Taylor Swift just launched a new era — The Life of a Showgirl. And while I'm not here to review the album,
I am here to talk about what it can teach us as creators about staying relevant.
On first listen, some parts felt… cringe. Or as Gen Z would call it, millennial cringe.
You know when your mom suddenly says "Slaaayyy" and you wish she hadn't? That's what certain slang drops in Taylor's lyrics sounded like.
Forced. Out of character.
As if she sprinkled in Gen Z phrases just to keep up, when really, she didn't need to.
Here's the truth: staying relevant doesn't mean forcing trends.
It's not about squeezing yourself into the trending voice or style. Relevance is about resonance. Taylor has always been a trend setter — she doesn't need to mimic TikTok slang to stay current. And neither do you.
There's also a cautionary tale here: push too far into a "new you," and you risk alienating your core audience, the ones who showed up for your earlier chapters.
Taylor is 35 now. Many of her fans — myself included — grew up with her. We don't need her to perform youth culture to connect with us. We are her market too.
Yes, Gen Z is loud (they are the 20-year-olds right now). Millennials were loud once too. However, being loud doesn't mean you're the only audience — it just means you're loud.
That said, she nailed some brilliant moves this era:
- Collabing with Sabrina Carpenter. A+ strategic cross-pollination with the "it-girl" of the moment.
- Referencing current pop culture. Smart, keeps her in the wider conversation without the cringe.
- Riskier looks + lyrics. Bold, different, and just enough to get people talking.
So what's the takeaway for creators?
When you rebrand, don't force yourself into trends that don't fit. Instead:
- Adapt without forcing it. If it feels cringe to you, it'll come off as cringe. Don't do it.
- Collaborate strategically. Partner with rising stars to tap into new energy.
- Grow with your audience. Speak to where they are now — not just to the loudest voices online.
Because relevance isn't about being the loudest or the trendiest. It's about resonance — building something so authentic and distinct, it outlasts trends.
-Nadine
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