Sorry that this isn’t being posted at its usual time; tragic, I know. Well, I hope you enjoyed last week’s playlist “sixteen and thriving.” Now that we’ve been at this for a few weeks, you may have noticed a recurrent theme on all of my playlists: Taylor Swift.

Anyone that has ever known me knows that I absolutely love Tay. Yeah, that’s right. Not only are we on a first name basis, we are on a nickname basis. Now I know what you’re thinking. “Really Pilar? You’re openly confessing your love for Taylor Swift?” And yeah, I am.

Now I understand why some people don’t like her. But to that end, if your reason for not liking her is because she’s had a lot of boyfriends who she then writes song about, I have two things to say to you. First, you’re slut shaming and you should be ashamed of yourself. She, and every other female in the world is allowed to have as many or as few boyfriends as she chooses. Second, do you criticize male artists for writing about their ex-girlfriends? Didn’t think so.

But I digress, this week’s playlist is called “TAYLOR THE QUEEN,” because she is my queen. All that’s on there are Taylor Swift songs. Every single song she’s ever been on is in there, all in one convenient place. You’re welcome.

You may be confused why I, a 16 year old high schooler am still in love with Taylor Swift. It may seem immature or lame to you. But she was my first love. The first music I ever really listened to. And when I say listened, I mean listened. Her lyrics and songwriting engulfed me and I never truly loved music until listening to her. The most amazing part about it all is that as I have grown and developed a broader music taste, she has also grown and branched out into different genres of music as well. She will forever hold a special place in my heart. To this day, my most marketable skill is my ability to name any Taylor Swift song after hearing only the first five seconds. I guess there are some things you just never grow out of.

Favorite song: All Too Well, Taylor Swift. Is this basic? Maybe. But have you ever listened to this song? First of all, it tells a sad, beautiful and tragic love story. From the first date to the bitter break up, this song perfectly captures all of the emotions of being in love. Plus, the guitar and piano are absolutely beautiful. If you ever need a good cry, just listen to this song.  

Hidden gem: Tied Together with a Smile: Taylor Swift. Off of her freshman album, this song often gets overlooked. Being the Taylor fan that I am, I read an article where she explained the meaning behind this song. 16 years old at the time, Swift wrote this about one of her highschool friends that was struggling with anorexia. The song maturely addresses the topic and perfectly captures the insecurities all high schoolers face. With beautiful instrumentals and even more beautiful lyrics, everyone should take a few minutes to listen to this song. If only she would write a song for me.

Artist to watch for: Taylor Swift. That’s right I said it. Sure, she’s won over ten Grammys, but I don’t care. Whatever type of music you like, Taylor has something for you. Yeah, even you rap fans. Ever listened to “Thug Story”? Maybe she’s not for everyone, but she’s definitely for me. Thank you to Taylor for everything she’s ever done for me. I wouldn’t be who I am without her. I don’t know where I’d be without her.