For the 2nd time in history, Taylor Swift’s album Fearless shook the music industry. Apr. 9, Taylor released her own re-recorded version of the 2008 album, this one going by the name Fearless (Taylor’s version) and including six entirely new songs from the vault. Not only did this re-release bring a sense of nostalgia to those who have been listening to the classic songs since they were released 13 years ago, but it also brought a sense of relief to fans of Taylor (known as Swifties) who are happy to finally see their favorite have control of her own music. 

To those who are not familiar with the situation, Taylor Swift announced she would be remaking her first six albums after the master recordings were sold to the company of Scooter Braun, the widely known manager of Justin Bieber and many others, where he later sold the rights once again. By re-recording the albums herself, Taylor gains the rights to these songs and can do what she pleases with her own music.

“It’s relieving, knowing that an artist I look up to finally has control over her own art,” Junior Lexi Woolsey said, “in doing this, she took back the power that was taken from her and I think that is so inspiring.”

With her rerecording of Fearless, Taylor planned for each song to stay as similar to the originals as possible so as to give listeners the same feelings they have always felt while listening.   However, it is safe to say that the Swifties who were around for the release in 2008 have experienced a lot in the 13 years between then and now, and it is likely their feelings towards the songs now are very different from what they were back then.

“The fact that I can actually relate to some of these songs now, makes the release that much better,” says Woolsey, “they’re the same songs and the same lyrics, but they feel so different in an amazing way.”

Apart from the 13 original songs, Taylor also added six from her platinum edition of the album and her Valentines Day single “Today Was a Fairytale”, as well as a remix of “Love Story” by Elvira, and six never-before-heard songs from the vault. The new songs instantly created an uproar on social media, in which fans expressed their excitement about the songs as they listened to them for the first time.

“I don’t really know what I was expecting,” Junior Lisa Rabino stated, “but I was so shocked by how amazing all of the songs were after listening for the first time, that I had to listen again to make sure I heard what I just heard.” Sophomore Caroline Frutkin added, “I have not stopped playing ‘Mr. Perfectly Fine’ since I heard it for the first time. It’s amazing.”

Though released two days before the entire album, track 22 “Mr. Perfectly Fine” was a hot topic of social media for days after its release. Fans love it for more than just the strong vocals and passion in Taylors voice, but also for the wonderfully blunt, sarcastic lyrics. 

“I can’t even relate to it that much,” Frutkin said, “but it’s so well written that I feel like I’ve been through everything she is singing about.”

Fearless (Taylor’s version) is just the beginning for Taylor Swift and her fans. The singer has already stated she will be rerecording all six of the albums she does not own, and many fans believe she has already begun dropping hints of her next rerecording which they believe to be the album 1989. Whatever her next course of action may be, there is no doubt that there will be a similarly charged response given by millions of her excited fans.