Eva Rinaldi
Does being a Taylor Swift fan equal organized religion? Luther students discuss this in Swiftie Spirituality. Photo by Eva Rinaldi/Public Domain.
Does Taylor Swift make you feel spiritual? Can the Swifties community be considered a religion? But what does it mean to be a Swiftie?
Both Faith and Life Council members and Swifties, also known as Taylor Swift fans, came together to discuss these questions and what Taylor Swift means to them at Swifties Spirituality on February 21st. We talked about it. The group met in the Melanson Room of the Faith and Life Center. Faith and Life Council facilitator Marshall Laidlaw (’24) organized the event and pointed out the connections he saw between Swift and spirituality.
“I’m a Swiftie and someone who studies religion. I think there’s a lot of spiritual connections in my connection to Taylor Swift and the underlying spiritual themes of a lot of her albums. I want to talk to people about it,” Laidlaw said.
The conference began with the group defining what religion and spirituality are and how they differ. The elements taken up as religion were creeds, beliefs, rituals, community, norms, morals, and theology. Elements of spirituality discussed included individualism, self-practice, nonconformism, and a higher purpose.
“Religion means having a community, and you are part of a community of beliefs,” Laidlaw said. “Spirituality, on the other hand, can be more personal, more based on self-practice, and created by yourself. And Taylor Swift is both.”
The group discussed how Taylor Swift and her community have elements of both religion and spirituality. Examples include how invested people are in her and creating theories about her life, creating rituals like dressing like her at concerts, shouting chants, and exchanging bracelets. or digging deeper into her lyrics to understand their meanings and hidden messages. For example, Laidlaw said her favorite album is “reputation” It’s about the agency.
“[‘Reputation’] It’s both a wonderful image and a work that reclaims one’s identity and autonomy,” Laidlaw said.
Gelstin Halvorson (’24), a member of the Faith and Life Council and a “huge Swift fan,” also enjoys talking about the underlying messages in Swift’s music. When Laidlaw brought up the idea for the group, he reportedly screamed with excitement.
“I thought, ‘I could talk about Taylor Swift forever,’ because there’s so much to unpack,” Halverson said. “I think there’s a lot for everyone to enjoy, even if you’re not a fan of her music. [There are] It’s an underlying message about femininity, yourself, and your identity. ”
Those in attendance spoke about the connection between her music and their own lives. Many people talked about how relatable Swift’s music is. Some believed that Swift’s music reflected similar trials they had been through.
The meeting ended with the group analyzing Swift’s song “Holy Ground” and reading an article from Christian Century Magazine titled “Taylor Swift Worships at Church.”
Overall, the group felt that Swift’s music not only connects people to others, but also to themselves. This resonated with the group because of Swift’s similarities with religion. Halverson pointed to Swift’s recent ability to forge new connections with families and create opportunities to bring people together in new ways.
“Taylor Swift is a way for young women to feel accepted in spaces where they haven’t been accepted before,” Halverson said.
“Swiftie Spirituality” hopes to meet every other week and is looking for more members. The next meeting will be held on March 6th from 6:30pm to 7:30pm in the Melanchthon Room (CFA 205) wheremistress” album.
