”Miss Americana”

By: Meredith Oechler

If you’re like me, you’ve probably never thought about Taylor Swift that much.

She’s just always been there. From her teenage country days, to the infamous Kanye West scandal, to her unprompted gay anthem “You Need to Calm Down” that garnered a collective “weird flex, but okay” from fans.

She’s the pinnacle glamorous American pop star, hence the title “Miss Americana.” While this name captures how fans perceive Taylor, the documentary shows a side of her you don’t see on the billboards. 

The film cuts from clips of dazzling performances during sold-out world tours to intimate scenes of Taylor Swift playing the piano in sweatpants, writing the lyrics to popular songs, and flipping through her childhood diary. She reveals intimate details about how her experiences in the public eye have shaped who she is today.

The film also touches on Taylor’s experience with anorexia. Having struggled with the disorder myself, I was wary when this came up. Celebrities and their relationships with disordered eating are often brushed over or glamorized. But Taylor’s words about her experience, the toll her illness took on her, and the steps she’s taken in recovery brought me to tears. It felt like talking with a friend.

“Miss Americana” was an excellent look into the life of a person who is constantly judged by millions of people. And while her public shield of billboard hits and red lipstick has been strong enough to earn her the title “Miss Americana,” the film shows us the woman behind the mask who bleeds red like the rest of us.