Taylor D.’s latest release, and already one of her most popular ones, “Fan Girl” will have you doing just that. The song expresses desiring someone so strongly, and yet so invisibly, you become their fan. “Fan Girl” can be interpreted in a variety of ways, perhaps this is an ongoing relationship in which the narrator feels their partner has too many options, maybe it’s a crush, maybe the subject of this love likes them back. But it is in this mystery that Taylor D.’s true message comes to light. There are no other complications or worries about their love for her that can take her eyes off them. She is merely a “fan girl”. She doesn’t speak of this dedication in a way that is dehumanizing or even slightly embarrassing, rather, Taylor D. manages to make this love feel empowering. Yes, she seems to want more than this but she’s happy just to love them, it is this admiration that is itself admirable.
The song begins with a single sound that slowly becomes louder, at its peak, the bass cuts in. The synchronized beat that follows mimics the sound of paparazzi, expressing her first introduction to her famed subject. “Right from the start he caught my eye” Taylor begins, this sentiment interrupts the former, crowded, noise, putting the listener in her shoes. As she begins expressing increasingly strong feelings, the music begins to slowly pick up again. When Taylor at last admits “He’s my everything”, the beat drops and the chorus begins. Though her lyrics focus more on emotion than visuals, her instrumentals consistently manage to create imagery that reflects her message. Taylor sings “I’m just a light in the crowd” and the music seems to sound how one would imagine twinkling lights would, airy and scattered. These details, such as the shutter noises at the start, all help to create sympathy for this otherwise unknown “fan girl”. Even the beat itself, during the chorus, sounds almost like applause. When her second rendition of this chorus ends, her skill here is expanded on even more. An electric guitar mimics the tune the listener has heard throughout the entirety of the song but manages to make it sound brand new. Following this, Taylor D. confesses her feelings once more, and the song comes to an end.
Taylor D. is a self-taught pianist, guitarist, songwriter, and singer who began making music at just thirteen years old. Now, at only 17, she’s released “Fan Girl” her twelfth single, which has already gained tens of thousands of streams in less than a month. Last year, she won artist of the year for First Choice Radio U.K. as well as a president Gaisce award. With the traction this single alone is picking up, her continuous work ethic, and her incredible ability to release song after song, she’ll likely only find more successes such as these in her future. “Fan Girl”, which was inspired by her own attendance at concerts, witnessing girls her age fawning over the musician before them, may soon be reversed as she becomes the center of this attention and continues her own live performances.
Written By Hailey Schap
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