A while ago,
sent me a text. “Do you want to join a WhatsApp group where we just talk about Taylor Swift?”OMG YES PLS, I replied, or something like it.
And so, I was put in a group chat with Tash and
and . If I am correct, we have been talking about Ms Taylor Alison Swift (and also life and dreams and aspirations and Harry Styles and publishing and contract negotiations and friendship bracelets) for four, maybe even five years. Literally, just thousands and thousands and thousands of messages.IMAGINE how delighted we’d be if one of us got to write a whole book about our favourite subject…
WELL GUESS WHAT GUESS THE WHAT WHAT
Into The Taylorverse by Satu Hameenaho-Fox is out today!!
In the UK, that is. With countless other territories to come. You can order it here. Please do!
We are all so proud, it feels like a collective achievement, even though it was Satu who had to actually sit down and write all the words.
Satu, by the way, lives in London and works as a pop culture writer and editor, producing books and the collaborative Taylor substack Swiftian Theory. Satu likes to unwind by texting me about the hair status of former members of the world’s greatest rock band One Direction.
I could not resist asking Satu some questions about her book and some of our other shared interests…………. xx
KATE LEAVER: So you wrote a book about Taylor Swift, huh? What is that, like, your ultimate career dream come true or something?
SATU HAMEENAHO-FOX: Kate, it was literally my dream come true. You know better than most people how much I think about Taylor and her music because you are the same level of obsessed as I am. I have been writing essays about Taylor lyrics to share with my (very patient) writing group since 2020, but I never thought I would get the chance to write a whole book. Not because there isn’t enough to say, or not enough people who would want to read it. But just because I wasn’t sure anyone would want to publish a book that takes Taylor and her fans seriously and treats us like the smart people we are.
KL: How would you describe the book, for people who might be thinking, “wonder what we can expect from this very attractive, well-written book about the world’s most famous tall blonde pop star”?
SHF: Having said the book takes Taylor seriously, I also had so much fun writing it because the woman is so entertaining – why do I know her cats’ birthdays? Why did I consider including the time she hid in that box? The book takes us through Taylor’s songwriting eras, from the very sweet and atmospheric early days, where I mention Mary’s Song (Oh My My My) an unnatural number of times, through the totemic heartbreak ballads and the laser-sharp pop songwriting, into the quill pen era and beyond. I uncovered quotations and had moments of insight that I genuinely think give new life to the endless debates around her music and lyrics. I also talk about the Swiftie fandom and what defines us (for better and worse), Taylor’s live performance history and the four-dimensional chess she plays as a marketing and celebrity genius. I am a critic where needed, not just a mega fangirl: I bravely said what needed to be said about the rainbow Lover outfit. Please do not include a picture here.
KL: How would you feel if you found out that
Taylor’s publicist Tree Paine read your book
One of Taylor’s close friends eg Selena Gomez, Blake Lively, read your book
Taylor herself read your book
SHF:
I’d call my lawyer
I’d hope they get a kick out of their friend having such a devoted fan
I would evaporate in a cloud of sparkling dust
KL: I happen to know, from inside information, that you wrote this book in a very short, frantic period of time. How long did it take to write how many words? And how did you do it?
SHF: I would be nervous to share this in case people think no one could possibly write a valid book in like, six or seven weeks. But ultimately Taylor wrote Love Story in 20 minutes so anything is possible. Getting an agent and honing the pitch took longer than writing the book! Once I chose my publisher in late 2023, it was all stations go to get the book written in time for the next leg of the Eras tour. Luckily I had spent over a decade obsessing over Taylor so the research was in my head, our Swiftian Theory chats had revealed so many new facets to her music, and I had a Swiftie agent and editor to bounce my prose off. Starting in November, I had to sacrifice my social life: no one physically saw me for two months. I had Christmas day off, and one day off to cry after writing the chapter about Red. The book went over the wordcount by about 15,000 words and I still had so much more to say! I hope this is the start of the serious Taylor takes and that future writers cattily reference what I got wrong in the intros to their own books about her.
KL: Let me give you a hypothetical but also very realistic scenario. You’re at a London pub, you get chatting to a young man, he’s wearing red chinos and no socks. At some point he says to you, “all Taylor Swift does is write about breakups, haw, haw, haw” and he throws his ham-shade face back in laughter. How do you respond?
SHF: There was a time when I would have argued to the death with this man but now I just think of my book and the lyrics to Mean and I elevate beyond it.
KL: Should wine be served with ice, as Taylor and also by the way Diane Keaton drink it?
SHF: Yes, a game-changing way to enjoy a house white or four.
KL: Can you tell me a little of your undying love and admiration for a Swedish pop producer/songwriter? And did you by any chance want to say anything about his hair?
SHF: The editor of Into the Taylor-Verse, probably wisely, made me take out some of the more flowery descriptions of Max Martin’s hair. The fact is, Max has brought me unspoken amounts of joy since the year 1998 with his thorough pop music writing and editing, including most of 1989 and virtually every bop you’ve ever heard. I associate the name Max Martin with having a good time. I’m happy that Taylor has become so powerful that no one can tell her what to do anymore; I want that for her. But you will never erode my love for the pure perfection of an MM production. Delicate! Blank Space! I personally feel like no man can ever replace Max. When we debate who should produce Taylor’s music going forward, it’s tricky because she writes with Jack Antonoff, it’s not like you can just take him out of the process and end up with the same song. But there are female producers - from the UK, what about Griff, Kamille, or Raye? These artists produce their own music so why not Taylor’s. Or she can do an evening class at CityLit and learn how to produce it herself.
KL: Rumour has it you’ve been working on a bespoke set of hand drawn tarot cards matched to Taylor Swift songs. What can you tell us about this, can you give some examples, or perhaps even pull a card that might tell me something cool and or dramatic?
SHF: Okay I’m doing you a reading. Usually you would have a question to ask but the great thing about my Taylor tarot deck is that ultimately, no matter what, you get to listen to a Taylor song. I’ve matched all the cards to Taylor songs based on the lyrics. Your card is: the Two of Wands, which in the Taylor tarot is You Belong With Me! I would have guessed you would get wands as they’re all about creativity. This card means you’ll have a creative partnership with someone and your planning will pay off, like Taylor in the YBWM video where she goes to the prom and the boy picks her over the evil brunette. While I was picking up the cards, The Hermit card also fell out. In my deck this is Anti-Hero. The hermit is a solitary figure going on an inner journey of reflection. Probably one of her best and most revealing songs. I don’t know about you but I often feel like a monster on a hill.
KL: The first time we met in person (on a park bench with hot chocolate during the pandemic, was it not?) we spoke about how each of the former One Direction boys should really hire us as creative consultants because a number of them were getting their branding all wrong. How would you, for example, advise Louis Tomlinson to better appeal to the girls, the gays and the theys?
SHF: It’s about time someone raised this in a public forum. I think we can agree Harry has smashed it. His creative director is a smart woman called Molly Hawkins who just gets it: “When I think about seeing Harry live as a fan, I try to remember how I felt about Leonardo DiCaprio when I was 13, and how as a young woman it was fucking awesome to see a man that was so romantic and unabashed.” I want Louis Tomlinson to keep inspiring people to feel the way they felt about Louis Tomlinson when they were 13. We’d A&R him some cool writing partners, scrap the Britpop direction and, I’m sorry, we’d bring back more of a clean-cut look.
KL: Current top 5 celebrity crushes?
SHF: My favourite evergreen topic. I had a brief moment with Post Malone after he was anointed by both Taylor and Beyoncé, before seeing that he performed with Morgan Wallen, which gave me the ick. Let’s replace him with 34-year-old Bruce Springsteen. I’m going to watch The Idea of You after this so let’s say both Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway. Harry is an absolute perennial but he is on thin ice after Harry’s House, an album about houses with a regrettable lack of houses in it. He’s lucky that Niall Horan spends too much time playing golf for my liking. I am sort of obsessed with Camila Morrone from Daisy Jones and the Six but IMDb shows zero upcoming projects and to be honest I’m quite fickle, so let’s substitute Oscar Isaac. This is probably the only time anyone will consider casting Camila and Oscar in the same role.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Days after this interview, Satu wished she had included ANDREW SCOTT in her list of celebrity crushes. I agree with this and subsequently decided to release my current crush list. Please note that this is subject to change and I am at liberty to re-release as often as needed.
Top 5 current celebrity crushes:
Andrew Scott
Selena Gomez
Mae Martin
Paul Mescal
Kura Forrester
OK YOUR TURN. Who are your celebrity crushes? Do you want a Taylor Swift tarot reading? Will you be reading Satu’s excellent book??
ENTHUSIASM is a newsletter for people who feel strongly about things. Like, for example, potatoes, human rights and former members of the boy band One Direction. Here, we contain multitudes.
Kate Leaver is an editor, author, and former professional fairy. She’s currently writing her first novel, a cautionary tale about fame. She’s represented by Jemima Forrester at David Higham Associates and she really really loves her dog.
You may also enjoy these posts from ENTHUSIASM.
Ooh celeb crushes! Also subject to change:
- Mahershala Ali
- Stanley Tucci
- Rebecca Ferguson
- Matthias Schoenaerts
- Oscar Isaac
I’m seeing the Eras tour in June with my daughters. For prep I started listening to Taylor’s music properly and I have subsequently fallen for her COMPLETELY. Is 46 too old to be a fan?
A delicious treat of an issue...full disclosure I'm currently curating a playlist that's the sonic vision board for TTPD: TA so reading this issue was an excellent breather!! The book sounds fantastic and I really want to join your Whatsapp group...
Equally, celebrity crushes are a top-tier icebreaker. My current list:
Theo James (every shot in The Gentlemen, ughhhhh) and just as much Kaya Scodelario (every shot, every scene, every line, every delivery of the line) AND Ray Winstone (I can't explain it, he's just a delightful human)
Clive Owen (2000s)
Cillian Murphy (circa always but especially The Wind That Shakes The Barley)
Tom Hardy (circa Inception)
Matt Berninger (forever)
Jack O'Connell (so not my type but in S.A.S. Rogue Heroes he did so many things)