Swift received six nominations this year, mostly for “The Tortured Poets Department,” her wildly successful 11th studio album. (She was also nominated for her collaboration with Gracie Abrams on her song “Us.”) Swift attended the awards show wearing a shimmering ruby minidress, a golden “T” on her thigh, and, despite loss after loss, an unshakeable aura of delight.As each of Swift’s chances for an award came and went — best music video, best pop vocal album, best pop duo/group performance, record of the year, song of the year, and album of the year — viewers who have heard tales of her charts-obsessed gluttony and hunger for approval would have expected Swift to appear deflated.
To be fair, that assumption is far from unfounded. Back in 2014, Swift admitted she was devastated when her fourth album, “Red,” lost album of the year to Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories.” In her Netflix documentary, “Miss Americana,” Swift is shown reacting with palpable shame to the news that her album “Reputation” was nearly shut out of the 2018 nominations.
“I just need to make a better record,” she decides, tail between her legs.As the show ended Sunday night, the X account for Swift’s PR team seemed to acknowledge the loss with an upbeat message thanking fans for supporting “The Tortured Poets Department.””Nofuckinbody loved #TSTTPD more than you, and we couldn’t be prouder of what this album has accomplished,” it reads, in part. “Until our next board meeting.”
Going home empty-handed just one year after breaking a major Grammy record would be tough for anyone to handle, especially for a high achiever with fans and critics following her every move.
“There’s so much pressure going into putting new music out,” Swift laments in the documentary.
“If I don’t beat everything I’ve done prior, it’ll be deemed as a colossal failure.”On Sunday, however, Swift appeared confident and like she was having more fun than anyone who made it to the podium. The many cameras inside the event rarely caught Swift in the audience when she wasn’t grinning, dancing, or cheering.Swift did get a moment onstage to present the award for best country album. When she pulled Beyonc’s name from the envelope, her face lit up with uninhibited glee.It was one of the most heartfelt and meaningful exchanges of the evening — bringing a canon pop-culture event full circle.At the 2009 VMAs, after Swift wa
s infamously interrupted onstage, Beyonc sacrificed her acceptance speech for video of the year to let a young country darling reclaim her moment. On Sunday, more than 15 years later, that former ingenue handed country music’s top prize to the icon who always respected and inspired her.Swift wasn’t a nominee in that category, but even her losses seemed to glimmer with karmic energy.
When Sabrina Carpenter won best pop vocal album for “Short n’ Sweet,” Swift could be seen relishing the announcement like a proud mom, her mouth agape.Carpenter is part of a new generation of pop stars raised on Swift’s music who even shared covers of Swift’s songs on YouTube when she was a child. These days, Swift has transformed from Carpenter’s idol to her mentor and friend, even tapping the “Espresso” singer to open for multiple legs of the Eras Tour.Later, when Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” beat Swift’s “Fortnight” for record of the year, she lifted her glass to toast the rapper.
This was no empty gesture; Swift and Lamar are close collaborators who teamed up for the first time in 2015 for a remix of “Bad Blood.” Their duet gave Lamar his first-ever No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and he returned to Swift’s side eight years later to rerecord his verse for “Bad Blood (Taylor’s Version).”This was no empty gesture; Swift and Lamar are close collaborators who teamed up for the first time in 2015 for a remix of “Bad Blood.” Their duet gave Lamar his first-ever No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and he returned to Swift’s side eight years later to rerecord his verse for “Bad Blood (Taylor’s Version).”
This was no empty gesture; Swift and Lamar are close collaborators who teamed up for the first time in 2015 for a remix of “Bad Blood.” Their duet gave Lamar his first-ever No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and he returned to Swift’s side eight years later to rerecord his verse for “Bad Blood (Taylor’s Version).”This was no empty gesture; Swift and Lamar are close collaborators who teamed up for the first time in 2015 for a remix of “Bad Blood.” Their duet gave Lamar his first-ever No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and he returned to Swift’s side eight years later to rerecord his verse for “Bad Blood (Taylor’s Version).”
