Never was I a bigger Swiftie than when I was 10 years old and Fearless came out for the first time. Listening to it again now with the re-release was quite the nostalgic journey for me – it actually made me quite emotional to think how much I’ve grown up since then.
I will put a couple disclaimers on this post: I know it’s the most privileged white girl shit ever (lol, indulge me) and I know that I definitely don’t know it all yet but I certainly know more at 23 than I did at 10.

I loved this album when it came out, though I was much more clueless than Fearless. This album came out at the beginning of my and my friends’ realisation of romantic love, so I suppose it helped in forming those idealistic, romanticised, idyllic dreams of how life and love were supposed to be. It made me laugh a little reminiscing on how simple my views were back then. It also made me laugh how I’d apply these love songs to any tiny flirtation as if it was the biggest deal in the world. Little did baby know I wouldn’t even remember those things happening until now!

I specifically remember listening to ‘Fifteen’ at the time and thinking how wise I’d be by the time I was that age and was excited to be able to claim the song. Listening to it again at 23 knowing still how clueless I still was at 15 made me a bit emotional. Even though Taylor Swift sang warnings about her regrets, I still made some of those same mistakes myself. It didn’t help me to identify those red flags, to be able to look out for myself and not be blinded by a rose-tinted idea of love. Soooo yeah… ‘Fifteen’ and ‘White Horse’ made me cry.

When the album first came out, it was the staple CD in my mum’s car and we’d listen to it on repeat on the way to dance so it really makes me think of my mum and sister as well as my childhood friendships and romances. It felt quite appropriate today to be listening to it in the car while I drove myself around the Aberdeenshire countryside, it being so associated, for me, with the car, being up home in my small town and also driving past fields of horses felt proper country!
As the years went on I’ve probably listened to it back a handful of times but it’s amazing how it could be applied to so many scenarios over the last decade of my life. It’s definitely amazing how I could still remember every single word to sing along with!

My third and final cry came from listening to ‘The Best Day’ because it had me thinking back to so many of my best days with my mum. I’m sure that I played that in the car on the way home after a great dance competition and said ‘this is like us’ – I know, cute huh? So, yeah, I cried for how much I love my mum and for how lucky I am to have so many great memories with her. I’m really glad the album ended with that and then ‘Change’ to really punctuate my reflective drive – these things sure will change, baby Katie.

Fearless is a time capsule of my childhood ideas of romance, it was quite emotional to reminisce on those memories and reflect on where I’m at now: knowing myself so much better and ready to really build healthy relationships whenever those opportunities arise.
It’s funny because I don’t even think of myself as much of a Taylor Swift fan but this album really epitomises my adolescence – I think I’d actually mark it as the album of my 10s decade (ages 10-19) because it covers that childhood naiveté of romance and friendship, first love and first heartbreak, spending time with family and slowly figuring myself out and how I’ll allow others to treat me.

Which album would you choose for your 10s?