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👀 Look what you made me do: Swiftonomics

Ever heard of “Swiftonomics”? You know you’ve made it in life when you are big enough to impact global economies. 

What it is: Swiftonomics is the phenomenon where Taylor Swift’s presence in a country offers it a significant economic boost. The term was coined by Bloomberg reporter Augusta Saraiva as an example of the power of live music when it comes to consumer spending. 

Why it matters: Singapore is no stranger to Swiftonomics, it seems. The government reportedly offered subsidies of up to S$4 million for each Eras Tour concert here, in exchange for the star not performing elsewhere in South-east Asia, claimed Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin earlier this month. 

Whatever her reasons for choosing Singapore as her only concert stop in South-east Asia, it is clear that Swift is one savvy businesswoman who knows what she wants.

❤️ Why fans have a Love Story with Taylor Swift

It’s not easy being a pop star, but it’s probably even more difficult to be one who is constantly ridiculed for writing love songs and having her professional identity crafted as “the one who always writes about her exes”.

Hands up, those who remember her public feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian back in 2016. This all started with an illegally recorded and edited phone call leading to many people turning on her (fans or otherwise). This sent her into hiding, during which she moved abroad, didn’t leave her rental house for a year and was afraid to take any phone calls.

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 “Make no mistake – my career was taken away from me,” the singer shared in an interview with TIME magazine, which named her Person of the Year for 2023. “That took me down psychologically to a place I’ve never been before.”

“For a period of time, it wasn’t cool to like Swift,” shares Thrive’s very own community manager (and Swiftie!) Cheryl Tang, as part of a desperate attempt to educate me on all things TayTay.

Years later, with the success of her next few albums Lover (2019) and Evermore (2020), everyone now wants a piece of her Eras Tour. What happened to all those haters back then? Who knows, they may very well be among the 14 million people who were unsuccessful in securing tickets to her latest show. (Hey Google, play Karma by Taylor Swift.)

Swift’s tumultuous professional journey made clear to me a couple of things: First, there will always be people who don’t like you for various reasons. And that’s fine. Focus on your tribe; those who actually know you and care about you. You don’t have to be friends with everyone.

Second, sometimes the only way out is through. Swift’s persistence through her many “eras” showed how despite all the criticism she endured, she has had the last laugh.

👧🏻 You’re on your own, kid

Swift, for all that she has gone through, appears to have emerged stronger and better than ever. Dare we say it, she’s absolutely thriving 😊🌱.

The singer is known for being genuine and relatable, and these attributes came through clearly in her commencement address to New York University’s Class of 2022. Here are some things that stood out to me: 

• “You don’t always get all the things in the bag that you selected from the menu on the delivery service that is life. You get what you get.” 

• “Cringe is unavoidable over a lifetime…I’m a big advocate for not hiding your enthusiasm for things.”

• “Life can be heavy, especially when you try to carry it all at once. You can’t carry all things, all grudges … Decide what is yours to hold and let the rest go.” 

• “Losing things doesn’t just mean losing.”

It takes some deliberate reflection, patience and many lived experiences to come to such conclusions. Perhaps Swift’s ultimate superpower is how she hasn’t lost some of her best qualities since she released her first album at the age of 17. 

She has given so many people comfort with her songs, and seeing her triumph over the odds has given us all a bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, things will be alright in the end. And isn’t that the message the world needs right now? I may not be a Swiftie, but I think I get it.

TL;DR

• Swift’s impact is not be sniffed at, with Swiftonomics and her sold-out global concert tour

• People will always find reasons to dislike you – you’ve got to focus on what matters

• Life is hard, and people may let you down, but you’re stronger than you think 💪