Swifties are anticipating Taylor Swift’s forthcoming album “The Tortured Poet’s Department” to be a tearjerker, which mental health expert Arianna Galligher, director of the Gabbe Well-Being Office and the Stress, Trauma and Resilience program at the Wexner Medical Center, says may be beneficial to listeners. Credit: Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images/TNS [Original Caption: Taylor Swift announces her upcoming album “The Tortured Poets Department” while accepting the best pop vocal album award for “Midnights” onstage during the 66th Annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 4, 2024.]
Titled “The Tortured Poets Department,” the album will be released Friday at midnight and is anticipated to center heavily around her breakup with actor Joe Alwyn. According to experts like Arianna Galligher, director of the Gabbe Well-Being Office and the Stress, Trauma and Resilience program at the Wexner Medical Center, listening to sad music has many benefits, explaining why some Swift fans are excited to experience the sadness the album is rumored to bring.
“Music kind of gives us permission in a way that a lot of us don’t feel that permission in day-to-day life,” Galligher said. “It can be a really nice opportunity to intentionally visit with certain emotions that can be a little bit harder to process.”
It is helpful for people to be able to get in touch with their emotions through music. As Galligher said, the medium allows people to access uncomfortable emotions in a low-risk way because they are tapping into someone else’s emotional expression.
Claudia Banke, a third-year and president of student organization Scarlet and Gray (Taylor’s Version), has been a fan of the international superstar since she was 7.
Swift’s songs always brought Banke joy, even if the song wasn’t necessarily happy. Banke said her sad discography brings her great comfort because it allows her to give space for her feelings.
“It’s nice to recognize other people also have those feelings,” Banke said. “Not everyone is always happy.”
Vandita Rastogi, a third-year and fundraising chair of Scarlet and Gray (Taylor’s Version), echoed a similar sentiment. She feels less alone when listening to Swift’s sad songs.
“I feel supported, feel comforted because I’m able to actually use her words,” Rastogi said.
Sadness is part of the human experience, and Galligher said people need time and space to address those feelings.
Bella Roberts, a fourth-year and social media chair of Scarlet and Gray (Taylor’s Version), said she resonated with the song “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” from Swift’s 10th studio album, “Midnights.” Roberts said she was assaulted during her freshman year at her past school, and listening to the song was a healing experience for her, bringing her to tears when she heard it for the first time.
“I have a hard time formulating the words,” Roberts said. “But a lot of the lyrics in the song are exactly what I feel like.”
The power of music helps us to tune into our own emotions and sometimes amplifies them to help us move from them, Galligher said.
“We are not meant to only experience certain emotions, we are meant to experience a wide range of emotions throughout our life,” Galligher said.
Regarding “The Tortured Poet’s Department,” Banke said she is excited to listen and “overanalyze” the lyrics with other people in Scarlet and Gray (Taylor’s Version).
Roberts thinks it’s going to be a sad album, but has no idea what to expect beyond that.
“I do assume it’s going to be pretty sad,” Roberts said. “So, got to get the tissues ready, I guess.
