5 Things Taylor Swift Should Have Addressed on 'Reputation' but Didn't
Her "bad rep" was about a lot more than Kanye West.
![Fashion model, Clothing, Fashion, Thigh, Beauty, Leg, Model, Undergarment, Abdomen, Fashion show,](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LWMBR2EhuZ6nDDENMFt2NL-415-80.jpg)
Reputation, the latest album from Taylor Swift, was presumably inspired by the hit that her public image took when Kim Kardashian released unflattering recordings of a phone call between Taylor and Kanye West last year.
The Kimye drama *is* a perfect starting point for a "redemption" album—but considering the other moments fans have called out in recent years, it’s surprisingly light on clearing the air.
Reputation mostly splits its time between shading Kimye and praising Joe Alwyn, and even Taylor's very public breakups with Calvin Harris and Tom Hiddleston get little aural real estate. Here's what I was hoping to hear more of.
Fall of 2016 saw a slew of celebrities get vocally and visibly involved in the political process, supporting candidates and encouraging their fans to get out and vote.
After a period of complete silence about the election, Taylor did post on Instagram about the fact that she was voting:
Some people interpreted her sweater as confirmation that she was casting a vote for Hillary Clinton (see this post by Lena Dunham for explanation of the theory), but that's a far cry from stating her political stance outright. Taylor is not required to be open about her politics, of course, but it's also fair to question her decision to remain silent in what was a particularly contentious and consequential presidential battle.
Just this month, the ACLU released a statement admonishing Taylor for what it saw as an attempt to silence constitutionally protected free speech after the singer's legal team demanded that a blogger retract a post about Swift's status among white supremacists. Whether she likes it or not, Taylor's politics (or her perceived political apathy) are a part of her reputation, and a song addressing or at least acknowledging that (even if the song did not address her personal politics) would have been impactful.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
The widely-held belief that her relationship with Tom Hiddleston was a publicity stunt.
Yes, "Getaway Car" makes it clear that Taylor saw Tom as an easy exit from what was apparently a failing relationship with Calvin Harris. But Taylor isn't shy about calling out the "liars," the "haters," and the media at large (many of whom reported theories that the relationship was less than authentic). While Taylor may have addressed rumors on the whole in "Getaway Car," she was mum on the larger issue: that there are people who believe she blatantly faked a relationship for publicity.
Her sometimes problematic feminism.
Long before the Kimye drama, Taylor was on the receiving end of criticism for being something of a poster child for white feminism. For years, feminist critiques of Taylor have mounted, taking aim at everything from her music videos to her mostly tall/white/thin girl squad.
There's obviously no one "right way" to be a feminist, but when you've built a brand (one marketed primarily to young women and girls) on female empowerment, it's certainly worth taking a beat, considering your critics, and using your platform to respond.
The Katy Perry feud.
As anyone with WiFi knows, this rift goes particularly deep. After the grenade that was "Bad Blood" and a cryptic interview with Rolling Stone, Taylor has more or less stayed mum on the whole thing. Katy, on the other hand, addressed it directly during the press blitz promoting her latest album Witness.
Katy eventually proclaimed the end of the feud to be in Taylor's court. Given the, um, interesting timing of Taylor's return to Spotify (the day Witness was released, in case you forgot), it doesn't seem like she's quite ready to bury the hatchet. But...why? Why did this sleight smart so much?
Her own role in her reputation.
From the moment "Look What You Made Me Do" dropped, it was clear that Reputation wasn't going to be a mea culpa. Taylor’s approach to addressing her public-image shift was instead more anger-based and outward-facing. Listen, anger’s fine—but it’s also not the whole picture, and fans would surely pore over lyrics that told us the rest.
RELATED STORIES
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Zendaya Delivers a Podium-Worthy Pre-Olympics Gown
She's shining brighter than the City of Lights.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
'Love Island USA' Star Kenny Rodriguez Is Not "Playing Around" with His and JaNa Craig's Romance Outside of the Villa
The prince and princess of season 6 have remained the cutest couple since filming wrapped.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
So Many Celebrity Beauty Favorites Are in Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale
Shop Jennifer Lopez, Meghan Markle, and Kaia Gerber's beloved picks.
By Julia Marzovilla Published
-
Tanner Adell Says Lainey Wilson Gave Her the Best Advice About Being a Woman in Country Music
“The girls gotta have each others’ backs.”
By Sadie Bell Published
-
How the 'Twisters' Soundtrack Rides Country Music's Mainstream Storm
The summer blockbuster is blowing into theaters with storm-wrangling sequences and killer needle drops.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
The 30 Celebrity Memoirs That Are Actually Worth Reading
Britney Spears, Demi Moore, Jessica Simpson, and more drop some serious bombshells in these pages.
By Andrea Park Published
-
No One Is Doing Bratty, Bad Girl Pop Stardom Like Charli XCX
With her new album, the British artist is filling the void.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
How Victoria Justice Learned to Use Her Voice on the Set of 'Victorious'
The former Nickelodeon star recalls what it was like to speak up to adults on set as a child.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
Moonheads, Assemble: Here's Everything to Know About August Moon from 'The Idea of You'
The fictional boy band from the new rom-com was inspired by BTS, *NSYNC, and One Direction.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
The 65 Best Musical Movies of All Time
All the dance numbers! All the show tunes!
By Amanda Mitchell Last updated
-
The Unstoppable Alia Bhatt
Bollywood’s silver-screen darling is both at the top of her game and just getting started.
By Neha Prakash Published