July 24th, 2020. It could easily pass as one of those dreary, lonely summer days in that bleak year. But it wasn’t. The release of singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s album Folklore brought a fresh breeze to our pandemic isolation with a sense of calm and healing. The album came to us as a pleasant and timely surprise, with an exquisite style distinct from her fairytale-like romantic songs like “Love Story” or her vibrant hits like “Shake it Off.”

The album is characterized by a gentle acoustic melody and heartfelt emotions. Swift dives into the realm of storytelling with her cinematic songs, sending thought-provoking messages that do not need a high level of seniority to understand and appreciate. She incorporates a unique musicality into each of her songs — a soft, catchy beat fading in and out, layers of musical strings and instrumental chords, steady vibrations, and rhythms — all complemented by Swift’s light, expressive vocals.
 
The craft of lyrical phrases and lines is remarkable, like a collection of introspective poems revealing profound thoughts, experiences, and epiphanies. Words are chosen and placed for their cadence and flow, presenting the meaning and feeling beyond their literal facade. Swift captures the essence of small moments in life, leading listeners into an intimate, sentimental reverie awash with nostalgia. Each song explores what it means to be human with a soothing familiarity, such as an ode to childhood in the sentimental song “seven” and a modern-day bittersweet summer romance in the poignant ballad “august.”

Refreshing yet reminiscent, Folklore makes us fully immersed in the emotions as stories unfurled like undulating streams. Whether it be a relaxing, lighthearted song like “betty” or “invisible string” to sing and dance along or a slow, wistful one like “My Tears Ricochet” or “cardigan” to muse about — they leave us brimming with wonder and healed by aspirations and dreams.

Despite the subtle layer of fantasy throughout Folklore, Swift does not want this album to be merely an escape from the harsh reality that we are facing. Her songs spark love and power beyond our egoic self. This was particularly important for people who were experiencing solitude and frustration during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in the summer of 2020. In “epiphany,” she expresses evocative thoughts on the sacrifices made by healthcare workers during the pandemic and the deep meaning of human connections. Her gift to us in those songs is not to be lost in the gloom, but to transform it and keep our hopes solid.

In Folklore, Swift slips numerous hidden messages into her songs, which are usually up to listeners to interpret and unravel, but one theme is undoubtedly clear — even amid a worldwide pandemic, every one of us can still find our own folklore.