She picked up a record-breaking fourth gong for Album of The 12 months on the Grammys this weekend – however Taylor Swift‘s snub of Celine Dion hit a bum word.
It is the second everybody’s speaking about: In a uncommon public look to current the historic award, 55-year-old Dion, stricken with a debilitating and terrifying terminal sickness, was shaken off by the billionaire hit maker and totally ignored while Swift indulged in a self-congratulatory love-in with her posse on stage.
Cue cutesy ‘secret handshakes’ and drawn-out hugs with long-term producer Jack Antonoff and present greatest gal pal Lana Del Ray.
‘A legend in her prime proper now,’ Swift gushed of Lana, after she’d thanklessly grabbed the trophy from Dion – clearly not held in the identical esteem.
The award was largely anticipated – but it surely did not deter Swift’s fake wide-eyed and open-mouthed look of ‘shock’. Who, me?
She picked up a record-breaking fourth gong for Album of The 12 months on the Grammys this weekend – however Taylor Swift’s snub of Celine Dion hit a bum word.
It is the second everybody’s speaking about: In a uncommon public look to current the historic award, 55-year-old Dion, stricken with a debilitating and terrifying terminal sickness, was shaken off by the billionaire hit maker and completely ignored whereas Swift indulged in a self-congratulatory love-in along with her posse on stage.
After all, such smug shows within the ego-laden world of planet pop are nothing new, however this snub significantly stung.
The Coronary heart Will Go On crooner was showing in an official capability at a public occasion for the primary time since her shattering 2022 analysis of stiff individual syndrome – a uncommon autoimmune neurological dysfunction which usually causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms.
Taylor’s huge fats diss to a frail and reclusive icon is not an excellent look – and the 34-year previous’s actions have been rightly known as out.
Tellingly, it exposes the whiff of hypocrisy and self-interest that lurks behind Swift’s money-making juggernaut, propelled by catchy songs, a string of well-known boyfriends and a story of feminine empowerment with a lot steer placed on ladies supporting ladies.
‘I feel that one factor that I do imagine as a feminist is that to ensure that us to have gender equality, we now have to cease making it a woman combat and we now have to cease being so inquisitive about seeing women attempting to tear one another down, it needs to be extra about cheering one another on as ladies,’ she as soon as trilled.
Pity that, in actuality, such sisterly assist seems to be selectively given.
Dion herself is a five-time Grammy recipient with 230 million file gross sales worldwide, and has by no means required a conveyor belt of press-friendly hook-ups for consideration or lyrical inspiration.
Maybe, buoyed by overwhelming current success, Swift was merely in no temper to share the limelight and acknowledge one other, far-better established legacy.
Maybe she’s beginning to imagine her personal hype. Who would not?
Setting out her stall with a late arrival to Sunday’s ceremony, she strode into an evening that was very a lot a me, me, me celebration, marinating in her frenzied followers’ fervent perception that she is the one actual residing trailblazer.
Is it any shock she feels invincible on the again of the yr she grew to become a billionaire, was named TIME magazine’s Person of The Year and noticed her world Eras tour draw three million to its US leg alone.
To not point out the brand new boyfriend, NFL dreamboat Travis Kelce – who supplies the proper alternative for Swift to play out her newest love story, cheering on from the sidelines – however by no means removed from the cameras – in a brand new set of stadiums.
It exposes the whiff of hypocrisy and self-interest that lurks behind Swift’s money-making juggernaut, propelled by catchy songs, a string of well-known boyfriends and a story of feminine empowerment. Pity that, in actuality, such sisterly assist seems to be selectively given.
Dion herself is a five-time Grammy recipient with 230 million file gross sales worldwide, and has by no means required a conveyor belt of press-friendly hook-ups for consideration or lyrical inspiration.
In the meantime, there’s her rising political affect, with commentators suggesting a 2024 endorsement of Joe Biden would truly tip the destiny of the election in his favor.
After all, this stage of stardom comes as no shock to her loyal ranks of Swifties – largely made up of younger women who bankroll her stratospheric ambitions whereas pondering they’re in on the social gathering.
There is not any doubt her attraction is rooted in accessibility: the picture of a extra pure, healthful antidote to the inflated lips and extra aggressive sexuality of her pop friends.
That is maybe her strongest weapon, but it surely additionally belies a extra calculated, ruthless aspect that seeped by on the Grammys, the place – because the champagne flowed – so did the complete extent of her ego.
The reality is: Swift isn’t remotely abnormal or accessible as a 34-year-old billionairess who has reached the highest within the cutthroat world of leisure.
Armed with the monetary nous of her banker father, her rise has been rigorously, completely orchestrated.
A favourite weapon has been her affiliation with celebrities – high-profile friendships with other photogenic A-listers from Selena Gomez, to Cara Delevingne and Karlie Kloss. Many do not final the season.
However for all her supposedly feminist credentials, Swift stays largely outlined by well-known males: Joe Jonas, Harry Kinds, Tom Hiddleston – who all grew to become her boyfriends, coincidentally as their very own stars have been very a lot in ascendance.
Her many breakups have offered a lot ink for her typewriter – fueling a songbook packed stuffed with punchy ripostes to these she’s left in her wake.
Which brings us to her newest album – introduced Sunday evening on stage – ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.
Followers and on-line sleuths have already linked the title – and the names of a number of tracks like ‘So Lengthy, London’, ‘I Can Repair Him (No Actually I Can)’, and ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived’ – to British actor Joe Alwyn, her most up-to-date ex.
Their 2023 break-up got here after a six-year love that many hoped would final.
Followers and on-line sleuths have already linked the title of Swift’s new album – and the names of a number of tracks like ‘So Lengthy, London’, ‘I Can Repair Him (No Actually I Can)’, and ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived’ – to British actor Joe Alwyn, her most up-to-date ex.
Whereas studies have been minimal, it’s thought the rationale behind the cut up was a typical one: they merely wished various things. Specifically, Alwyn is extremely protecting of his privateness, whereas Swift wished to take her profession to a really public subsequent stage.
How type then, how respectful of six years shared, to throw your soiled laundry to the rabid Swifties, prepared for very public dissection, doxing and social media dog-fighting.
Naturally, Swift’s staff have been instantly on to break management after Sunday’s awards mishap – arranging a backstage photo-op that noticed Taylor with a rictus grin and hanging off Celine like new greatest buds.
Dion was presumably too well-mannered to say what we’re all pondering.
