Taylor | Preview (Channel 4)

Channel 4 is to explore the global phenomenon of Taylor Swift in a dynamic two-part series from Sandpaper Films. 

Taylor will dig deep across the musician’s 20-year career, a period that has seen her transcend the realm of pop star to become a cultural icon like no other. Through interviews with high-profile commentators, industry insiders and fans, the documentary examines the forces that have shaped her trajectory and the devoted community she has inspired.

Rare archive will reveal fresh insights into Taylor and her story as the series charts her journey from ambitious teen with towering dreams to one of the most influential and scrutinised figures of our time. 

In George Bush’s patriotic post-9/11 America, Taylor is a pre-teen hopeful who sings the national anthem at sports stadia and dreams of making it big. Behind her all-American appearance lies a steely determination, a dedicated Mom and an uncanny knack for writing music and lyrics that bring a whole new market of young people to country music.

Teenage Taylor becomes a global phenomenon – songwriter, businesswoman and cultural figurehead. By singing honestly from the heart to her teenage girl audience, she creates an unprecedented bond with fans who are desperate to know what happens next in her story. She defies the odds, selling millions of records during America’s financial downturn and finds herself on stage clutching a VMA award.

Enter stage left Kanye West who interrupts her speech, propelling the young country starlet to global fame. The underdog is born. Taylor’s marketing nous, determination and raw talent see her segue from country to pop, exhibiting an ability to take criticism on the chin and ‘shake it off’.

Fame brings unwanted attention and criticism, with her every move and every date dissected on social media. Her response to adversity is always to write a song about it, take control of the narrative and bounce back.

Just as she is on the verge of going stratospheric, the wheels fall off her career. She faces a cancellation that surely exceeds even Taylor’s powers of reinvention. Will she bounce back or is this the end?

After her cancellation, many assumed Taylor Swift’s career was over. She disappeared from the public eye and some wondered if she was still alive. When a snake appeared on her long-silent Instagram page, fans were excited: was this the sign of a comeback?

Taylor’s return onto the global stage was triumphant and defiant, heralding a new era of reinvention. With her 2017 album Reputation, she embraced the role of the villain and defiantly took control of her narrative. Her comeback made the industry sit up. Taylor was back.

What followed was a new era of outspokenness. The little girl, the people pleaser, was gone, and in her place a grown up, forthright Taylor. She confronted the music industry, re-recording her first six albums to reclaim ownership of her work. She spoke publicly in ways she never had before – from her sexual-assault trial to speaking out politically in a divided America.

At the heart of it all was always her music – and her fans. Taylor’s comeback proved that her followers were still loyal, still loved her and still wanted more. The intimate connection she had built in the early days had paved the way for a fan base that grew and changed with her. 

The series will be directed by Guy King (The Fall, Bombing Brighton, Our Falklands War), with producer Jessica Brady and archive producer Lina Caicedo. Susannah Price and Henry Singer from Sandpaper Films are executive producers. The series is edited by BAFTA winning editor Martin Thompson. Blue Ant will be overseeing international sales. 

Guy King, Director says: “Taylor Swift is an unprecedentedly powerful 21st Century voice for women and young people. Under the microscope of social media since the earliest days of MySpace and Tumblr, she came of age during a new feminist wave. With her fame came controversy, which she so skillfully wrestled to the floor. We’re excited to tell her story."

Shaminder Nahal, Head of Specialist Factual at Channel 4 and Commissioning Editor says: “We’re thrilled that Sandpaper and director Guy King will be bringing their calibre of storytelling to chart the impact of Taylor Swift on today’s culture. Her journey has been nothing short of epic, and we’re keen for this series reflect all the joy and artistry, the heartbreaks and high stakes, of her stunning career, while also showing viewers sides of Taylor Swift that they might not know or expect.”

Taylor airs Tuesday 30th September from 9:15pm on Channel 4.