Taylor Swift

Discussion in 'General TV & Media' started by Urban Legend, Feb 5, 2010.

  1. Urban Legend

    Urban Legend Captain

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    Love her?
    Hate her?
    Think she needs to get some serious vocal lessons?

    Let's remember to keep this discussion friendly :)

    If you haven't watched the latest Grammy Awards, seriously listen to how out of tune she is Here

    Link to Article

    I really like how the head of her label is defending her and making stabs at American Idol singers :wtf:

    - - - - - - - - - -

    To me, I think she really should use some of that money she's making to invest in some professional vocal lessons. Sure she sings, but she's off key a majority of the time. I know it's hard to sing on key all of the time, but of all the performances I've ever seen of hers most of them she's off key and it makes me want to change the channel. I've had some cats who make more pleasant noises than Taylor singing live. Her recordings don't sound that bad, but something about her live, just turns me the wrong way. I think she's alright as a writer, but all her songs are about the same thing ... and I get bored really quick with her music. I know there's some older people out there who 'might' like her music, but she's sort of got that Miley Cyrus hype and it's mainly because of teenagers/young adults.

    I like to say she's the next Leann Rhymes, stardom hits hard in their teens, they let it get to their head and down the road they go off the radar ...

    - - - - -

    What's everyone else's views? Just remember to keep it friendly, everyone has different tastes :)
     
  2. GregNickRyanFan

    GregNickRyanFan Holographic Moderator Moderator

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    Well, to be fair (and honest), I think a lot of singers sound worse live than they do on their albums. The reason for that is that in recording studios they have a lot of special equipment that can iron out the wrinkles in someone's voice. :lol: This equipment is so good it can make a bad singer sound twenty or thirty knotches better. :lol:

    That said, I like Taylor. Not like every single song (for example I hate the one called "our song" or something like that, it grates on my nerves lol), but several. I wouldn't know about live performances though because I rarely watch award shows anymore or go to concerts or whatever. But Taylor is very young and its possible that she may get better with age.

    But the head of Taylor's label should have kept his mouth shut. He is doing Taylor a great disservice with his words and his comments about AI. He's going to make things worse for Taylor by saying those things. The smart thing to do now would be for Taylor to come out and say the comments about AI were strictly his opinion and are not hers because people are going to start associating her with his comments... and that's really unfair to her... but that's what happens in this game.

    A lot of people didn't know who Taylor was until the whole Kayne incident. That made her get noticed more and when she got noticed more she started winning more and more awards.

    I do hope this thread stays friendly and constructive and steers clear of fan wars and the like.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2010
  3. Destiny

    Destiny Still Sanity Challenged! Premium Member

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    I have to agree on the part about how they sound live compared to what you hear on Cd's, Radio and so on. I have heard worse, not to mention that Stevie Nicks vocals that night didn't seem all that good either. Now the label head is claiming tech issues, and lets face it the Grammy's admits to the fact that alot of lyrics in some of the song the mics were turned off. So it could be a combo of them messing with that and maybe nerves, she can be a bit hyperactive if you will when she is nervous.
    I seen her on Oprah singing Love Story, I have have seen her on CMT and she did very well on both shows live. I do like her songs, some not so much lol. I like Fifteen, love story, you belong with me, etc.

    But what I don't like is her being compared to others. I don't think the Label was really taking shots at American Idol but the comparison of the fact that there are many shades of vocals. Every singer has their own style, that is what attracts us to listen to the song. But agree that like with the "west" incident he should have left it alone, she isn't bothered by it then let it be, if she is that might be why she came out, over time it could be stressful.

    I give credit to Taylor she has written every song, and I do get tired of her being called the Tween queen and should grow up, She is 20 but she did doing alot of songs that are appealing and a good influence to teens, something I don't find bad, and also it appeals to adults to because we remember those days lol.

    But she does sell out every venue she sings in and she has already sold out and last I knew there were few tickets left to the second leg of her next. As to the grammy's Taylor and Stevie was in tune on rhinnon, it was Taylors songs that they weren't. So I am wondering if it wasn't a problem. If so was it Taylor herself or her trying to get into tune with Stevie.

    Out come: I love most of her songs, and her writing skills, and her vocals, every singer should have vocal classes every once in a while, but they should also keep true to themselves and what got them to where they are now. ;)

    Disclaimer: I am not putting anyone down, I am going by what I have read over along time. :)

    As to staying friendly and fan wars, I think we all have enough sense to know that these are celebrities who have very very thick skin and if they didn't they woud need to grow it. SO I think that as long as we stick to the topic were good, otherwise you all have SSB & ME!!! :lol:
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2010
  4. GregNickRyanFan

    GregNickRyanFan Holographic Moderator Moderator

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    I wasn't actually aware that she wrote most if not all of her songs though. That's very impressive. One thing I like about her is something that my uncle told me. He said that she was asked what she was going to ask for for Christmas. Her reply was a new pair of glasses (because her frames were broken or something). That made me go "wow". This kid could have anything she wanted and her answer is a new pair of glasses... something that she needs rather than something that she wants.

    For the record, my favorite song of hers is "Picture To Burn".
     
  5. Destiny

    Destiny Still Sanity Challenged! Premium Member

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    Yep she does Taylors official site Here is just a little from her official bio, you can read the rest which is interesting at the link provided. including her Journal entries which shows her down to earth manner. Her site is really cool.

    "It’s important to remember here – when you hear a Taylor Swift tune, you are hearing her words. Following an impressive trend established on her debut CD, Taylor has written or co-written every song on FEARLESS: PLATINUM EDITION.

    Songwriting is a craft Swift has been honing since first strummed a guitar at the age of 12. Minutes later she had written her first tune. She was hooked. Her life became consumed with songs. Every spare moment was spent writing, playing, or thinking about music. Even while hitting the books as a straight-A student at Hendersonville High School, she was doodling lyrics in the margins of her notebooks.

    Even now, with her life barreling down the country music fast lane Taylor still makes it a priority to put the guitar, pen, and paper she keeps nearby to good use. Writing songs helps her stay grounded as her career orbits in the stratosphere. But for listeners popping in Taylor’s CD and expecting to hear a laundry list of lyrics on the plight of country music superstar rising through the ranks, FEARLESS is going to surprise you.

    “I didn’t want to write songs about being on the road and being on hotels and missing your family and missing your friends,” insists Swift. “When I was like 14 or 15 and I would hear those things on an album...being alone, living out of a suitcase... and I was always like, ‘Ugh, skip!’ I’m inspired by boys and love. I’d rather write songs about how I’m feeling and the relationship side of things.”

    As if writing every song on the album and living the life of country superstar wasn’t enough, Taylor added even more to her work load when recording FEARLESS. She joined Nathan Chapman, the main man behind the board for her debut album, as a co-producer on the record.

    “All the songs for this second record, it’s like they were already produced in my head,” recalls Swift. “When I was writing a song, I knew what every instrument is doing. The strings, or mandolin, or banjo, or dobro. I heard it all. It was just really cool to have all those instruments I heard end up on the album.”
     
  6. GregNickRyanFan

    GregNickRyanFan Holographic Moderator Moderator

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    One question: What the heck is a dobro? :lol: I've never heard of that instrument. I love that she said "I'm inspired by boys and love". :lol: That's so cute. She's just adorable. she's very relateable even for me and I'm more than ten years older than her. :lol:
     
  7. jafox

    jafox CSI Level Two

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    Dobro started as a brand name, but now I think it generically refers to a wooden acoustic guitar with steel components that make it sound like the steel guitars of country music. Mostly, you will see them played as lap guitars.
    As with all celebrities, there are people that love or hate them.
    I like Taylor and her music, and I like that she is a good role model for young girls, as opposed to Brittney Spears and Lindsey Lohan. Clearly, she is a work-in-progress, as are most teenagers. (I wonder if a lot of her critics are young and don't have teenagers in the home.lol) I think she is successful because of the total package. She writes and performs songs about her feelings and her songs will evolve as she matures. Hopefully, she is grounded enough to withstand these unfortunately unavoidable waves of media and public criticism.
     
  8. CSI Cupcake

    CSI Cupcake Police Officer

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    The live Taylor Swift performances I have seen on TV have been consistantly cringe-worthy. She's a good example of just how much they can do with technology because I just can't believe that nerves account for all the flat notes. In her defense, her songs have some odd note intervals that aren't that easy to hit just perfect. An example is the song in which she sings "you belong with me and drops down on the last note. That is a hard interval to hit unless you have extremely good pitch.

    As much as she loves music, I think that with her looks and personality it won't be long before she makes the transition to movies and may do better there. She speaks well and has very good timing when hosting or acting. She has been in CSI LV and is in the new movie about Valentines Day. I can't wait to see her in that because I think she's going to be great.
     
  9. GregNickRyanFan

    GregNickRyanFan Holographic Moderator Moderator

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    Thanks, I wasn't sure what it was. I thought I knew all of the types of guitars, but I guess not. :lol:

    I think Taylor is strong enough to handle it. She handled the Kayne thing much better than I would have or much better than some celebs would have. :lol:

    Like Mark Wahlberg (aka Marky Mark). :lol: Seriously though I agree with you on that Taylor speaks well and has good timing. I still like a lot of her music though. And a lot of performers to me I like the songs, but it doesn't feel like they're living them (not all performers mind you, just some) whereas with Taylor, I always feel like I'm listening to a friend telling me their experiences cause she connects with the song in a way that a lot don't. I just feel that she's living the song right then and there. Like she's pouring her heart out.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2010
  10. Destiny

    Destiny Still Sanity Challenged! Premium Member

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    Correct on the instrument and for the one that said that about acting..

    In 2010, Swift will make her feature film acting debut as Samantha Kenny in the film Valentine's Day.
    Not to mention her Television debut in CSI [orginial] ep "Turn, Turn, Turn" where she played 16-year-old Haley Jones, Also her song The remix version of "You're Not Sorry" was also composed for this episode.
    She also appeared in Greys anatomy (uncredited and performed "white horse").
    Played herself in a cameo for Hannah Montana The movie.
    Add to that Several Cameo's in other music video's.

    Little trivia:
    Her music influences include Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes, Patsy Cline, and her grandmother, who was a professional opera singer.

    Her best friend Abigail Anderson, who she's known since ninth grade, is mentioned in Taylor's song Fifteen from her Fearless album.

    She graduated from high school in July 2008 from the Aaron Academy, a Christian high school in Hendersonville, Tennessee

    With her first No. 1 song "Our Song", at age 18 years and 9 days, became the fifth teen-aged female singer to top the Billboard magazine Hot Country Songs chart. The others were Jean Shepard (19 years, 9 months in August 1953 with "A Dear John Letter"), Tanya Tucker (14 years, 7 months in May 1973 with "What's Your Mama's Name"), Marie Osmond (14 years, 1 month in November 1973 with "Paper Roses") and LeAnn Rimes (14 years, 4 months in December 1996 with "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)").

    Good friend of Kellie Pickler, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Hayley Williams (of Paramore) & Taylor Lautner (of whom was rumored to been dating at one time, turned out it was only a joke that got out of hand).

    ETA:
    Birth Name: Taylor Alison Swift
    Height: 5'11
    Born 12-13-89
    State: Reading, Pa.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2010
  11. GregNickRyanFan

    GregNickRyanFan Holographic Moderator Moderator

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    5'11? Imdb is often incorrect on the heights of stars. There's no way the girl is that tall. :lol:
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2010
  12. Destiny

    Destiny Still Sanity Challenged! Premium Member

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    Actually wanna bet... :p In an EW article "Getting to know Taylor Swift" :D

    I was going to ask if you wear heels often, since that might make you a pretty towering presence.
    Exactly. I'm 5'11'', so when I wear heels, it's definitely a really good view that I have. I'm like 6'2 when I wear heels, so I tend to wear cowboy boots a lot.

    This article was done in 2007, "Seventeen-year-old country star Taylor Swift talks about walking away from a major deal, acting her age, and ''Tim McGraw''

    Secondary source not giving exact height but says this on her Official Myspace - And I'm extremely tall. Like, I'm that really tall person that is blocking your view at a concert. On behalf of all of us, we're sorry. - she also has other cool things to say.
     
  13. GregNickRyanFan

    GregNickRyanFan Holographic Moderator Moderator

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    She really doesn't look that tall. :lol: Maybe it's just cause she's so small framed. :lol: I would have put her at 5'7... 5'9 at most. :lol:
     
  14. Axelsonfire

    Axelsonfire Pathologist

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    Okay, I'm going to say that I really like some of this girl's music. "White Horse" is probably my favourite Taylor Swift song. I just think it's beautiful.

    I also think that she did a really good job on the CSI episode "Turn, Turn, Turn". If I didn't know it was Taylor Swift, I probably wouldn't have noticed.

    I really like that she seems fairly grounded. She hasn't let the fame get to her head and I think that's a good thing.
     
  15. Urban Legend

    Urban Legend Captain

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    So a girl can't be over 5'11 :p I'm 5'10 and I do believe Taylor is around that height, but I don't think she's close to six foot that does sound a little off.

    I still stand by what I believe in that, Taylor's voice is terrible. Even though she writes her songs. Or Co-writes, which to me if you sit down with a professional anyone could write a song. Her songs are always about the same thing, nothing but a teenage love fest.

    Good singers last for years, a teenaged singer who's fanbase consists of teens and younger, well those fans are going to look back at Taylor years down the road and ask themselves, "what the world was I thinking?"

    It's happened before and It'll happen again.

    A friend of mine once told me that she saw this interview where Taylor was bragging about her record sales and how big she is (if that's true) a little conceited?

    A lot of her videos look like their ripped off from other singers, Picture to Burn especially reminds me of Carrie Underwood's Before He Cheats.

    Anyone want proof?
     

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