Arya Pinnamaneni

When I walked out of Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati after the Taylor Swift Eras Tour this summer, there were several groups of guys screaming, “OVERRATED! OVERRATED!” Sure, some people might not enjoy her music, but when it comes to being “overrated,” I beg to differ. Swift is more than just a pop star, she ignites people to come together and include one another, and she was a major part of the American economy this summer. Along with the movie “Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, this has truly been a summer of girl power.

According to a WLWT news article titled “Breaking down the economic impact of Taylor Swift’s Cincinnati concerts,” Swift helped bring in over $2 million just in hotel revenue and $90 million to the Cincinnati area during the two days she performed at Paycor Stadium. Every restaurant my concert group and I went to that weekend was packed full of polite Swifties and all of the shops made an abundance of money off of Swift’s appearance in the city. Just imagine this effect happening in every single city she will perform in during her Eras Tour, which is scheduled to last well into next year, involving November dates in Indianapolis.

Although the tour is producing a vast amount of income for the cities, Swift is using the money she is making herself to change the lives of others. She’d worked hard to make sure her fans and her employees enjoy the outcome of the tour’s success as much as she does, which is part of why this tour is doing so well. Recently, she gave $100,000 bonuses to all of her truck drivers and other crew members such as lighting, audio and video employees as a big “thank you.” She has also donated large amounts to food banks in most communities she has visited during the tour, just to give back and show she cares. Both of these generous and unexpected acts have gained Swift ultimate respect from me and many other individuals.  

Similarly this summer, Gerwig’s live action “Barbie” movie came out bringing millions of female–and non-female–people together to spread a message about the realities of society. According to a Collider article, Barbie brought in over $500 million just during the first week it was out. Local movie theaters around Carmel were sold out and saw a huge influx in movie attendees, which ultimately benefited the movie theaters’ and the community’s economy. In a CBR article written by Aman Goyal, said Barbie has become the most successful female solo-directed film in history, beating Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” by over $12 million at the beginning of August. Not only did this nostalgic movie share a lesson about gender roles that needed to be heard, but it was extremely successful while doing so. 

Along with greatly benefiting the economy, both Swift and “Barbie” alike empowered generations of women to come together and feel heard. The crowds at both the concert and in the movie theater were full of never-ending support for one another, joy and inclusion. I wish those guys outside of Paycor Stadium on the night of July 1 could realize how much these “overrated” women have done for society with more than just entertainment.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Alvery Carlisle at [email protected].