Introduction and favourite Swift kitty

Favourite songs

Dissecting Blank Space

Examining/Exploring Anti-Hero

Debating All Too Well (10 Minute Version)

Rapid-fire Swiftie questions for Yvonne & Ravi

One of our guests also shows us the brilliance of her lyrics by reading them out to us. What are your faves?

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood scene.

American superstar Taylor Swift has dominated pop culture with her mega-successful Eras Tour, her historic fourth Grammy win for Album of the Year in 2024 and her fairytale-like romance with American football star Travis Kelce. 

And she will soon be bringing her tour for a sold-out six-night show at National Stadium in Singapore from March 2-9. Ahead of her concert, #PopVultures host Jan Lee sits down for a throwback to her English-literature-student days.

Joining her in this episode to explore Swift's multi-generational appeal, are Life correspondent and "Swiftie" Yamini Chinnuswamy, 15-year-old Gen-Z "Swiftie" Yvonne Inglin as well as Ravi Agarwal, a 51-year-old connoisseur of Swift's lyrics.

Together, they discuss the literary value of her songs while Ravi also reads out the best of her lyrics. They analyse the appeal of her songs and how different songs reflect different periods in Swift's life. 

They spotlight three of Swift's most famous songs from different eras of her career - Blank Space, Anti-Hero and All Too Well (10 Minute Version) - and talk about Swift's use of metaphors, rhymes and sentence structure. They also talk about their own impressions of these songs and why it fascinates and appeals to them.

They also ponder the very important question: Is a Nobel Literature Prize in Swift's future? 

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:30 Introduction and everyone's favourite Swift kitty - is it Olivia Benson, Meredith Grey or Benjamin Button?

7:00 Favourite songs

9:30 Dissecting Blank Space

16:40 Examining/Exploring Anti-Hero

26:20 Debating All Too Well (10 Minute Version)

35:30 Rapid-fire Swiftie questions for Yvonne & Ravi

Watch the special video version of this episode on the new Straits Times’ Podcast YouTube channel, where Yamini has set up a mini-Taylor Swift shrine: https://str.sg/itdC

Download ST's Taylor Swift 9-era infographic series in high-res PDF: https://str.sg/qQQU

More of ST's Taylor Swift coverage here: https://str.sg/CJDx

Produced by: Jan Lee (janlee@sph.com.sg), Yamini Chinnuswamy (yaminic@sph.com.sg), Amirul Karim and Eden Soh

Video Producers: Joel Chng, T Kumar, Zeke Tan and Marc de Souza

Edited by: Amirul Karim and Eden Soh

Follow #PopVultures here every month: 

Channel: https://str.sg/JWad

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaA

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaP

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Jan Lee on Instagram: https://str.sg/Jbxc

Read Jan Lee's articles: https://str.sg/Jbxp

Read Yamini Chinnuswamy's articles: https://str.sg/h4rH

Follow Yamini Chinnuswamy on Instagram: https://str.sg/sVdB

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#PV

One of our guests also shows us the brilliance of her lyrics by reading them out to us. What are your faves?
Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood scene.
American superstar Taylor Swift has dominated pop culture with her mega-successful Eras Tour, her historic fourth Grammy win for Album of the Year in 2024 and her fairytale-like romance with American football star Travis Kelce. 
And she will soon be bringing her tour for a sold-out six-night show at National Stadium in Singapore from March 2-9. Ahead of her concert, #PopVultures host Jan Lee sits down for a throwback to her English-literature-student days.
Joining her in this episode to explore Swift's multi-generational appeal, are Life correspondent and "Swiftie" Yamini Chinnuswamy, 15-year-old Gen-Z "Swiftie" Yvonne Inglin as well as Ravi Agarwal, a 51-year-old connoisseur of Swift's lyrics.
Together, they discuss the literary value of her songs while Ravi also reads out the best of her lyrics. They analyse the appeal of her songs and how different songs reflect different periods in Swift's life. 
They spotlight three of Swift's most famous songs from different eras of her career - Blank Space, Anti-Hero and All Too Well (10 Minute Version) - and talk about Swift's use of metaphors, rhymes and sentence structure. They also talk about their own impressions of these songs and why it fascinates and appeals to them.
They also ponder the very important question: Is a Nobel Literature Prize in Swift's future? 
Highlights (click/tap above):
3:30 Introduction and everyone's favourite Swift kitty - is it Olivia Benson, Meredith Grey or Benjamin Button?
7:00 Favourite songs
9:30 Dissecting Blank Space
16:40 Examining/Exploring Anti-Hero
26:20 Debating All Too Well (10 Minute Version)
35:30 Rapid-fire Swiftie questions for Yvonne &amp; Ravi
Watch the special video version of this episode on the new Straits Times’ Podcast YouTube channel, where Yamini has set up a mini-Taylor Swift shrine: <a href="https://str.sg/itdC">https://str.sg/itdC</a>
Download ST's Taylor Swift 9-era infographic series in high-res PDF: <a href="https://str.sg/qQQU">https://str.sg/qQQU</a>
More of ST's Taylor Swift coverage here: <a href="https://str.sg/CJDx">https://str.sg/CJDx</a> 
<a href="https://youtu.be/xFmVjRdGtEo"></a>Produced by: Jan Lee (<a href="mailto:janlee@sph.com.sg">janlee@sph.com.sg</a>), Yamini Chinnuswamy (<a href="mailto:yaminic@sph.com.sg" aria-haspopup="menu">yaminic@sph.com.sg</a>), Amirul Karim and Eden Soh
Video Producers: Joel Chng, T Kumar, Zeke Tan and Marc de Souza
Edited by: Amirul Karim and Eden Soh
Follow #PopVultures here every month: 
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWad"> https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaA"> https://str.sg/JWaA</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaP"> https://str.sg/JWaP</a> 
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Follow Jan Lee on Instagram:<a href="https://str.sg/Jbxc"> https://str.sg/Jbxc</a>
Read Jan Lee's articles:<a href="https://str.sg/Jbxp"> https://str.sg/Jbxp</a>
Read Yamini Chinnuswamy's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/h4rH">https://str.sg/h4rH</a>
Follow Yamini Chinnuswamy on Instagram: <a href="https://str.sg/sVdB">https://str.sg/sVdB</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
COE Watch:<a href="https://str.sg/iTtE"> https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/i44T"> https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#PV

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood industries.

Podcaster: Jan Lee

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

Synopsis: Each month, The Straits Times examines the ins and outs of pop culture in the Asian entertainment and Hollywood industries.
Podcaster: Jan Lee
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

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