A sure picture might come to thoughts while you consider a Taylor Swift fan — one in every of a teenage woman coated in friendship bracelets, sporting outfits that signify any of the pop star’s eras.
In actuality, Swift’s viewers comes from all walks of life. They’re mothers who’ve discovered neighborhood on Twitter, Gen X-ers and Boomers who discover inspiration in Swift’s lyrics and even folks of their 90s who’ve discovered pleasure in dancing to her music.
“I believe we take an virtually parental satisfaction in her brilliance as an artist, her work ethic, her monetary acumen, her emotional genius and her kindness,” writer Paul Slansky, a 73-year-old self-proclaimed “Senior Swiftie” who’s written about older Swift followers, instructed Yahoo Leisure.
As Slansky defined, the time period “Senior Swiftie” is a label given to older Swift followers, although it holds totally different meanings for folks relying on their interpretation.
For some, it describes a fan that’s adopted the artist since she launched her self-titled debut album in 2006, who prides themself in witnessing all of Swift’s eras as she developed from nation star to pop royalty. For others, it merely describes Swift followers of their 30s, 40s and past who’ve just lately taken an curiosity in Swift’s music.
Some millennials like Abby, 31, have discovered energy of their “Senior Swiftie” standing. The mother of 1 began the Twitter deal with @SeniorSwifties in 2021, as a nod for fogeys who love to speak about all issues Swift.
“After becoming a member of stan Twitter [communities for Swift] a couple of years in the past, I observed shortly there have been a couple of youthful people that had been calling anybody over the age of 25 outdated, so we went with it and began enjoying into the sport, calling ourselves ‘senior,’” she instructed Yahoo Leisure.
“Whenever you get to bond with quite a few different those who have comparable pursuits after which discover folks in comparable life levels — shout out to the #SwiftieMoms — you actually really feel like you slot in,” she defined.
The ‘Taylor Impact’ takes flight
Slansky first found Swift after seeing her Nov. 2021 efficiency of “All Too Nicely (10 Minute Model)” on Saturday Night time Dwell. He was so impressed that he “instantly purchased each album and went by means of them chronologically.”
“I discovered that all of [the albums] was stuffed with nice songs and he or she simply saved rising,” he defined. “Since I discovered her, I believe 90% of the songs I take heed to are hers. She rejuvenated my curiosity in music. There are occasions after I want I’d been on the experience from the start, however then I wouldn’t have been capable of have that explosive all-at-once revelation.”
The love for Swift has infiltrated retirement houses as properly.
Each morning, Connie Chevalier, life enrichment director on the Primrose Retirement Neighborhood in Sedalia, Mo., leads a Zumba class with residents of their 90s. Calling themselves the “Primrose Sedalia Chiefs Cheerleaders,” they carry out choreography to music whereas sitting in chairs.
Lately, the dancers went viral forward of Tremendous Bowl LVIII after Chevalier posted a video on her private Fb on Jan. 19. The quick clip confirmed the group dancing to Tech N9ne’s “Crimson Kingdom” as they cheered on Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce.
“I’d name myself a Senior Swiftie,” Chevalier, 63, instructed Yahoo Leisure. “Taylor has gotten highly regarded now, even folks in our age group know her. To carry her into our music vocabulary, and dance to it, is fairly cool.”
‘It isn’t such as you grow old and cease feeling feelings’
As musicologist Nate Sloan instructed Yahoo Leisure in October 2023, Swift’s 2012 album, Crimson, exemplified Swift’s pivot from nation to pop, most notably in songs like “We Are By no means Ever Getting Again Collectively.” Her transition from nation artist to pop celebrity was totally realized with the 2014 launch of her subsequent album, 1989, which Swift credit as her first “official pop album.”
Suzanne Ely, who’s 53 years outdated, didn’t recognize Swift’s pop sound till the discharge of Crimson.
“The nation stuff did nothing for me, however when Crimson got here out, I used to be like, ‘Oh, sure,’” Ely instructed Yahoo Leisure. “No matter what she does and what she may signify for lots of people, [Swift] is simply proficient. You possibly can’t take that away from her.”
A self-described “Senior Swiftie” herself, Ely stated listening to Swift’s music takes her again to her angsty teenage years, when music supplied an escape from a world that appeared “too large and so sophisticated.”
“It’s that feeling of being alone in my bed room. I might put a report on and simply really feel all the things. I can kind of launch [my stress] and get some kind of aid, and that saved me. Emotionally, that’s how I coped with life,” she stated. “It is the identical factor with Taylor. It would not change. It isn’t such as you grow old and cease feeling feelings.”
Equally, Sara Reiner, 33, has adopted Swift’s profession for the reason that singer, now 34, was 17, although she didn’t catch the Taylor fever till considerably just lately.
“Whereas I relate to Taylor intently in age, I might see myself being a senior Swiftie, that means the brand new era [of fans] now discovering her,” Reiner instructed Yahoo Leisure. “After I went to her ‘Eras Tour,’ I noticed folks of all ages — older of their 50s to the 4-year-olds who simply needed to commerce bracelets. There’s most likely a minimum of one tune everybody can relate to whether or not they acknowledge it or not.”
“She delivers this, like, pseudo-personal message to her followers by means of her music,” stated Ely. “When was there ever a cut-off date when anyone might be this a lot, all over the place?”
