This article discusses mental health, eating disorders, and the pressures of social media. If you or someone you know needs help, please contact Lifeline on 11 13 14 or the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. If you’re in immediate danger, please call 000.
Ya girl Taylor Swift has been bowing to the demands of her fans throughout her current Reputation tour of the US, and playing a bunch of older songs that haven’t been performed by T-Swift in forever.
At the start of the month in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Taylor busted out a god damned relic of a song from her debut, self-titled record, proving that yes, she’s bloody listening to you all when you’re screaming at her to play her old stuff.
Seriously, according to setlist.fm, she’s only played this song SIX TIMES and hasn’t belted it out since September 26, 2007. Is that old enough for ya?
Absolutely 100% a nod to her longtime fans, Taylor launched into an acoustic version of ‘Tied Together With A Smile‘ but first she shared some thoughts and feelings on the issues the song discusses.
As reported by Billboard, Taylor also took the moment to speak candidly with the crowd about mental health, noting that although people can look okay and happy on the outside, you never know what they might be internally wrestling with.
One thing I have noticed in my life is you can never judge what somebody else is going through, even if they seem like they have it all together, they seem like, how can they ever have any problems?
Somebody is maybe really beautiful or seems like they have it all together, maybe they have a life that you’re really envious of. But I’ve learned that appearances aren’t everything.
Just because somebody looks happy doesn’t mean they are. Just because somebody looks healthy doesn’t mean they are.
She went on to talk about the pressures and demands of social media, and how young people are constantly pressured to “have it all together“, before finally telling the crowd to make sure they take some downtime and be kinder to themselves.
So I’m just asking you, just try to be kind to yourself. Just know that there are so many people that are going through the exact same thing that you might be going through, whatever it is.
Check out the footage below and tell me you don’t get goosebumps.
If you’ve not heard the track before, it discusses the issue of mental health, with Taylor penning the song the moment she learned that a close friend was struggling with an eating disorder.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly way back in 2007, Taylor talked about the inspiration behind the lyrics.
…one of my friends, who is this beauty queen, pageant princess — a gorgeous, popular girl in high school. Every guy wanted to be with her, every girl wanted to be her. I wrote that song the day I found out she had an eating disorder.
If there’s one thing we take away from jealously watching all the videos on insta of this huge tour, let it be the lesson that we’ve all got our own stuff to deal with so pls, be kind to one another. It’s what Taylor Swift herself would want.
