans resilience by standing up for herself...and to hold onto their scarves

By Sydney Shanker

Art by Emily Smith

Be honest with me. Taylor Swift was in your Top 5 Artists this year on Spotify wrapped, right?

Taylor Swift has recently come out with new recordings of some of her previous albums due to an incident involving her old record label. Her first recreation was “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” released in April of 2021. While fan’s were overjoyed for more Swift music and the album “Red (Taylor’s Version)”, released Oct 22, the recreation of the famous and well-loved song “All Too Well” sent fans crazy.

Not only did Swift release the beloved “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” but she also released a new, ten minute version, and other songs with popular artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Chris Stapleton, and her good friend Ed Sheeran. But controversy remains in “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version).” 

This song is arguably about the actor and Swift’s ex from 2010 Jake Gyllenhaal, and the rerelease of the song has boosted the conversation about what happened between the two, as many fans have strong opinions. Critics in the media argue that Swift only releases songs about boys and past relationships to boost her career; however, Swift’s success speaks for itself as her new music is consistently in the Top Charts.

Others find it unnecessary to add five minutes to an already very long song. However, the new verses add to her perspective and her past, only making the story more relatable and beautiful. 

Caroline Griffin (12) said, “[Jake] did her so dirty, and she has every right to write the ten minute version.” 

The release of “Red (Taylor’s Version)” was accompanied with a short film, “All Too Well.” In this, Dylan O’Brian and Sadie Sink depict a relationship that falls apart; fans speculate that this is directly resembling Swift’s relationship with Gyllenhaal.

With Gyllenhaal’s name trending in the media once again, the significance of Swift fighting against the norm for artists has been pushed to the backburner. “Red (Taylor’s Version)” doesn’t just represent Swift overcoming the heartbreak caused by Gyllenhaal, but also about her taking action and reclaiming her work. It is important that “Swifties” consider her persistence and determination, rather than just her poetic and heart-filled lyrics. 

Griffin said, “She’s so bold for [re-releasing her work], but so right. It’s the only thing she can do… [We should learn from Taylor to] stand up for our work. If you think you’ve been treated unfairly and you want to do something about it, do it.”