For years now, Taylor Swift has occupied a level of fame all her own, rewriting record books with a regularity that turns milestones into routine. During an appearance on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Wednesday night, Swift was asked who she turns to for advice, which led to a brief discussion about career longevity and why Swift has no interest in leaving the spotlight.
Everyone's a critic, and that should be fine. Unless you happen to have said something about Taylor Swift. It might seem obvious, but it's OK not to like things. It's fine not to like a presidential candidate or the last Mission Impossible movie (bit slow to kick off, I felt). What is not OK is the way people nowadays reach for their digital pitchforks and torches if you don't like what they like.
In her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, Taylor Swift invites us into the psychological backstage of fame. One of the album's more provocative tracks, "Actually Romantic," has been widely interpreted as a diss track. While fans and critics alike often have a hard time reaching agreement on who Swift references in her bops, many believe "Actually Romantic" targets fellow pop icon Charli XCX. The track highlights Charli's reported drug use and likens Charli's critical attention to Taylor to infatuation.
Ms. Lumley criticized the statue of Molly Malone, stating, "What is this brazen hussy doing with her dress all down to here and the big tits out? The statue is wrong. Get the statue changed!"
