We all know someone who has become so lost in their [toxic] relationship that they cut off other loved ones. In today’s ‘Dear Taylistener’ episode - our advice column miniseries where we use Taylor Swift songs as a source of wisdom - our listener writes to us about being on the receiving end of the social chop when her close guy friend cuts her off to appease his new girlfriend. It can be difficult to convince others that your cross-gender friendship is solely platonic, but it can be even harder to watch that friendship dissolve due to others’ insecurities. What do you do? In this case, we turn to the lyrics of Taylor Swift to get by, and your hosts dispense their own wisdom from similar experiences!

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*Explicit: Language, Mild Sexual Content

For her entire professional career up until the transition between 1989 (2014) and Reputation (2017), Taylor had a predictable schedule of releasing a new album every two years. But 2016 was different, as we saw the ostensible cancellation of Taylor and her subsequent reclusivity. As a result, we got one of the most iconic and fabled pieces of lost media: Taylor Swift’s “missing” album from 2016. Nicknamed “Karma” by Swifties, the existence of this album is hotly debated, and there are good arguments on both sides. Tune in to hear your hosts discuss facts and quotes to argue both for and against the existence of “Karma,” the details surrounding the conspiracy theory, and what would’ve/could’ve/should’ve been had 2016 gone differently for our girl.

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*Explicit: Language, Mild Sexual Content

It’s time for the song that features the namesake of this miniseries to have its moment in the sun: This Is Me Trying. This track, an underrated gem from 2020’s ‘folklore,’ features Taylor singing from multiple devastating perspectives. She acts as the mouthpiece for a melancholic alcoholic, a regretful burnout, and a despondent suicidal person. Through these lyrics, she tells the story of how hard it is to simply try for some people. Sometimes, your best looks like hell to everyone else, and no one pats you on the back for the work it took you to get there. But Taylor noticed…no one ever talks about these people or tells these stories. These people who are really trying. So she decided to give us this track, and we decided to break it down for you today.

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*Explicit: Language, Suicide/Self Harm

The time has come for the final installment of the Eras Tour Post Mortem miniseries. We know, we’re sad too. But it has been four months since Taylor left the Eras stage for the final time, which has given us ample opportunity to analyze what were the highest highs and the lowest lows of the 21-month-long tour! After calling out on Instagram and scouring the web, we learned what Swifties from all over the world took away from the tour, both positive and not-so-positive. Join us as we close this chapter and reminisce on the past so we can turn our focus to the future!

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*Explicit: Language

Two words: Lead. Singles. But what is a lead single, you may ask? It’s typically a carefully selected track from an upcoming album designed to both lend itself to potential commercial success AND give you a taste of what’s to come from an artist. Taylor Swift has 11 albums, thus she has 11 lead singles to chat about! Some were released in advance of an album, some were released alongside an album. Some were acclaimed and beloved, some were criticized and ridiculed. In today’s episode, Dani & Olivia go through each lead single and rate it as a song, success as a lead single, and they even make their own suggestions for the lead singles that could’ve been.

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*Explicit: Language

In 2006, Taylor released her debut album. On that album, she gave us “Tied Together with a Smile”, a sincere and heartbreaking song about a girl who struggles to hide her pain behind a fake smile. Today, your hosts dissect this track in our very first song analysis from Debut! Taylor has given us a lot of insight into this tragic tune, so tune in as we break it all down in this installment of the ‘Mental Cages’ miniseries.

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*Explicit: Language, Eating Disorders, Suicide/Self-Harm

From 2009-2010, Taylor Swift embarked on her first ever headlining tour: The Fearless Tour! Later in 2010, “Journey to Fearless” would be released- a docuseries all about the tour and the steps Taylor took to get there. This episode features Dani and Olivia a) talking about the reception and impact of The Fearless Tour, and b) going through each scene of the series to talk through the story it tells. Go back in time with us, head first and fearless!

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*Explicit: Language, Mild Sexual Content

It has been nearly three months since the final bow of ‘The Eras Tour,’ but we will do anything we can to make it live on. This includes the continuation of our Eras Tour Post Mortem series, in which your hosts dissect tour details! In this requested episode, Dani & Olivia go through the many outfits Taylor wore on stage during tour (including alterations and capes, she wore ~100 outfits!) to decide their favorite and least favorites for each era. They also talk fan favorites, iconic outfit moments, and their costume redesign concepts.

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*Explicit: Language

Taylor once admitted to being lost in the labyrinth of her mind- but what exactly does that mean? In today’s episode, Olivia & Dani continue the Mental Cages miniseries to break down “Labyrinth” from “Midnights.” This song - which is a divisive song amongst the Swiftie fandom - has Taylor opening up about her anxiety concerning falling in love after everything she has been through. But, as with all Taylor Swift songs, there is more to the story than what we see on the surface! Join us as we tear back the layers of this synth-filled, vibey track.

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*Explicit: Language

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Taylgate Takeovers has rescheduled all tour dates to 2026.

Let’s face it: we are all constantly on the hunt for the high we felt during The Eras Tour. The magic was felt in each city from the days leading up to a show all the way through walking out of the stadium. Lucky for us, there is someone actively working to recreate this magic- and she’s sharing it with Swifties all across North America! Joining us today is Karla, CEO of “Taylgate Takeovers,” and she is on a mission - along with her esteemed team of event planners - to host weekend-long Taylor-themed festivals in honor of The Eras Tour. Join us as we talk to Karla about what Taylgate Takeovers is, why she’s doing it, and why you might be interested in going when it comes to a city near you in 2026!

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Also, head to https://www.taylgatetakeovers.com/ to see what all the fuss is about regarding this exciting festival!

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