Tonight my group and I discussed fandom or fan culture. Being a fan of something not only means senseless gushing over a person, an idea, a band etc. It means you have established yourself amongst a community of members (other fans) who stand together to praise whatever it is you are all a fan of. We discussed how perfect strangers like fans at a kiss concert can connect over one simple thing....their shared love the band.
This discussion reminded me of the fan culture that surrounds the one and only Taylor Swift and the strategies she uses to maintain love from so many people around the world. I have been a fan of Taylor’s career since she stepped into the spotlight. I have seen a concert by her on every tour and at her concerts you can see how she is very aware about the fan culture that her music has created.. One of the strategies she uses to connect to fans is at each concert she addresses her fans in many different ways she stops to look out to the audience and hears the scream of 50 000 people, she throws in the name of the city she’s in, she makes a speech that is usually about being an individual and thanks us for choosing to spend a “Saturday” night with her. She will also say something along the lines of the following.
"Here you all are, lit up, singing every word my songs and dancing with perfect strangers."
Fan culture also goes beyond the two hours you spend in the same vicinity as your favourite celebrity with artists like Taylor Swift and social media plays a big role in that. Social media allows these celebrities to share pieces of them with us. Taylor swift says her albums offer her fans segments from her diary as do her social media posts. Songs not only portray moments of her life and her feelings in them that fans can relate too, but they can also relate to her love of cats, love of baking and any other activities she chooses to share with us. There are many ways that celebrities like Taylor Swift keep their fans connected to their lives and social media outlets allow fans to virtually be a part of their lives. With this in mind what are some of the things or people that attract and draw you in? What is so appealing about that person, idea or thing?
This discussion reminded me of the fan culture that surrounds the one and only Taylor Swift and the strategies she uses to maintain love from so many people around the world. I have been a fan of Taylor’s career since she stepped into the spotlight. I have seen a concert by her on every tour and at her concerts you can see how she is very aware about the fan culture that her music has created.. One of the strategies she uses to connect to fans is at each concert she addresses her fans in many different ways she stops to look out to the audience and hears the scream of 50 000 people, she throws in the name of the city she’s in, she makes a speech that is usually about being an individual and thanks us for choosing to spend a “Saturday” night with her. She will also say something along the lines of the following.
"Here you all are, lit up, singing every word my songs and dancing with perfect strangers."
Fan culture also goes beyond the two hours you spend in the same vicinity as your favourite celebrity with artists like Taylor Swift and social media plays a big role in that. Social media allows these celebrities to share pieces of them with us. Taylor swift says her albums offer her fans segments from her diary as do her social media posts. Songs not only portray moments of her life and her feelings in them that fans can relate too, but they can also relate to her love of cats, love of baking and any other activities she chooses to share with us. There are many ways that celebrities like Taylor Swift keep their fans connected to their lives and social media outlets allow fans to virtually be a part of their lives. With this in mind what are some of the things or people that attract and draw you in? What is so appealing about that person, idea or thing?