I knew reporting a book about Taylor Swift was going to be difficult. But I was still surprised the first time someone was too afraid to go on the record to give her a compliment.
This all started in summer 2024, when I took a temporary leave from The Washington Post and relocated to Nashville to work on my new book, “Taylor Swift: The Debut Years,” a deep dive into her first decade in country music — and her impact on the genre — on the eve of the 20th anniversary of her debut album. As a pop culture reporter who has spent a dozen years covering both Swift’s career and country music, this process was an exciting, frustrating and ultimately illuminating look at the sheer scope of power that Swift wields.