The Waves: Taylor Swift and Adele Take Different Approaches to Aging and Pop Stardom

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Slate Podcasts

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.6 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 20 November 2021

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On this week’s episode of The Waves, managing producer of Slate Podcasts Asha Saluja and senior editor Shannon Palus dive into new releases from superstars Adele and Taylor Swift. In the first half, they talk about how Taylor Swift shaped their views of romance and being 22, and whether her move to take back her song catalogue is actually feminist. Then, Asha and Shannon explore the conversation around Adele’s weight loss and the patriarchal expectations put on female pop stars. In our Slate Plus segment, Asha and Shannon talk about whether it’s feminist when female pop stars don’t dance in their music videos. Recommendations: Asha: Jao Refresher hand sanitizer and singing in the shower. Shannon: Getting a latte and going for a walk with said latte. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the waves. This is the waves. This is the waves. This is the waves.
0:13.0	Welcome to the waves Slates podcast about gender, feminism, and today at least
0:18.9	aging alongside your favorite pop stars. Every episode you get a new pair of feminists to talk
0:25.5	about the thing we can't get off our minds. And today you've got me, Asha Salugia,
0:30.5	managing producer of Slate podcasts, and me, Shannon Paulis, Slate Senior Editor,
0:36.2	mostly covering science and health. So the thing we can't get off our minds this week is that
0:42.6	it's a huge week in pop music. Last Friday, pop icon and near constant figure of public fascination,
0:49.5	Taylor Swift marked the re-release of her 2012 album Red with a short film, a slew of late-night
0:55.8	interviews, and an SNL appearance. And this coming weekend, beloved but reclusive mega star Adele,
1:02.8	gears up for the release of her next album, 30, after a two-hour primetime special that featured
1:08.7	an intimate concert and an interview with Oprah. I am a huge music fan and devoted follower of
1:15.7	all of the pop girlies. So I'm really excited to talk to you, Shannon, about both of these album
1:20.4	cycles. And in particular, how they speak to one decidedly feminist concern, the way we react to
1:27.4	prominent women aging in the public eye. Shannon, why did you want to talk about this? Asha, I spend
1:35.0	maybe 90% of my life when I've had phones in listening to Taylor Swift. I was a big fan of
1:41.2	red when it came out. Taylor was 22. I was 22. And getting to revisit red alongside Taylor,
1:50.9	is just a magical experience in where happy, free, confused, and all the best ways that has been
1:57.2	my vibe all weekend. I've also been thinking a lot about what it means to observe pop stars and
2:04.5	their public images. I recently wrote about Adele's weight loss and how I feel about that and how I
2:10.6	feel weird about having feelings about that. So I'm really excited to dive into pop stars and new
2:17.0	music and what it means to be a woman in the spotlight. I feel you on all of those things. I'm so
2:23.8	excited to and we should mention that we're right about the same age. So these pop stars and the
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