folklore
folklore 
Lover
The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in mental health issues among adults. During the pandemic, 4 in 10 adults reported having anxiety and depressive disorders. This is a significant increase compared to the 1 in 10 adults who reported this from January to June 2019.1 Even without statistics, it makes sense that mental and behavioral disorders increased during the pandemic — being in lockdown and isolated for months was a very lonely process, on top of stressing about contracting a deadly disease. Taylor Swift’s critically-acclaimed, record-breaking 2020 album, folklore, followed by its sister album, evermore, is a reflection of this increase in mental health disorders and the stressors we all collectively felt. The Grammy’s 2020 Album of the Year allows listeners to escape into a world full of tragic love stories, feelings of hopelessness, and empty mansions in Rhode Island. This was a massive contrast from her previous albums as the stories on folklore are not Taylor’s; the stories are either someone else’s or completely imaginary. The album acts as a reflection of Taylor’s need to escape isolation during these difficult times. Through these vivid stories, Taylor allows fans to escape with her into this world of self-reflection and deep emotions. The songs deal with heavy topics. For example, “mirrorball” talks about how we all have such anxiety and are “shattered into a million pieces” to act differently around different people, and how it’s mentally exhausting to be in the spotlight. Also, “this is me trying” is a song dealing with addiction, depression, and suicide. Furthermore, although the words “COVID” and “pandemic” are never sung on the album, the pandemic is definitely referenced. In Taylor’s Disney+ documentary, folklore: the long pond studio sessions, she says, “The time that we’re living through is lyrically addressed [on folklore]. I think that, you know, the pandemic and lockdown and all that runs through this album like a thread because it’s an album that allows you to feel your feelings, and it’s a product of isolation.”2 She then goes on to say, “I was so glad we [wrote folklore] because it turned out that everybody needed a good cry, as well as us.”3 The pandemic presented people with many hardships and difficulties, and folklore allowed people to distract themselves with stories that were not their own. In fact, the album’s bonus track, “the lakes,” which Taylor says is the song that sums up the message of folklore, is a song about escaping to a cottage in the woods to physically get away from the challenges presented by the pandemic.
It’s also important to note that this album is drastically different from Taylor’s 2019 album, Lover, a bubblegum pop album filled with joyous lyrics and upbeat productions. For example, her song “Paper Rings” from Lover states, “I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings. Uh huh, that’s right. Darling, you’re the one I want.”4 This shift in mood and tone is even evident in the album covers. Lover features a neon pink, baby-blue, and bright yellow background, with Taylor sporting a bedazzled heart on her face, whereas folklore has Taylor standing in the midst of a black and white isolated forest.
Sources:
2- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae7D3JRgtPg
3- https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/taylor-swift/taylor-swift-releasing-surprise-movie-disney-plus
4- https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-paper-rings-lyrics
Solar Power
Solar Power 
Melodrama
Sources: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lorde-Solar-Power-Walmart-Exclusive-Vinyl-Exclusive/879601396 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melodrama_(Lorde_album)
While Taylor Swift’s folklore shows the negative effects of the pandemic on our mental health, Lorde’s latest album takes a different approach. Lorde’s 2021 album Solar Power is completely different from her 2017 critically-acclaimed album, Melodrama, which made Rolling Stones’ list of “Best 500 Albums of All Time.”1 Melodrama showcases an emotional, stressed, scared, and depressed Lorde going through her late teens. The album has many dark themes, evident through songs like “Liability,” which states, “The truth is I am a toy that people enjoy, till all of the tricks don’t work anymore, and then they are bored of me.”2 However, on Solar Power, Lorde seems to have taken time during the pandemic to find inner peace and center herself. In contrast to Melodrama’s dark themes, Solar Power is full of light, and has a much more relaxing vibe. For example, on Solar Power’s title track, she states, “Acid green, aquamarine. The girls are dancing in the sand, and I throw my cellular device in the water. Can you reach me? No, you can’t.”3 To accompany these upbeat lyrics, the music video for the song features a smiling Lorde dancing on a beach, a massive difference from her darker music videos from her Melodrama era. All the songs on Solar Power seem to have a much happier undertone. For example, the first track on the album, “The Path,” talks about finding a path to sunlight — to happiness. In an interview with “The New York Times,” Lorde talks about how she wanted this album to feel happy and “sound like skateboarding.” She continues by saying, “I’ve done a lot. I’ve grown a lot. I’m happy… I’m feeling good… And, life is good, you know?”4 Lorde taking the time to self-reflect and come out of the pandemic in a better mental head space is unfortunately a rare occurrence. Statistics show that depression rates have significantly increased during the pandemic.5 Maybe Lorde’s key to success was focusing on things other than the pandemic. During lockdown, a greater emphasis was placed on the dangers of climate change/global warming. Lorde wanted to make a positive impact with her album, which is why she refused to sell CD copies of it, and all of her merchandise is made from 100% recycled cotton.6 This bold decision further shows how the pandemic affected her outlook on life.
Sources:
2- https://genius.com/Lorde-liability-lyrics
3- https://genius.com/Lorde-solar-power-lyrics
4- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MirTynsEhFQ
5- https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/depression-rates-tripled-when-pandemic-first-hit/
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