This week we are talking about her.

After a year-long saga to get tickets for The Eras Tour, I finally saw Taylor Swift live. Naturally, I dressed in an outfit inspired by one of her albums and naturally, I brought friendship bracelets to share with friends. If you follow me on social media - and nowadays, who doesn’t? - you probably knew all of this already. But today, I want to share something I don't often talk about: Why do I like Taylor Swift so much?

The main reason I started to enjoy Taylor Swift when I was little is that she doesn't just identify as a singer who writes her own songs, but as a songwriter who sings. As you guys know, I've been writing songs since I was young, and although I love singing them, I believe my songwriting abilities are far more developed than my singing. I've always identified with Taylor in this sense because she proved that you don't have to be the best singer of our generation to be a good lyricist and tell your story through music. She also put songwriting on the map when no one else was doing so.

I've also always agreed with her stance on art and the valorization of artists in our society. You might not remember, but when Spotify broke barriers with streaming, she was totally against it due to the way they didn't pay artists and the production chain. She took years to put back her work on the platform and only did so when they changed their policies after Apple Music emerged, paying more royalties to composers and artists. Similarly, I've always been against consuming media illegally and have almost never done so. Up until today, I struggle to understand how people can condemn theft while being okay with watching movies or listening to music they didn't pay for. Why shouldn't art be recognized as valuable? And why does its immaterial nature give people the right to take money from hardworking individuals in the industry? Taylor was the only one addressing these issues at the time, and I completely agreed with her. This is just one of the many ways she has shaped the music industry that people might not be aware of.

I obviously enjoy her songs - which is an important part of liking a singer - and I draw a lot of inspiration from her writing style for my own songs. But more than that, she has managed to reinvent herself while maintaining her identity throughout her career, standing up to critics - which have never been few.

Lastly, I also appreciate how she doesn't aim to be sexy. While everyone else is trying to be sexy all the time, doing sexy dances, taking sexy photos, looking sexy, having foxing eyes and big dick energy, she's said time and again that her goal in life is not to be sexy, and I think this is a great example for the younger generation.

I didn't want to make this post just an ode to Taylor Swift, but rather to explain to you guys the reasons why I like her so much - after all, this is the "What About Me" section. In fact, her biography was the first biography I’ve ever read it.

Now, I'd love to hear from you. Who are your favorite artists, and why do you admire them? How have they influenced your life or your perspective on art and culture?

With love,

Micael.