THE COMPARISON OF FEMALE MUSICIANS (TAYLOR SWIFT & BEYONCÉ)
Photo By Ian Henriquez
Driving the world crazy with sold-out stadium tours and booming box office sales, 2023 was nothing but a victory lap for both Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. However, both of their shows consisted of more than just roaring crowds, fierce choreography, and stadiums filled with silver cowboy hats and friendship bracelets.
Beyoncé released her album “RENAISSANCE” on July 29, 2022. Dedicating her album to the honorary work from Black queer pioneers of the House genre, particularly LGBTQ+ ballroom culture. MBA junior Ryhan Ship said, “My favorite album has to be Renaissance, I can’t even put into words how her music makes me feel, makes me want to dance!”
In a tour teaser, Beyoncé stated she intended for the Renaissance World Tour to be a safe space for all, “The goal for this tour was to create a place where everyone is free, and no one is judged. You’re unique.”
Debuting the tour in Stockholm, Sweden, to then finishing the tour in Kansas City, Missouri, there were a total of 56 stops throughout the globe. According to the New York Times, the Renaissance World Tour accumulated an estimated $4.5 billion boost for the economy. The Los Angeles economy was positively impacted when she performed for a staggering three days at our very own Sofi Stadium, even sharing her Virgo’s Groove by celebrating her birthday with her fans (Sep. 4).
Photo By Ian Henriquez
Long Live Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour.” Swift released her album “Midnights” Oct. 21, 2022, describing the album in an Instagram post as “thirteen sleepless nights scattered throughout my life.” Swift swiftly announced her respective tour only a week after “Midnights” was released, but shocked fans after revealing this tour would be a legacy showcase highlighting each and every one of her albums.
Swift began the United States leg of her tour in Glendale, Arizona and closed off the leg with an impressive six-day residency at Los Angeles’ Sofi Stadium. Swift announced “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” a re-recording of her award-winning album “1989.” Although Swift still has another year to tour internationally, Rolling Stone reports with only one year of tracking The Eras Tour has already become the highest-grossing tour of all time, becoming the first artist in history to accumulate over $1 billion in ticket revenue.
Photo By Ian Henriquez
Both created a dance floor for fans all across the globe to embrace. Such a lasting mark should only leave the public with an equal love for both of these musical legends, right?
Headlines like “Jealousy! Trash Talk! Revenge! Taylor Swift & Beyoncé Blood Feud Explodes!” published by Globe Magazine have been spotted in department stores across the United States, manufacturing invalid statements with the intention of taking advantage of the two most impactful female musicians of the 20th century for clicks.
Photo By Ian Henriquez
It doesn’t just end with desperate journalists craving for engagement, there is an ongoing issue with the comparison of exclusively female musicians. For instance, videos of Swift performing choreography on her Eras Tour have been circulating on social media, being judged as weak or inconsistent when in comparison to Beyoncé. Meanwhile, others on the internet argue that Swift’s ticket sales are considered to be a stronger force when compared to the sales of Beyoncé.
This same treatment is scarce when observing the public reception of male musicians. An example of this double standard is Morgan Wallen. A male country musician who went on a sold-out stadium tour similar to Swift and Beyoncé. Standing tall, with nothing but a guitar, only encountered with love and applause. Acoustically playing the guitar is an impressive feat but, when a female musician does just that, choreography, euphonious vocalizing, stage effects, special props, custom-designed couture…there is still something that someone is displeased with.
It would be ignorant to deny that female musicians are accustomed to a much more cruel standard when compared to their male counterparts. Not that the solution is to begin harshly criticizing male musicians with one another, but instead to begin celebrating the success of female musicians without having to compare her accolades with her peers.
On Oct. 11, 2023, Swift and Beyoncé diminished all rumors of a possible feud with Beyoncé making a surprise appearance at The Eras Tour film premiere in Los Angeles. Swift wrote in an Instagram post, “She’s (Beyoncé) been a guiding light throughout my career and the fact she showed up tonight was like an actual fairy tale.” Later on Nov. 30, 2023, Swift made a surprise appearance at the Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé premiere in London.
2024 is already aiming to be another year of starstruck for the two pop-phenomenons, Beyoncé has released her dip into country music with “Cowboy Carter” on Mar. 29, and Swift will be releasing her 11th album “The Tortured Poets Department” on Apr. 19.
