THROUGH THE LENS: Taylor Swift and the Rising Tide of Women in Music

As I was reviewing the photos the ND photographers have recently taken, I noticed that most were of women artists. That’s not unusual — both this column at ND as a whole have long recognized that women are a driving force in roots music. But it got me to thinking of women artists in other genres — their numbers, in terms of representation, but also their amazing talent. Taylor Swift, of course, has become the biggest name in music, with an appeal that cuts across genres. A 2015 article by MTV listed, 54 performers Swift had duetted with in live performances, from Usher to Shawn Colvin. And of course the list has grown in these past nine years.

No Depression has written about Taylor Swift before, most notably this 2020 piece by Maeri Ferguson evaluating her folklore and evermore albums. And an essay Swift wrote in honor of Brenda Lee was included in Holly Gleason’s collection Woman Walk the Line: How the Women in Country Music Changed Our Lives. (Other entries in the book were penned by Rosanne Cash, ND contributor Kelly McCartney, and former ND editor-in-chief Kim Ruehl.) The Country Music Hall of Fame houses the Taylor Swift Education Center.

This column is not about Swift per se, but rather views her as a metaphor for the growth in the number of women artists succeeding in so many different music genres. While I cannot say that any of the artists featured in this week’s column were inspired by Swift or even influenced by her, there is an aphorism that says a rising tide lifts all boats. I submit that perhaps, just perhaps, Taylor Swift is a rising tide that will bring even more women singer-songwriters and their stories to the forefront. That’s a tide that enriches us all.

Click on any photo below to view the gallery as a full-size slideshow.