Taylor Swift performs on stage during The Eras Tour at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, July 28, 2023. Photo permission from Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group/TNS.

Tribune News Service

Teen girls help support US economy by following influential figures who symbolize female empowerment

Girls run the world, or the economy at least. Teenage girls play one of the largest roles in today’s growing economy. Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Barbie are just three of the pop-culture icons helping girls mark their place in the economy. Recent trends show how powerful of an economic force this demographic is. Over the summer, teenage girls pumped billions of dollars into the economy, largely through three main channels: Taylor Swift and her worldwide “The Eras Tour;” Beyoncé’s album “Renaissance” and its subsequent “Renaissance World Tour;” and the new Greta Gerwig- directed “Barbie” movie that broke box office records. All three of these icons and so many more help girls create a sense of individuality and create a safe space for younger, maturing girls.

Alison LaTorre and Lyla Sachs • October 29, 2023

Taylor Swift performs her song "Cruel Summer" during opening night of the Chicago Eras Tour, June 2, 2023, at Soldier Field. Photo permission from Shanna Madison/TNS.

The Swift Effect

Taylor Swift: singer, songwriter, director, actress and businesswoman. Among Swift’s many jobs and talents, she is, at her core, a pop culture icon. Though, according to social media assumptions, Swift was long viewed as a “silly” pop singer that writes songs about her “laundry list” of ex- boyfriends for her self-named “Swiftie” audience, there is little denial that Swift is the biggest pop star of the moment.

Swift has become such an influential pop culture icon that her almost cult-like following has garnered the attention of millions around the world through her 2020 sister albums “folklore” and “evermore,” the nostalgia of her re-recorded albums, viral TikTok videos of “The Eras Tour” and hidden “easter eggs” that send fans promoting wild theories on social media.

While over 50% of U.S. adults say they are fans of Swift according to a Morning Consult survey, the heart of Swift’s fan base are the teenage girls and the now-grown girls that have been a part of her rise to a cultural icon for years. These fans are likely now feeling vindicated with Swift’s rise from stardom to something on an entirely new level.

Swift’s stardom and devoted fanbase has left her open to projects and promotions that other artists may be restricted from. For example, Swift has reignited the once-dying vinyl industry. Swift’s 2022 album “Midnights” is the highest-selling vinyl of the 21st century. One in 25 of all vinyls sold in the United States in 2022 were one of Swift’s 10 albums.

According to Time Magazine, Swift made over $939 million from just the U.S. leg of her “The Eras Tour.” She is projected to surpass $1 billion on her international
tour.

In a survey of 350 students, over 37% of girls at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School attended or are planning to attend The Eras Tour. Her tour has boosted the economy of host cities exponentially, likely due to the influx of non-locals purchasing from local businesses, eating in local restaurants and staying in local hotels. This tour has boosted tourism in major cities, ultimately helping the hospitality/tourism industry, small businesses and the economy overall.

Taylor Swift performs her song “Cruel Summer” during opening night of the Chicago Eras Tour, June 2, 2023, at Soldier Field. Photo permission from Shanna Madison/TNS. (Tribune News Service)

Beyonce played Levi's Stadium on Wednesday. Photo permission from Watchara Phomicinda/The Press-Enterprise/SCNG/TNS.

Swarm to the BeyHive

Beyoncé has been a staple in the world of music since the 1990s. She got her career start as a lead singer in the famous girl band Destiny’s Child, and has been a household name since. Since May 10, Beyoncé has been on a world tour for her most recent album from 2022 “Renaissance,” which is estimated to earn $2.1 million dollars, according to Forbes Magazine. Twenty-five percent of girls at MSD have either seen or are planning to see the Renaissance tour when Beyonce comes to Florida, and 30% have already bought Beyonce Merchandise.

Beyonce played Levi’s Stadium on Wednesday. Photo permission from Watchara Phomicinda/The Press-Enterprise/SCNG/TNS. (Tribune News Service)

Margot Robbie stars in “Barbie,” which is set to be available on demand in September. Photo permission from Warner Bros. Pictures/TNS.

It’s A Barbie World

In 1959, the doll that showed girls and women all around the world that they could be whatever they want to be was created. Barbie has become an iconic, and perhaps controversial, symbol of empowerment for women across the world for over 60 years.

In the summer of 2023, Mattel, the creator of Barbie, and Warner Bros Production Studios made a live-action Barbie film that earned over $162 million just on opening weekend. In total, the film has grossed over a billion dollars at the box office.

The film was directed by Greta Gerwig, a prominent female director. Gerwig broke records for female directors with the film.

This movie brought in sales that surpassed the opening weekends of movies like “Top Gun: Maverick,” as well as multiple Marvel films.

This story was originally published in the October 2023 Eagle Eye print edition.

Margot Robbie stars in “Barbie,” which is set to be available on demand in September. Photo permission from Warner Bros. Pictures/TNS. (Tribune News Service)

About the Contributors

Alison LaTorre, Associate Editor-in-Chief

Alison LaTorre is a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. This year, she is one of the Associate Editors-in-Chief. She enjoys reading, going to the beach and listening to music.

Lyla Sachs, Copy Editor

Lyla Sachs is a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. She is a Copy Editor and most enjoys writing and editing in the Arts and Leisure section. Lyla enjoys listening to music and reading in her spare time.

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