In 2020, Taylor Swift released two sister albums. folklore and evermore. The albums were 140 days apart. Both were surprise albums written by Swift. Swifties knew that this was true Taylor Swift fashion, giving no warning or heads up and dropping 2 major albums. 

The album evermore contains 15 songs: “willow,” “champagne problems,” “gold rush,” “tis’ the damn season,” “tolerate it,” “no body, no crime,” “happiness,” “dorothea,” “coney island,” “ivy,” “cowboy like me,” “long story short,” “marjorie,” “closure,” and “evermore”.

Evermore was the second album to be released. The album was dropped on December 11th, 2020. While folklore is more popular, many people love evermore more than folklore. evermore has more of a dark vibe compared to folklore. The album contains more mysterious lyrics and beats. The album talks about murder, infidelity, grief, and loss. Grief comes from the song “marjorie”. Swift wrote this song about her grandmother who passed. This song is performed as a memory to her during the evermore set of The Eras Tour.

The album folklore contains 16 songs: “the 1,” “cardigan,” “the last great american dynasty,” “exile,” “my tears ricochet,” “mirrorball,” “seven,” “august,” “this is me trying,” “illicit affairs,” “invisible string,” “mad woman,” “epiphany,” “betty,” “peace,” and “hoax”.

Folklore was the first of the 2 albums to be dropped. This album was released on July 24th, 2020. This album is more loved in the Swiftie community, more than evermore. The album is happier compared to evermore. This album is more of Swift’s imagination of a happy life in the woods, living carefree in the world, and enjoying life. Swift has mentioned how she wrote this album while envisioning herself in a cabin in the woods with a quill and ink, writing on paper, just enjoying life as she has it. This is why Swifties seem to like the album more. The happier album makes people feel more connected to the album, as they feel like they can relate to the topics more than evermore.

Senior Karina Karl is a huge Swiftie. Karl attended The Eras Tour in May of 2023. Karl started to listen to Swift in 4th grade. “She has made me feel heard and understood which is really helpful.” Karl’s favorite lyric is “you drew stars around my scars” because “It is a really meaningful line and it holds a lot of value for me.” Swift has helped so many people feel more confident and free within their lives and many people love her and her work because of this. Karl recommends both folklore and 1989 because “they are so beautiful and have meaning. folklore tells a story which is different from her other discography.”

Ms.Critchley, a teacher here at WMC, is also a huge Swiftie. She has been a fan of Swift since her first album in 2006. Ms.Critchley flew to Ireland over the summer to see Swift. Like Karl, Ms.Critchley is more of a fan of folklore than evermore. This is common in the Swiftie community. Ms.Critchley rates the album a “10000000 because the songs are so poetic and beautiful and different from what she had done previously. Plus, folklore was dropped as a surprise in the midst of the pandemic and I think it gave us something to enjoy during a very challenging time.” Ms.Critchley’s favorite song is “This is me trying because I am also trying.” Ms.Critchley would have liked to have either “Hozier or Selena Gomez” as a collab on either album. 

Both students and teachers here at WMC can share their love for Swift, and share how her music has changed their lives, and made them feel heard in the world, even during the most challenging times.