In pop music, we often see singers firing back at rumors, calling out exes, or just flipping off the media for the wrongful portrayal of them, but rarely do we see artists embracing the persona that was created for them, that’s exactly what Taylor Swift did in her smash hit “Blank Space.”
“Blank Space” is from Swift’s crossover album to pop, “1989.” The song is one of Swift’s best-selling singles to date and the lyrics translate Swift channeling the “crazy ex-girlfriend” persona the media labeled her as.
The pop banger is full of one-liners with great comedic timing such as “Darling I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream,” or “Got a long list of ex-lovers, they’ll tell you I’m insane.” The music video for the song is also as over the top as it could be, which goes to show the hilarious depiction of Swift’s reputation.
The simple production from Max Martin and Johan Shellback also allowed the lyrics to shine. Each sentence Swift wrote cut deep like a knife, and she changed her vocal styles to match the emotional aspect of the character she portrayed.
“Blank Space” is perhaps one of the unique songs because it didn’t try to victimize the artist, instead she played along with the game and took the power back. Swift’s sharp wit and writing in the song prove once again why she is the best pop songwriter of this generation.
