Following the announcement in January that Taylor Swift will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the global pop star recently broke down her songwriting process in an interview with the New York Times. In this interview, Taylor highlighted Sombr as a rising artist whose work she admires. But the framing of her specific comment raises a larger conversation about how writers are validated in the music industry.
Taylor stated that she admires Sombr’s writing because his lyrics are “so intensely confessional.” From the breakthrough artist’s hit “undressed,” Taylor cited this line as one of her favorites: “I don’t want another man’s child to have the eyes of the girl I can’t forget.”
This line is heartbreaking, yes, but it’s also not the most groundbreaking lyric of all time. What it does emphasize, however, is that Taylor Swift and now Sombr are both known for featuring themes of romance and heartbreak in their work.
If Taylor had continued along this line of supporting younger artists with writing styles similar to her own, I wouldn’t take much issue with her quote. But it’s what she said next in her interview that really put me off.
“Having a male artist say stuff like that is really good for the cause of women to be able to say stuff,” Taylor elaborated. She went on to criticize those who refer to her own “confessional songwriting” as simply being messy. She concludes the thought with this statement: “I think the more male artists that are messy, or emotionally complex, or confessional, or upset, the happier I am.”
Let’s break this down. On the one hand, we have Taylor calling out a very real double standard in which women are often judged more harshly for their emotional expressions, especially in relationships. Taylor has certainly faced her fair share of this criticism throughout her career. So it’s understandable that she finds comfort in other artists who write similarly to her.
On the other hand, this globally successful female pop star seems drawn to external validation through a male lens. It disheartens me how Taylor emphasizes that male artists, in particular, expressing emotional vulnerability is what legitimizes this kind of songwriting. Her statement inadvertently overlooks the work of many other female songwriters who often face the same criticism she does.
Sombr, while viral in his own right, is also far from the first male artist to write in this “confessional” style.
Musicians like Noah Kahan, Hozier, and even Taylor’s former collaborator Kendrick Lamar all come to mind as artists known for emotional passion and intensity in their writing.
Taylor Swift has every right to continue writing songs about her relationships if that’s what she wants. Will there be listeners who crave more diverse subject matter in her work? Yes, but final decisions about songs should be made by the artist alone—free from outside influence and voices of external validation.
If society is going to move beyond this double standard about women and emotional expression in songwriting, the solution isn’t just going to come from more men participating in it. When we convince ourselves that men have to pave the way before we can create the art we want, we reinforce the system that devalues us rather than dismantling it.
Instead, we need to uplift each other as female artists and creatives, standing firm in the belief that our emotional honesty elevates our work rather than devalues it. In a world where millions of young girls and aspiring artists will likely see Taylor Swift’s recent interview, I want them all to know that their experiences and artistic voices do not need anyone’s justification to matter.
Featured image via “Taylor Swift Speak Now Tour” by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity Photographer / CC BY-SA 2.0
