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Midnights and "False God": https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/oct/14/taylor-swift-celebrate-album-release-midnights-pop-acclaim

Musicianship and songwriting
One of Swift's earliest musical memories is listening to her grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, sing in church. She credits her mother for inspiring her fascination with storytelling, which was later nurtured by her interest in country music. Her formative stylistic influences were 1990s female country musicians including LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain, the Chicks, and Faith Hill; Swift recalled that a documentary about Hill inspired her to pursue a country-music career in Nashville. Other country musicians Swift credited as her influences include Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, and Dolly Parton. Although her albums were promoted to country radio, music critics noted her melodies are rooted in mainstream pop music and incorporate wide-ranging styles of pop and rock. The country-music elements are limited to instruments such as guitar, banjo, mandolin, and fiddle, and a slight twang in her vocals. Swift self-identified as a country-music artist until her fourth studio album, Red (2012), whose eclectic pop, rock, and electronic styles intensified the critical debate. She responded in a Wall Street Journal interview, "I leave the genre labeling to other people."

Music critics commented that her country-music identity was an indicator of her narrative songwriting rather than musical style. Swift said her idea of country music was more about its storytelling aspect: "It's when someone sings about their life and what they know, from an authentic place." To this extent, she considers herself first and foremost a songwriter and credits singer-songwriters Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, and Paul McCartney as influences. Her autobiographical songs drew from personal experience, which Swift considered a means to help her navigate life's complexities. Swift described her songwriting as confessional, but some critics deemed it dramatic. The dominant themes of her songs are love, relationships, and heartbreak; other themes include life lessons, friendships, family love, and fame. Reviews of Swift's songcraft were generally positive, with praise for her conversational lyrics and melodic songwriting with a tight verse–chorus form. Critics accused Swift of abandoning the legitimate roots of country music in favor of crossover success in the mainstream pop market. Criticism targeted her vocals as weak and strained compared to those of her contemporaries, but she was praised for refraining from correcting her pitch with Auto-Tune.

Music journalist Jody Rosen commented that by originating her musical career in Nashville, Swift made a "bait-and-switch maneuver... planting roots in loamy country soil, then pivoting to pop". She abandoned her country-music identity in 2014 upon releasing her synth-pop fifth studio album, 1989, which she described as her first "documented, official pop album". 1989 stylistic influence was the music of 1980s pop musicians Peter Gabriel and Annie Lennox. Her albums, Reputation (2017) and Lover (2019), have an upbeat pop production; the former incorporates hip hop and trap elements. Reviews of Swift's pop albums were generally positive, but critics complained that the pop-music production indicated Swift's pursue of mainstream success, which affected her authenticity as a songwriter. They deemed Swift's vocals monotonous and lacking a colorful timbre, but appreciated that she uses her voice to communicate her feelings to her audience and prioritize "intimacy over power and nuance". Some critics remarked that Swift's pop-music transition was necessary for Swift's artistic evolution, and observed that her songwriting remained consistent notwithstanding musical changes.

Swift recalibrated her artistry from pop to indie styles of rock and folk on her 2020 studio albums, Folklore and Evermore, whose production is more understated and subdued departing from the upbeat production. Inspired by romanticism and escapism, she abandoned the confessional songwriting and wrote songs from fictional characters' perspectives. Without referencing her personal life, she imposed emotions onto imagined characters and story arcs. In a feature for Rolling Stone, Swift said she embraced the new songwriting direction after she stopped worrying about commercial success. Music critics lauded Swift's new artistic direction and regarded her as a serious singer-songwriter. Awarding her with the Songwriter Icon Award in 2021, the National Music Publishers' Association remarked about Swift, "[No] one is more influential when it comes to writing music today." Reviews of Swift's vocals were more positive, finding them less nasal, richer, and more resonant. Music theory professor Alyssa Barna nonetheless felt that Swift's voice remains monotonous.

Songwriting and themes
they highlighted its vivid details and emotional engagement, which they found uncommon in a pop musician.

Swift's bridges have been underscored as one of the best aspects of her songs and earned her the title "Queen of Bridges" from Time. The Week deemed her the foremost female songwriter of modern times. Swift has also published two original poems: "Why She Disappeared" and "If You're Anything Like Me".

Videos and stage
Swift has collaborated with different directors to produce her music videos, and over time she has become more involved with writing and directing. She developed the concept and treatment for "Mean" and co-directed the music video for "Mine" with Roman White. In an interview, White said that Swift "was keenly involved in writing the treatment, casting and wardrobe. And she stayed for both the 15-hour shooting days, even when she wasn't in the scenes." From 2014 to 2018, Swift collaborated with director Joseph Kahn on eight music videos—four each from her albums 1989 and Reputation. Kahn has praised Swift's involvement in the craft. She worked with American Express for the "Blank Space" music video (which Kahn directed), and served as an executive producer for the interactive app AMEX Unstaged: Taylor Swift Experience, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Interactive Program in 2015.

Swift has her own production house, Taylor Swift Productions, Inc., which is credited with producing music videos for singles such as "Me!". She produced the music video for "Bad Blood" and won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video in 2016. She continued to co-direct music videos with the Lover singles—"Me!" with Dave Meyers, "You Need to Calm Down" (also serving as a co-executive producer) and "Lover" with Drew Kirsch —but also ventured into sole direction with the videos for "The Man" (which won her the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction), "Cardigan" and "Willow".

Public image
Swift's public image is closely tied with her musical image, personal life, and political identity.

Throughout Swift's country-music career, she never publicly disclosed her political views. Because of her apolitical stance and identity as a white, "all-American girl" image, she became an icon of the American conservative and was idolized on several alt-right forums, a phenomenon unbeknownst to Swift. Critics took issue with her silence on political matters, particularly her refraining from endorsing the 2016 presidential election.

Swift became a teen idol with her debut, and a pop icon following global fame. Billboard noted only few artists have had Swift's chart success, critical acclaim and fan support. Journalists have written about her polite and "open" personality, calling her a "media darling" and "a reporter's dream". Awarding her for her humanitarian endeavors in 2012, former First Lady Michelle Obama described Swift as an artist who "has rocketed to the top of the music industry but still keeps her feet on the ground, someone who has shattered every expectation of what a 22-year-old can accomplish". She has been labeled by the media as "America's Sweetheart" for her likability and girl-next-door image, although this title has faded from use since the release of Reputation as she faced several public disputes with celebrities.

Media outlets describe Swift as a savvy businessperson. Inc. described Swift as an "incredible flywheel" of social media buzz and virtual word-of-mouth. Analyzing her omnipresence, The Ringer writer Kate Knibbs said Swift is not just a pop act but "a musical biosphere unto herself", having achieved the kind of success "that turns a person into an institution, into an inevitability." Publications have often described Swift's works collectively as a musical or cinematic "universe", thanks to the easter eggs she frequently incorporates. Swift maintains an active presence on social media and a close relationship with her fans, to which some journalists attributed her success. YouGov surveys ranked Swift as the world's most admired female musician from 2019 to 2021.

Though Swift is reluctant to publicly discuss her personal life—believing it to be "a career weakness" —it is a topic of widespread media attention and tabloid speculation. Clash described Swift as a lightning rod for both praise and criticism. The New York Times asserted in 2013 that her "dating history has begun to stir what feels like the beginning of a backlash" and questioned whether she was in the midst of a "quarter-life crisis". Critics have highlighted the misogyny and slut-shaming Swift's life and career have been subject to. Glamour opined Swift is an easy target for male derision, triggering "fragile male egos". The Daily Telegraph said her antennae for sexism is crucial for the industry and that she "must continue holding people to account".

Swift's fashion appeal has been picked up by publications such as People, Elle, Vogue, and Maxim. Her street style has received acclaim. Vogue Australia regards her as an influential figure in sustainable fashion. She co-chaired the 2016 Met Gala. She has reinvented her image and style throughout her career, adopting certain aesthetics consistent with each album cycle. Consequence opined that Swift's looks evolved from "girl-next-door country act to pop star to woodsy poet over a decade". Swift popularized Polaroid motifs with 1989, and cottagecore with Folklore and Evermore.

Philanthropy
Swift is well known for her philanthropic efforts. She was ranked at number one on DoSomething's "Gone Good" list, and has received the "Star of Compassion" accolade from the Tennessee Disaster Services, The Big Help Award from the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for her "dedication to helping others" as well as "inspiring others through action". In 2008, she donated $100,000 to the Red Cross to help the victims of the Iowa flood. Swift has performed at charity relief events, including Sydney's Sound Relief concert. In response to the May 2010 Tennessee floods, Swift donated $500,000 during a telethon hosted by WSMV. In 2011, Swift used a dress rehearsal of her Speak Now tour as a benefit concert for victims of recent tornadoes in the U.S., raising more than $750,000. In 2016, she donated $1 million to Louisiana flood relief efforts and $100,000 to the Dolly Parton Fire Fund. Swift donated to the Houston Food Bank after Hurricane Harvey struck the city in 2017. In 2020, she donated $1 million for Tennessee tornado relief.

Swift is a supporter of the arts. She is a benefactor of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. She has donated $75,000 to Nashville's Hendersonville High School to help refurbish the school auditorium, $4 million to fund the building of a new education center at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, $60,000 to the music departments of six U.S. colleges, and $100,000 to the Nashville Symphony. Also a promoter of children's literacy, she has donated money and books to various schools around the country to improve education. In 2007, Swift partnered with the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police to launch a campaign to protect children from online predators. She has donated items to several charities for auction, including the UNICEF Tap Project and MusiCares. As recipient of the Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year in 2011, Swift donated $25,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Tennessee. In 2012, Swift participated in the Stand Up to Cancer telethon, performing the charity single "Ronan", which she wrote in memory of a four-year-old boy who died of neuroblastoma. She has also donated $100,000 to the V Foundation for Cancer Research and $50,000 to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Swift has encouraged young people to volunteer in their local communities as part of Global Youth Service Day.

Swift donated to fellow singer-songwriter Kesha to help with her legal battles against Dr. Luke and to actress Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation organization. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Swift donated to the World Health Organization and Feeding America and offered one of her signed guitars as part of an auction to raise money for the National Health Service. Swift performed "Soon You'll Get Better" during the One World: Together At Home television special, a benefit concert curated by Lady Gaga for Global Citizen to raise funds for the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. In 2018 and 2021, Swift donated to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. In addition to charitable causes, she has made donations to her fans several times for their medical or academic expenses.

Politics and activism
Swift refrained from discussing politics early in her career, fearing it might influence people. Critics took issue with her previously apolitical stance despite her wealth and celebrity. Swift publicly voiced her political opinion for the first time in the 2018 United States elections, when she endorsed Democratic candidates in her home state of Tennessee. Speaking with The Guardian for a 2019 profile, Swift said when she started her career in country music, she was advised against discussing politics by her label because of the impact of the Dixie Chicks controversy, but finally abandoned her apolitical stance after she became disillusioned with contemporary American politics and moved out of Big Machine.

She identifies as pro-choice and a feminist, and is one of the founding signatories of the Time's Up movement against sexual harassment and criticized the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973) and end federal abortion rights in 2022. Swift advocates for LGBT rights, and has called for the passing of the Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The New York Times cited her music video for the single "Mean" to note her as a musician having a positive impact on the LGBTQ+ commmnity. Swift performed during WorldPride NYC 2019 at the Stonewall Inn, frequently cited as the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement. Also in 2019, she donated to the LGBT organizations Tennessee Equality Project and GLAAD.

In August 2020, Swift urged her fans to check their voter registration ahead of elections, which resulted in 65,000 people registering to vote within a day after her post. She endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2020 United States presidential election. Swift has supported the March for Our Lives movement and gun control reform in the U.S. She is a vocal critic of white supremacy, racism, and police brutality in the country. In the wake of the George Floyd protests in 2020, she donated to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Black Lives Matter movement, called for the removal of Confederate monuments in Tennessee, and advocated for Juneteenth to become a national holiday.

Endorsements
During the Fearless era, Swift supported campaigns by Verizon Wireless and "Got Milk?". She launched a l.e.i. sundress range at Walmart, and designed American Greetings cards and Jakks Pacific dolls. She became a spokesperson for the National Hockey League's (NHL) Nashville Predators and Sony Cyber-shot digital cameras. She launched two Elizabeth Arden fragrances—Wonderstruck and Wonderstruck Enchanted. In 2013, she released the fragrances Taylor by Taylor Swift and Taylor by Taylor Swift: Made of Starlight, followed by her fifth fragrance, Incredible Things, in 2014.

Swift signed a multi-year deal with AT&T in 2016. She later headlined DirecTV's Super Saturday Night event on the eve of the 2017 Super Bowl. In 2019, Swift signed a multi-year partnership with Capital One, and released a sustainable clothing line with Stella McCartney. In 2022, in light of her philanthropic support for independent record stores during the COVID-19 pandemic, Record Store Day named Swift their first-ever global ambassador.