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Why Taylor Swift Is So Influential (And How You Can Increase Your Influence)

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Taylor Swift is accusing her former record label, Big Machine Label Group, and the two men who own it of “tyrannical control” and blocking her from performing her old music at the 2019 American Music Awards. She posted a statement on Twitter and asked her fans to share their feelings.

While it is typical to place restrictions on re-recording for a certain number of years post album-release, it is unusual for a label to restrict an artist from performing songs at a recorded event when it is not competing against the record label and can benefit the label. Because the parties were unable to privately work out this issue, Swift has gone public. She is broadcasting the unfairness, and people are listening. 

This is not the first time Swift has taken a public stand to protect her music. In 2015, she wrote an open letter to Apple expressing her dislike of Apple Music offering a three-month free trial to subscribers. She said she and other artists deserve to be paid for their work. After Swift’s statement, Apple changed its policy and pays artists for music streamed during the trial period.

What gives Taylor Swift such influence? Here are four reasons why Taylor Swift gets people to listen and how you can, too:

1. She develops a support network.

Taylor Swift has her fans and fellow artists in the music industry that support her. Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello, Halsey and Sara Bareilles are some of the singers who have spoken out in support of her stand in this dispute. 

Despite her rise to stardom, Swift continues to show appreciation of the people that support her. She also recognizes the power of a support network. In this latest feud, she asks for her network’s help. When people feel appreciative, they are more willing to support you.

If you want to increase your influence, nurture your relationships. It may not be on the same mega-scale of Taylor Swift, but if you stay in-touch with your friends and colleagues, they in turn will support you. If you want people to listen to you, listen to them. Let people know you are listening.

2. She has clout.

Taylor Swift is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, winning 10 Grammys and other awards and with a net worth of $360 million at 29 years old. The numbers don’t lie. Swift has been extremely successful. Her success gives her the power to impact the music industry.

You don’t have to have those types of numbers to establish credibility in your field. When you work hard and invest time and energy into being productive and being the best you can be, the numbers and metrics will follow. When you have something to show for it, you develop the clout to influence other people.

3. She owns her power.

Not only does Taylor Swift have power, but she owns her power. She uses her power, including her massive social media following that allows her to amplify her voice exponentially. 

She is not afraid to use some of her capital to influence change, particularly when it impacts her worth and that of her fellow artists. In her Twitter statement on the current dispute, Swift writes that the label will allow her to use her past music on the condition that she stops talking about Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta, the two men behind the record label. “The message being sent to me is very clear. Basically, be a good little girl and shut up. Or you’ll be punished,” she writes. Taylor Swift is not afraid to risk her reputation or suffer the consequences for something she feels is unfair. 

If you have power, have the courage to use it. There are always risks to speaking out, but staying silent could be an even greater risk. In some cases, staying silent might jeopardize your opportunity to lead a project or for a promotion or raise, as examples. Own your power, and use the tools available to you to amplify your voice.

4. She is not afraid to share her feelings publicly.

“I feel very strongly that sharing what is happening to me could change the awareness level for other artists and potentially help them avoid a similar fate,” writes Swift in her tweet. “This is WRONG. Neither of these men had a hand in the writing of those songs.” Taylor Swift doesn’t mince words when it comes to sharing her feelings. In fact, she has built a career out of hit songs that stem from her feelings.

As Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle recently suggested in an interview, not expressing your emotions can be damaging to a person. Sharing your feelings, particularly when your feelings stem from an unfair situation, can be helpful to your mental health. Sharing your feelings can also create an emotional connection with others. While others may not have experienced the same situation you are going through, they have probably experienced times in which they felt the same emotions. This can, in turn, help you to strengthen your relationships, build your credibility and increase your influence.


To increase your influence, nurture your network, establish credibility, use your power and share your feelings. You don’t have to be Taylor Swift to get people to listen to you, but you can learn from her.


How do you use your influence? Share with me your stories and thoughts via Twitter or LinkedIn.

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