Shake It Off

This morning I woke up with a familiar beat resonating in my head, and I have no idea where it came from. Then I realized: "Oh crap, it's a Taylor Swift song. How did that get in there??" Her song "Shake It Off" from how long ago? A few months now? I know the first few seconds of the song to recognize when it's time to change the radio station, and have never fully listened to it.

UNTIL THIS ONE FATEFUL MOMENT.

I have been stuck in an artist block/depressive slump for most of the day (cloudy skies aren't helping, either), and nothing I've been scoping on YouTube music-wise has helped get me out of this rut. The beat of "Shake It Off" began to steadily come to the forefront of my brain, and soon enough I'm typing, in disbelief, "Taylor Swift" in the search bar. Personally, I never really liked her music. I just figured her as a music star wannabe, a girl who met great fortune by meeting the right people and making the right connections to achieve fame. Her live performances on television never really struck me as spectacular, either, so I made a point of keeping her off my music radar.

Yet now that I'm listening to this song, she's made something clear: she doesn't give a flying f what other people think of her. I think that it's brave of her to actually come forward with a song dissing all the naysayers and negative media she's come across in her career. Now I have some respect for her, quite frankly because she's expressing what other people should instill in themselves. Everyone is entitled to dance to their own happy beat in order to drown out all the negative influences.

Sure, the music itself is a dramatic change from this supposed country-pop star, with the funky beat and obligatory brass section. Whether its on purpose or a change of aesthetic tastes on her behalf or production team, it certainly garnered enough attention to this song. Right now I'm listening to it and despite being in disbelief that I actually like this song, I'm feeling much better than before.

My personal problems have grounded me into a metaphorical gutter the past few months, and although I've managed to make some big steps in a positive direction, I still can't help but feel like I'm still being judged for my past decisions. Hearing this song reinforces the mantra that me, and everyone else, should refer to when they're being faced with judgment: shake it off.

And for all the people who dislike Taylor Swift for her personal life, her supposed romantic instability, her conforming music, and pop star status: she's currently shaking off your hurtful comments and (let's face it) living a happier life than all you Negative Nancy's.

Taking "Black Swan" to the next level.