‘Pop music is very often that verse course verse, emotions. Country music is action. All of her music is very much actions. Country and singer-songwriter styles are so interconnected and so much about the narrative and the story, we’re moving from place to place. She’s a very literal song-writer in that way’ – Brittany Spanos.
Taylor Swift’s concerts have shifted the economic climate of entire cities; she has prompted US Senate hearings about major ticketing reforms and industry-defining conversations about copyright and ownership; and her public and private life have driven tabloid fodder for decades (Kimye drama, anyone?). The pop icon’s genre-bending career and reputation have made waves across the globe, and her cultural influence will be felt for generations. In this episode, Rolling Stone journalist Brittany Spanos and host Brodie Lancaster delve into the mythology and influence of Taylor Swift. At this exclusive Melbourne event held at The Wheeler Centre, Spanos analysed Swift’s meteoric ascent to become one of the most celebrated and prolific musical artists of all time, and her ongoing impact on fandom, popular culture and the music industry.
Brittany Spanos’s visit to Melbourne was part of the University of Melbourne’s Swiftposium conference. This was her only public event.
It was recorded on Tuesday 13 February 2024 at The Wheeler Centre.
Featured music is ‘Love Story’ by Taylor Swift.