Joel Halldorf, church historian and author
Photo: Christer Sturmark.
– I hope we will go together, but right now we only have two tickets to Friday’s concert, so there is a certain tug of war between me and the mother.
How did you get hooked on Taylor Swift?
– My daughter has been listening to Taylor Swift non-stop for over a year. At first I thought it was just pop slang, but soon I started to notice the lyrics. And how brilliant they were.
What is your favorite quote?
– Difficult. I like her witty puns, maybe that’s something that gets us dads? †Paper rings†are full of them: †The wine is cold / Like the shoulder that I gave you in the street†.
Do you and your child talk about Swift and the music with each other?
– Haha, are we talking about something else? We discuss it every day. But the point is that Taylor Swift helps young girls to process feelings, experiences and values - and also to find their way into poetry and literature. There is a lot to talk about.
What do you think about fan culture?
– The fan culture is something of a cult, it must be said, that takes up a lot of time in social media. But on the other hand: As a theologian, I know that people can have significantly worse cult leaders than Taylor Swift.
Do you socialize with other swiftie dads or are you unique in your circles?
– My daughter’s best friend shares her passion, and her father is also going to the concert. But he and I never talked about it. We usually discuss AI instead. It’s a little sad when I think about it.
Bjørn Wiman, head of culture at Dagens Nyheter
Photo: Karin Wesslén/TT
– I am going to the last concert with all three of my daughters. They also have tickets for the first one but I logged in secretly as a kind of “backup†and fixed the last one as well.
How did you get hooked on Taylor Swift?
– In the long run, it is difficult to resist such a carpet of noise as the one I have been exposed to for a number of years, especially from my middle daughter. She is an adult today but has loved Taylor Swift since she was seven.
What is your favorite song?
– Objectively speaking, “All to well (10 minute version)†is of course one of the great songs of our time. But I like “Betty†– a classic short story in the American tradition.
Do you and your kids talk about Swift and the music with each other?
– I usually talk about the strong influences from Dylan and Springsteen but I am mostly met with rolling eyes. Not to mention when I pointed out the Coleridge reference on “The Albatross†on the new record.
Why do you think Swift has been so popular?
– She has artistic integrity and the ability to innovate. I like her potential political influence – I would like her to use it to decide this fall’s presidential election and save American democracy.
Do you socialize with other swiftie dads or are you unique in your circles?
– You are never unique. With more fathers should of course listen to Taylor Swift.
Patrik Elofsson, A&R and artist under the name DJ Sleepy
Photo: Jan E Carlsson
– My daughter will go with her friend on Friday and with me and the rest of the family on Sunday.
How do you prepare together?
– Musically, there is a brand new album that we both have to listen to, but I will also listen to the rest of the catalog to be reminded and immerse myself. My daughter has also been making friendship bracelets for several months now.
How did you get hooked on Taylor Swift?
– I actually listened even before my daughter did, but it’s definitely become more after she became a fan as well. I began to understand what a fantastic pop artist she was through the singles from “Red†and the album “1989†. But the whole, the level of songwriting and so on, came with the record “Folklore†.
What is your favorite song?
– It is the pop perfection that I like most about Taylor, so it is mainly the big hits that are my favorites, and there are many of them… “Blank space†will forever be one of the best pop songs of the 10th century.
Do you and your child talk about Swift and the music with each other?
– Yes, we do. Above all, it is my daughter who keeps me updated, and knows everything before me.
What do you think of the fan culture surrounding Taylor Swift?
– I love fan culture in general. Being a pop star today is not just about the music. Life and music are and need to be connected to engage – regardless of whether it is real or not. Taylor Swift is the world champion at this very thing.
Do you socialize with other swiftie dads or are you unique in your circles?
– There are several, including the legendary producer and DJ DJ Large. He has a daughter who is the same age as mine – both are swifties.
Kristian Luuk, presenter
Photo: Karin Törnblom/TT
– Me and my daughter will absolutely go to the concert! We have two tickets for the first night.
How did you get hooked on Taylor Swift?
– I have been listening to American singer/songwriters for a long time and discovered Taylor early, like in 2007, and played her a lot at home. Back then she was basically a pure country artist and my children (then seven and ten years old) were moderately interested. But in later years, my daughter Smilla has reminded me that “damn dad, you were early with Taylor Swift†.
Do you have a favorite extra?
– I have many favorite lines. Especially from the first discs. Then Taylor is only about 17 years old and writes:
“She wears high heels, I wear sneakers
She’s Cheer Captain and I’m on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you’re looking for has been here the whole timeâ€
(†You belong to me†– third single from “Fearless†, 2008)
Do you and your child talk about Swift and the music with each other?
– We both listened, and still listen, a lot to her first records. It was nice to be able to discuss Taylor’s well-formulated high school lyrics with Smilla – we had different perspectives on them, but could meet in the songs.
What do you think about fan culture?
– I am curious about it! That is one of the reasons why I want to go to the concert. I don’t really understand how she came to be so gigantically large. But I have enormous respect for it.
