Taylor Swift may or may not be your favorite person, but you can’t not respect her vulnerability in her recently released Netflix documentary, Miss Americana. The film is as raw and real as it gets about the struggles of not only being a woman, but being a woman in the public eye, especially in the music industry. The revealing documentary tackles it all: from home videos that showcase Swift’s early experimentation with music, exclusive looks into meetings with her record label, and sessions in the recording studio, to intimate discussions about her struggles with her body image and her overwhelming conviction to speak up about politics. The messages will hit different for each viewer – and believe me, there are plenty of bold bombshells that will bombard you – but many of Swift’s revelations are relatable, even without being in the public eye.
The documentary starts off with Swift opening up about her early struggles with stardom. When discussing her advancement into the demanding music industry, she explained: “I became the person everyone wanted me to be” (time stamp: 4:00). I thought this was so relatable, even as someone not in the public eye. How many times do we, especially as women, insult our own self-confidence by becoming so obsessed with what other people think of us? It’s unfortunate, but so many of us mold into the person that we think other people want us to be because we often live for the approval of others.
Swift then goes on to talk about the pressure she put on herself when putting new music out, which was prompted by not getting a Grammy nomination. “If I don’t beat everything I’ve done prior, it will be deemed a colossal failure” (time stamp: 10:42).
The documentary goes on to chronicle the memorable moment when Kanye West interrupted Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video at the VMAs in 2009, saying that Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. This moment crushed Swift, who was just a teenager at the time, and caused an inner spiral. She reflects: “When you’re living for the joy of strangers, and that is where you derive all of your joy and fulfillment, one bad thing can cause everything to crumble.”
Swift continues to be extremely vulnerable throughout and opens up about her struggle with deciding whether to publicly discuss her political stance. The documentary shows her team being unhappy with her decision to speak up, but she shows how she felt strongly convicted to stand up for women’s rights and gay rights. After explaining how she was always told by society that “a nice girl doesn’t force their opinions on people; a nice girl doesn’t make people feel uncomfortable with her views… ” (time stamp: 50:50), Swift makes a powerful statement: “I need to be on the right side of history.”
Her stance on women’s expectations and place in society can best be summed up by the following statement: “I want to love glitter and also stand up for the double standards that exist in our society. I want to wear pink and tell you how I feel about politics. And I don’t think that those things have to cancel each other out” (time stamp: 1:17:50).
In all, the viewer is taken on an intimate journey with Swift in Miss Americana, and there’s no choice but to admire her vulnerability and raw, honest perspective on the added pressure and expectations of being a woman and a musician. The documentary is a must-see, whether you’re a Swift fan or not, and humanizes the mega pop star by giving you an authentic look at her journey to incredible stardom.