Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

Taylor Swift As Religion: The Deification Of An International Pop Music Superstar And The Ramifications Of Fame, With A Comparison To Vox Lux, Jessica Cotturone

Religion and Film

This paper explores the ways in which the culture surrounding pop music superstar Taylor Swift is a religion. Taylor Swift has had an indelible impact on her fans, who are known as Swifties, and this paper brings attention to the ways that she establishes a strong connection with her fans such that they come to view her as a religious figure. Definitions of religion proposed by scholars Clifford Geertz and Meghan Johnston Aelabouni are used to analyze how this popular music culture can fit into a broader conceptualization of religion. Special attention is given to the deification of celebrities in …