The first time I heard Taylor Swift I was 11. It was summer 2009. I was watching Hannah Montana and this girl came on in the barn scene, singing some song about Crazier. I remember playing it over and over and over until mum told me to stop (I didn’t). I reminded myself to listen to it again on the internet, which I did but forgot about it too soon (I was about to go to a new school). I fell in love with the song and wanted to listen to it again but had forgotten the title and song. I just remembered feeling so comfortable with it even though I didn’t know more than 3 words English, I understood.
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The first time I saw a Taylor Swift music video I was barely 14. It was September 2011. I was browsing YouTube, listening to Hannah Montana, found this song called “Crazier”. The girl seemed vaguely familiar so I listened to it. That was the song I’d been looking for!! So I listened to it the whole day. I remember the next day finding out her name and going on Google to search for her. I remember screaming to my mum ‘she has more music mum!’ and then I had to clean up my room. So I put on Love Story (I remember it like it was yesterday), memorizing it. Then You Belong With Me and so many others and I was so happy because she understood me. She felt like I felt, even though we were such a different age and I’d never even been in love.
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The first time I heard her music in school I was 14. I was bullied. I put in my ear-buds, almost crying, and she calmed down when we weren’t allowed to text (which meant mum couldn’t calm me down). So I listened to her soothing voice, memorizing her lyrics, tapping my foot along with her beat. I was so bummed she had been here (in the Netherlands) half a year ago and I hadn’t even heard of her then. I remember being 15 and crying in class because my friends had ditched me for some stupid bitch who bullied me constantly. I put on her music and she calmed me down. I found new friends from a sports’ club and when I got home, her music lifted me up even more.
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The first time I saw her livechat was the RED livechat August 2012; I wasn’t there in person but I sat behind my computer almost screaming from happiness. I wasn’t there physically but I was there in spirit and that’s what mattered. I almost cried in happiness when she announced her new album and sang. She sounded so beautiful and wise.
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The first time I’ll see her live will be in June 2015. I was in school when I found out about a ‘1989 world tour’. It was the 4th of November; the day after my Ed Sheeran concert. I remember my heart beating a mile a minute like I’d just ran around half the globe, waiting for the list to appear on my phone. Then I read ‘Amsterdam 21st June’. My eyes filled with tears and I had to bite back my screaming and sobbing. I still had an hour to go in school (including filming for some documentary) and I couldn’t stop smiling. I couldn’t stop announcing I’d get tickets, no matter what, and I’d finally see her live. Finally after 4 years.
Taylor has helped me so much. I’ve had some rough patches in live, but she was always there to help me stitch back up. I’m not completely okay yet, I still have my issues and that’s fine. I’m getting there. But I’m finally getting the education I’ve wanted for so long and I’m trying to be for people like Taylor is for me. I can’t sing, I can’t dance, I’m not a poet, but I’m going to be a social worker to help people. And damn you if you say I can’t. Because Taylor could and she helped me, then so will I.
Thank you Taylor, for everything you’ve done for me and others. @taylorswift
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