Have you ever gone online and seen those videos of people saying, “All Taylor Swift talks about in her songs are boys” or “Can Olivia Rodrigo talk about anything but a boy in her songs?”
I always found these posts silly the first time. Why does it bother people so much? Heartbreak is one of the most powerful emotions someone can feel in their life, and what’s more reassuring than hearing someone as big as Taylor Swift or Ariana Grande go on a record and sing about how angry or sad they feel?
When I went through heartbreak in high school, one of the things that helped me the most was listening to breakup songs by some of my favorite pop culture icons. Nothing is more liberating than being a teenage girl, screaming angry lyrics in your room when no one else is home.
It’s even better when you’re in your friend’s car, and both of you shout the lyrics. For a small moment in time, you forget all about the heavy feeling in your heart, and you’re just having a good time duetting with Olivia Rodrigo, singing about being sad and angry.
There’s a reason why these singers that seem to only sing about boys are popular and get a lot of traction: because people absolutely love it when they find a song that can relate to even their most powerful emotions.
For example, Olivia Rodrigo’s “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” is widely loved because it includes a spectrum of emotions that a lot of girls can relate to. It discusses being insecure, in love, confused, and sad, while also exploring the complex and arduous process of heartbreak. While writing about her personal experience in love, she offered a relatable piece of media to the whole world, especially for girls.
Why are these types of songs almost important?
Based on my experience during high school when I went through my first real breakup, I can confidently say music was an important part of the healing process at the time. It was an outlet for the overwhelming emotions I was feeling, and it was reassuring that all these celebrities were going through so many emotions that were similar to mine. I felt seen and understood, even by someone as famous as Taylor Swift or Lana del Rey.
Music helped me get motivated to do things, feel my feelings without it being so quiet, and make me feel less alone in the process. It also helped me connect to so many other girls. Whenever I would talk about the musicians I was listening to at the time, it would open a door to conversation and eventually lead to a discussion on love, heartbreak, and pop culture.
Basically, it’s OK to talk about boys! We shouldn’t be hating on the music created by these women just because their songs seem to be talking about the same thing. Creating music for them is probably as healing as the girls listening to it. (Plus, if I knew how to write songs and play a guitar, I would also want to write an entire album that talks about everything I’m feeling.)
I find it incredibly cool that these women find a way to make the strongest (and hardest to rationalize) emotions completely understandable and relatable to a wide audience while making it catchy!
Taking your time to sit down and write lyrics to an overwhelmingly debilitating feeling such as heartbreak makes for a grueling task, and it’s beautiful that so many girls can come together to admire the songs produced by these artists and talk about their experiences. In times as hard as going through your first breakup, it’s always nice to feel recognized.
To sum up what I’m saying here, sometimes, when you feel like the whole world doesn’t understand what you’re really going through, it’s nice how you can just play your favorite artist and listen to her validate your experience by talking about her own with a catchy beat or a gloomy guitar. And most importantly, you’re finally reminded of two things:
1. Yes, it’s normal you’re feeling this way.
2. Screw that guy!!!