folklore

In full isolation like the rest of the world, Folklore shows the new musical turning point that Swift decided to sincerely grasp and relate to, focusing mainly on introspection. A deeply human album that could convince a listener unfamiliar with her music to let herself be immersed in it

Whether you are a fan or not, Taylor Swift has not only established herself as a simple superstar, she has always finally, throughout her career, been able to improve in all her different periods, evolving towards other horizons, despite a few missteps, and this is the case again today. First of all Folklore shows that it was cleverly thought out while keeping this spirit of authenticity. This is a very important factor in her success. It is also a story of destiny. Like all superstars, Taylor who had released Lover was supposed to perform on a giant tour, unfortunately the pandemic changed the plans. Maybe it was a good for a bad in the end. Apart from the very serious sanitary context, this unexpected brake looked at first sight like a bad stroke of fate. Yet Taylor and her team were able to take this event in their favor. She left to isolate herself like everyone else, a particularly intense, stressful and logically very introspective event that allowed her to start writing, remembering and thinking about things that they probably wouldn't have had time to do in the rush of a promotion/album preparation process

Accompanied by prestigious guests, Taylor Swift therefore opted for a surprise and rather discreet outing. A fair choice, finally not risky in view of her status. Taylor and her team worked hard to create and implement a natural and indie aesthetic that was cleverly designed to accentuate the real thing. It's important not to rely on the surprise effect, over a few months the album had time to build and finalize. Folklore offers remarkable visuals, which has the gift to embellish the work as a whole. Personally not being a fan of Swift, I must say that I am pleasantly surprised by the content of Folklore. The production is masterfully mastered, without any erasures. Like a few light things floating in the wind on the first approach, it is actually much deeper than that. The writing here is much more interesting and brilliant than on her 2 previous albums. A maturity and a context that plays in its favour. It's also an album that lyrically attracts my attention more. When you think about it, Taylor Swift has managed in her own way to make a Lana Del Rey, in spirit and form. If one focuses solely on the interpretation of Swift, one is not blinded by the charming aesthetics of Folklore. It's clear that it's been a long time since I've found it so effective. However, it's also important to point out that she has been able to build on her previous work in terms of vocals, refining and moving in a more folk direction, abandoning her electronic musical antics

To conclude, last but not least the beautiful narrations and soft melodies that make you travel, Folklore is a pleasant surprise, which also questions the way we make music. If Taylor had carried out "her projects", she might never have released an album of this type. Admittedly, it's just a guess, but the process of working is something invisible to us listeners, but it has a colossal impact on the direction and the rendering that the artist offers us