Why isn't there a black version of Taylor Swift?

[Eternally Jaded]

Not everything is about singing ability.

To people who like Taylor Swift, she generally makes catchy songs that they can "vibe" or dance to. From her country pop days to now just doing pop for the past 8+ years.

Obviously, Swift's music is not for everyone but she has HUGE fanbase worldwide

Yeah we can say that but then look at the biggest stars the black community has turned out vs who hasn't made it and we push more for singers than we do for the beefaronis.

It's a vibe singers can do well but for the most part our biggest were better than average singers.

The Ashanti's/Aaliyahs did well but they didn't reign.

 

[Eternally Jaded]

I love her first two albums (and earlier EP) but she switched up afterward.

I've been married to Lianne La Havas in my head since her first album. I want her, Corrine and Emeli to read me a bed time story because their speaking voices are as lovely as their singing.

I've been name dropping LA Havas on here for years and to people irl but they don't rock with her music it seems.

Can't tell you why, it just doesn't take.

Her lyricism + singing ability = I'm personally irked by her lack of mainstream traction while beefaroni Swift is the top selling female artist for the past decade.

 

[gurf]

Outside of Matthew Knowles, I can't think of any other examples in music

There’s plenty black families/artists slanging bank to get their folks on.

Doesn’t mean they’ll get that backing from the label tho.

 

[Roid Jones]

A black Taylor Swift in this day and age would be viewed as corny if we’re being honest.

Cuz women like Esperanza Spaulding don’t get burn in the broader community.

Keisha-next-door don’t get the reception that Ice Spice does.

Thats from Black men and women.

And this is the truth, 'the culture' has really failed

 

[Lootha VanDraws]

I've been name dropping LA Havas on here for years and to people irl but they don't rock with her music it seems.

Can't tell you why, it just doesn't take.

Her lyricism + singing ability = I'm personally irked by her lack of mainstream traction while beefaroni Swift is the top selling female artist for the past decade.

Her guitar playing has improved a lot as well. Each album she releases is better than the one before it (in my opinion). I had tickets to see her once years ago, but couldn't go, and I don't know if she's been back to or will come to my city again.

 

[TEH]

And honestly they probably tried …look at Jordan Sparks for example

Pretty
Wholesome
Great Voice
Bushes

 

[humminbird]

Lmao there's simply not enough black people in total to beat white women supporting Swift in America my guy.

Let alone black women.

lol fair yeah the white audience won't help
Olivia Rodrigo is the closest chance we got then

 

[Paper Boi]

because Tinashe flopped 20 times

 

[King Static X]

Yeah we can say that but then look at the biggest stars the black community has turned out vs who hasn't made it and we push more for singers than we do for the beefaronis.

It's a vibe singers can do well but for the most part our biggest were better than average singers.

The Ashanti's/Aaliyahs did well but they didn't reign.

I wasn't talking about who is better at singing lol. Also, Aaliyah died young. Who knows how her career would have turn out. She was on an upward trajectory before her passing.

 

[Eternally Jaded]

Her guitar playing has improved a lot as well. Each album she releases is better than the one before it (in my opinion). I had tickets to see her once years ago, but couldn't go, and I don't know if she's been back to or will come to my city again.

Man her guitar is fine for me but it's her voice that ive been in love with for years.

Like, her singing is both somehow easy and daunting at the same time.

I wasn't talking about who is better at singing lol. Also, Aaliyah died young. Who knows how her career would have turn out. She was on an upward trajectory before her passing.

I'm not rating the singers I'm saying that if you look at the black artists who've been on top of the charts and had the most influence, you'll see that we prioritize vocal talent.

I'm just speaking on the statistics and what it says about our cultural tastes.

White people have no issue supporting a woman who sings like a cat in a shower stall but clearly we do.

Op asked where's the black Taylor Swift and my answer is she never got more acclaim after her elementary school talent show.

Aaliyah I'm not gonna speak on but I don't see her lasting much longer past the early 2000s when Beyonce was about to get her megapush.

 

[HabitualChiller]

Yeah we can say that but then look at the biggest stars the black community has turned out vs who hasn't made it and we push more for singers than we do for the beefaronis.

It's a vibe singers can do well but for the most part our biggest were better than average singers.

The Ashanti's/Aaliyahs did well but they didn't reign.

Because you're only focusing on vocal ability. There's still songwriting ability, having an "ear" for great beats / instrumentals, lyrical composition, etc.

You can be a terrific singer but a mediocre artist.

 

[Eternally Jaded]

Because you're only focusing on vocal ability. There's still songwriting ability, having an "ear" for great beats / instrumentals, lyrical composition, etc.

You can be a terrific singer but a mediocre artist.

Breh, I get it.

But many of the biggest stars in the black cultural lexicon didn't really do they're own writing and arranging.

Some did/do like Stevie/Prince/Mariah and others but plenty were just their voices and how they were able to interpret it into the mic.

The ear, lyrics and everything else literally falls under the label of "the machine".

Hence many complaining about how the production teams of the pushed artists dwarf what resources the grass-roots artists can drum up.

People have been complaining about "studio artists" for decades because for many the artistry wasn't there.

They didn't write, they didn't create their own beats/arrangements, they just showed up, sang what was handed to them and the producer/ers did the rest.

T-Swift does write and arrange but looking at our charts, the data says we'd rather hear singers than artists.

She's Bill Withers for white women, apparently.

 

[SadimirPutin]

People are playing obtuse about this but let me bring up a couple points.

Taylor Swift made her bones originally in country music which has an enormous fanbase who purchased her music...she was the prototype sweet safe all American white girl.

When she branched out into more pop that fan base crossed over and increased because to her credit she chose the right type of songs that appealed to young women (Bad Blood, Shake it off, etc) and she also DATED the right type of celebrities to solidify her brand.

Lol oddly enough she got into a few beefs which her fanbase bought into

But her WHITENESS plays a huge part into who she is.....yes many other white girls dont have the same musical success she does but Taylor would never be as successful as she is without being white

Adele wouldn't be as successful as a black woman.....I am not wasting time arguing this either...if you disagree with me fine......reasonable people can have different opinions

An argument might be made that good girl music doesn't succeed with urban audiences but I am not so sure that is true...People love good singers ... goodie two shoes black girl music CAN SUCCEED...but understand it will be a niche

which is fine...you can have enormous success being a niche

Korean Pop is a niche......Bad Bunny is a niche (and he is an ENORMOUS artist by any conceivable metric)

 

[Solo_87]

There are blk female artist who are "wholesome", "the girl next door". They just arent popular. There is an audience for it but they dont get the same push as their white counterparts. That goes for any blk artist

Also Taylor is a country artist. Country is extremely popular here

That said, Taylor Swift's career trajectory and domaince is an anomaly. How many other white artist are as big as Taylor right now and has had her longevity? Adele and who else? Is it a cultural thing. Do white ppl have superior values? fukk no. Katy Perry started off as Christian, soft rock artist but didnt become huge until she dropped I Kissed A Girl

Taylor was big before the Kanye run in but I think that is what really catapulted her into superstardom and endeared her to the public . It also gave way to stan culture. And shes good at manipulating her stans and gaming the system.

This album she just dropped got 20 different versions

Taylor Swift Is Selling Over 20 Versions of ‘Midnights’ in Different Styles and Formats

Taylor Swift's new album 'Midnight' is out Friday with over 20 different versions available for purchase, including CDs, vinyl LPs and cassettes in a variety of colors and styles.

www.billboard.com

Taylor Swift Releases Diary Entries With 'Lover' Album: Here are the Biggest Bombshells

There are entries about the 2009 VMAs, her mom and her relationship with Joe Alwyn.

uk.movies.yahoo.com

Fans are buying constantly buying 4, 5 copies of the same album so they can figure out what her next diary entry is or for bragging rights ...etc...kudos to her tho

 

[Knuckles Red]

Lizzo is the black Taylor Swift. And she’s killing it!!!