Taylor Swift: Sydney’s Swiftie superfans hit back against the haters

A Sydney-based Taylor Swift superfan has criticised those who “hate” the music megastar and has denied her latest album has anything to do with ex Jake Gyllenhaal.

Taylor Swift may have rerecorded and released one of her most famous breakup albums but Red: Taylor’s version has nothing to do with Jake Gyllenhaal, according to a superfan.

Swift’s 2012 Red album, which topped charts with hits including “We Are Never Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble”, has long been labelled by fans as an album about her breakup with actor Jake Gyllenhaal after a three month-long romance.

Swift’s song ‘All Too Well’ has often been linked to their relationship.

Taylor Swift and Blake Lively in New York at the weekend. Picture: GC Images

Red’s re-release has sparked a swarm on social media, especially for a 10 minute version of All Too Well as a short film starring Dylan O’Brien and Sadie Sink.

Gyllenhaal slammed online for his alleged treatment of Swift, which is purported to be depicted in All Too Well’s film clip.

But one Swiftie has come out to condemn the online hate, claiming Red’s re-release and the All Too Well film have “nothing to do” with Gyllenhaal at all.

“Red’s got nothing to do with Jake Gyllenhaal,” Sydney-based Swift superfan Courtney De La Garde said.

Taylor Swift has a lot of devoted fans in Sydney. Picture: AFP

The fans believe her latest album has nothing to do with Jake Gyllenhaal. Picture: Getty Images

“People keep thinking something fresh has happened, there’s all these new 15 year-old Swifties who were like five or so when the album was originally released, saying ‘Oh we hate him, put him in the grave’.”

“But Red: Taylor’s Version is about her art, it’s been 10 years... she doesn’t needs teenagers to go attacking a 40 year-old man.”

Ms De La Garde added: “Even if someone hurts Taylor, she’s a big girl, she fights her own battles... this album was about her taking her music back for herself, not her exes.”

Ms De La Garde also had words for people who aren’t fans of 31 year-old Swift.

“People can say they grow tired of her, but she keeps coming back, she’s still peaking, even at 31, and she’s peak again,” she said.

“It’s not fun anymore, funny anymore, not cool anymore to hate her... she’s only going to get better.”

‘HER LYRICS ARE SO POETIC’

She was in and then she was out, but Taylor Swift is making a comeback- and Sydney’s biggest Swiftie is all for it.

Courtney De La Garde has been listening to the multi-genre songstress since she was in primary school, pressing play on Swift’s Speak Now album when she was 10 years old.

“I remember sitting on my mum’s computer when I was so little, watching YouTube music videos of You Below With Me and Mine … I used to listen to Taylor on the school bus, I had no idea what the lyrics meant but I just loved the songs,” Ms De La Garde said.

“Taylor’s Red tour in 2013 was my first concert, I dressed up with my dad and best friend … it was one of the best nights of my life.”

“I love how connected she is with her fans … and her lyrics are so poetic, even without the music or beat you can still read them and see the meaning behind them.”

Now 21, Ms De La Garde, from Eldersie, is still firmly planted in ultra passionate Swiftie fandom, attending four more of Swift’s concerts, including three in three different Australian cities for the singer’s Reputation tour in 2018- though she missed out on Swift’s LoverFest music event in Los Angeles due to Covid last year.

Courtney De La Garde has been to five different Taylor Swift concerts, including three in 2018. Picture: Supplied

Courtney De La Garde at a Taylor Swift concert at Stadium Australia. Picture: Supplied

She met some of her “closest friends” through fan chatrooms and online community groups dedicated to Swift, and even caught the eye of her hero online, who used to follow a fanpage the 20 year-old ran in her teenage years.

Ms De La Garde’s favourite tracks are All Too Well, Call It What You Want and Lover, which she has vowed will be her first dance song when she gets married one day.

“I’d absolutely love to meet her, I hope she’ll tour again soon … but no matter what she does I’ll support her,” Ms De La Garde said.

“She’s only going to get better from here, ageing like fine wine … I’ll be 80 years old and still listening to her, telling my grandkids about her. I’ll always support her.”

Fellow superfan Karni Woods, who has a TikTok account dedicated to unravelling clues and “Easter eggs” in Swift’s lyrics and music videos, couldn’t be more excited that the singer has re-recorded and released her 2012 album Red, despite a dispute with her former label Big Machine over the ownership rights of the original.

“It gives the lyrics a whole new meaning … it’s not so much rehashing an old relationship (which Swift delved into in the album), it’s about her owning her work, after the traumatic experience of having it taken from her,” Ms Woods said.

“And for fans, it’s an amazing, cathartic experience. Lots of us were teenagers growing up listening to Red … now nine years on, we’ve been through our own heartbreak and loss, and getting to re-experience the album as an adult gives it a deeper meaning.”