Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. – As an artist, Taylor Swift is defined by her ability to transcend genres as well as generations. In her 10 years in the music industry, she has consistently evolved to match the times while keeping her own distinct voice.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Film is filled with career-defining performances that cement Swift as a pop legend.
Spanning the music recorded in her first 10 albums, Swift takes the viewer on an exciting visual and emotional experience.
In the first act of the film, named after her album Lover, Swift wears an iconic sparkling blue and pink bodysuit as she opens up the show with the song “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince.”
Her stage presence is felt even through the screen as she guides the camera with her sharp dance moves and infectious personality.
Before her song “The Man,” Taylor flexes an arm, showing off her arm muscles. Despite being an innocuous move, the flex brings a large cheer to fans, showing Swift’s abilities to sparkle on screen.
The end of the era is marked with her title song, “Lover.” As she plays her guitar, the feeling of love transcends the screen. As dancers create a beautiful spectacle around her, Swift’s voice calmly takes the audience through the pure feeling of love.
The film continues through the rest of her albums, showing the highlights of Swift’s career.
In her Evermore era, Swift sings the song “Tolerate it,” starting her move from her top 100 hits into her deep cuts. Equally balancing showmanship and emotional intimacy, her performance fully embodies the story of the song.
But before the deepest moments of the show occur, Swift dramatically shifts from a folk singer into her superstar self. With hit songs from Reputation, Speak Now, and Red Swift delivers an entertaining show.
The deepest cuts begin when Swift enters her Folklore era. In one particular moment, Swift sings “illicit affairs” with a cocktail of sadness, rage, and melancholy. Despite a lack of dancers or set pieces, Swift’s performance is a masterclass in stage presence.
The two “surprise songs” presented at the show are “You’re on Your Own, Kid” on piano and “Our Song” on guitar. Swift’s performances reveal the best of each song without any need for much accompaniment.
Each moment of the show is energetic, vulnerable and filled to the brim with sparkles. Swift’s status as an artist is solidified through each dance move, song and lyric.
Swift’s performance in the film is not the creation of a legend; rather, the solidification of one already so powerful in pop culture.
As Swift herself says, she can “make the whole place shimmer.”
Dana Kim is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
