Harvard University Launches A Course on American Singer Taylor Swift’s Musical Influence

Harvard University is launching a course on famous singer and songwriter Taylor Swift’s captivating musical influence. The University wants to study her powerful influence and cultural impact on her audiences through her chart topping music and lyrics. 

The course is titled ‘Taylor Swift And Her World’ and it will be led by professor Stephanie Burt who is also a self confessed fan of her musical work.  

She will include important readings from authors that will help people understand Taylor Swift’s work. 

“I love that I'm able to do this in a way that both gives people the chance to study and write about things they already love, and maybe build some bridges to things they would not have otherwise encountered that they might also love,” Burt said.

Besides Harvard University, the University of Florida  will also launch a course on musical storytelling however the subject of the course is not only Taylor Swift but other female artists such as Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, and Dolly Parton. 

Other universities that are initiating courses on Taylor Swift are Belgium's Ghent University and Berklee College of Music among others. 

Unquestionably, the singer has become a prominent cultural figure of the 21st century and is one of the best selling musicians. Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career in country music and the influences in Nashville laid the foundation of her inspiring musical journey. Canadian singer and songwriter Shania Twain has been one of her biggest influences. 

Taylor Swift, the highest grossing female performer ever, never hesitates to explore different genres of music be it country or hip hop. The singer is experimentative, reinvents her music, and has come to be known as a music ‘chameleon.’

The music icon has several accolades to her credit. She has been featured in Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of all time. Often, her videos are a reflection of her own life experiences.The ‘Delicate’ singer acknowledges that she uses song and music for expressing herself personally.