Roger-Luc Chayer (Photo: Jessica Christian / San Francisco Chronicle via Associated Press)
The new pop star who is taking the world by storm is not as elegant and pleasant as one might think…
One must be crazy or downright insane to dare write a critique of singer Taylor Swift while she is raking in billions from her albums and tours, and is the most in-demand pop singer in the world. But despite appearances, Taylor Swift has a dark side that I find extremely off-putting.
Taylor Swift: The Beginnings
I discovered the singer on American television, like everyone else, long after her debut at the age of 10. Week after week, she won each challenge, eliminating the other contestants with her absolutely unique voice and, above all, with a marketing strategy designed to maximize the exploitation of her particular traits by the end of the competition.
She made a meteoric start to her career, and her rise has been continuous, filled with success and record-breaking achievements. Her fans’ affection also stemmed from her defense of more modest artists against large distribution companies like Spotify, which, at the time, paid only a few millionths of a cent, yes, you read that right, $0.000125 per downloaded track. I know this firsthand; as a classical musician, even after selling over 15,000 tracks via Spotify, I sometimes earn only 94 cents, less than a dollar—a scandal.
The Wikipedia site publishes a detailed biography of her career here
(Picture: Taylor Swift at the Grammys in 2024 from ABC News)
In February 2024, Taylor Swift won, after a very long evening, the title of Album of the Year, a highly coveted award for any artist seeking success. Based solely on CD sales and download figures, she is undeniably the one who tops the charts in the hearts of her audience. Let’s not forget that the Grammys only concern recordings. Her concerts are just as popular; she has generated over a billion dollars with her most recent tour.
But it was during the Grammy Awards ceremony in February that her darker side truly emerged and sadly caught my attention. In a room filled with stars, music celebrities, producers, partners, and in front of an audience of several million viewers, Taylor behaved like a complete fool—not once, not twice, but throughout the evening and even during the presentation of her award.
Seated in the front row, close to the stage and at the center of the room, Taylor Swift would get up and start dancing whenever there was a musical excerpt from a category being honored. This was done at the expense of those seated around and behind her, who could no longer see the performance. Even worse, she continually watched the screen broadcasting the televised images to ensure she was the center of attention. And yet, she was not the only winner at this prestigious event, which aimed to honor a multitude of productions. There were 91 categories awarded, including Taylor Swift among the 91 winners!
(Picture: Celine Dion et Rene-Charles Angelil from City News Montreal)
The Disdain Toward Céline and Taylor Swift’s Act of Contrition
A major surprise awaited the public for the presentation of the highlight of the evening, Album of the Year. Céline Dion, still suffering from illness, took the stage to the delight of everyone present, accompanied by her son René-Charles, to present and hand over the trophy to Taylor Swift.
After speaking a little and expressing her emotion at being present that evening, Céline Dion announced that the big winner of the night was Taylor Swift. And like a poorly raised child, with a certain vulgarity, Swift rushed onto the stage, showing a truly exaggerated surprise. She then grabbed the trophy without even looking at Céline, without greeting her or saying hello, without thanking her for being there under difficult circumstances. Céline remained with noble elegance as she witnessed the affront from the winner, who had eyes only for herself and her own world, without regard for the others present and without acknowledging that she had just received a trophy from Céline Dion, who is herself a six-time Grammy winner from 1999 to 2008.
(Picture: Celine Dion and Taylor Swift at Grammys 2024 from CBS)
There were strong reactions from the audience who, between applause and cheers, let out “Hooooooooooo” when they saw Céline being sidelined, stepping back from Taylor to give her all the space. It seemed that this was exactly what the starlet wanted—to be seen entirely, as if nothing else mattered.
That night, my opinion of Taylor Swift changed. Not because of her artistic achievements, her voice, or her public interventions to improve the plight of artists in general, but due to her own behavior, which disappointed me and which I do not wish to see again.
Certainly, backstage after the event, Taylor posed for photos with Céline to show the public that everything was fine and that she was “grateful” to the international diva, but it was too late; the damage was done. Exit Taylor Swift!