Evolution of a Snake: The Taylor Swift Fan Podcast

The Snakes are back post-hiatus with a surprise episode: a deep dive into folklore. In a year of surprises, The Evolution of a snake is taking a turn with the content and discussing 'current' events as well. After the shock of the surprise drop eased, Zack and Madeline jump into the album to discuss the production, writing, visuals, and promo of folklore. Track by track. Comparisons are drawn to the Lover era and...well... they're not flattering. The betty discourse is mentioned, the trilogy of songs is dismissed, Haylor continues to thrive, tour plans are discussed, Connor Kennedy is still on our minds in 2020, and a new chapter of Taylor Swiftology is unleashed on the masses. Send your feedback on this episode to @tswiftpodcast on twitter. @hoaxlakes and @tsfolklore for the hosts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been a while....there's a pandemic but we're still thinking about the end of 2012. That's how monumental it was. We discuss the tumultuous highs and lows of one of the most prolific album cycles that Taylor Swift has barged through. We discuss the release strategy for Red, review all of the singles, and dive into a track-by-track review of what is widely thought of as her most experimental album. There's a lot of drama, too. Old flames flicker with John Mayer, Joe Jonas, and Taylor Lautner. We get a fresh and impending heartache in Harry Styles, and discuss one of Taylor's first intense public backlashes. We talk music videos, property purchases through shell companies, rocky live performances, and the sheer artistry behind some of the best writing in her career. Some of the juiciest easter eggs hatch in this short span of time. We rehash the fandom discourse of Taylor Swift becoming a pop artist, and revisit some foundational image changes, as well as the 'good girl' pathology that endured until very recently. Follow us on twitter for more updates, and let us know your thoughts @tswiftpodcast.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a long hiatus (that included an ENGAGEMENT!!) Madeline and Zack are back to discuss the game changing year of 2012. First off - we plug our Patreon! We need your support to continue creating high quality content. Taylor slowly but surely drops prehistoric easter eggs that she'll be releasing an album. The bangs that were cut at the end of 2011, seem to give her some power.....the power to become obsessed with the Kennedy's. Her hyper-fixation tendencies really jumped out this year. On today's agenda: her whirlwind romance with Conor Kennedy, her almost role in Les Miserables and acting chops in general, the Grammy serve of the century, a brief interlude with Zac Efron, some nasty words from the internet's garbage can John Mayer, and the show stopping Red live chat. Oh.....and a sweet ditty called We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. Heard of it? We also discuss our upcoming plans to release two episodes a month, and to diversify our content. https://www.patreon.com/theevolutionofasnake Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack and Madeline deep dive into the second half of 2011 - which upon reflection, is a year of immense growth, evolution, and development. The Speak Now Tour continues and the arm lyrics and interviews that she gives on tour reveal a surprising amount of information if you know where to connect the dots. The earliest and purest form of the Easter Eggs reveal themselves as arm lyrics. Connecting the dots she draws leads us to the conclusion that perhaps her and Joe Jonas tried it again, or at least reconciled in this year. Taylor Lautner makes several unnecessary appearances and Miss Swift's bizarre obsession with the Kennedy's begins. We take a look at a few in depth profiles that are more revealing than they appear, and discuss Taylor's complicity in a goody-two-shoes imagery. T-Party is discussed publicly as a concept, and we analyze how that has changed - for worse - in recent years. Two final and superior singles with lacklustre videos wrap up the Speak Now era - Sparks Fly and Ours. Wonderstruck is dropped and we have to stan. Taylor gets her most iconic cat Meredith, and shockingly - in an earth shattering moment, cuts her hair and drops Safe and Sound in the same month. She turns 22 and never aged again.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack and Madeline address an issue of housekeeping first and foremost. LEAVE US ALONE! Moving on, we discuss Taylor's incessant need to be everywhere during 2011 - and her slight obsession with the many boys of the hit television show Glee. There are some odd moments in the beginning of the year: Taylor performs on the high seas and attends the Montblan cocktail party with the one and only Emma Stone. We discuss some confusing single choices of songs that are pushed to radio concurrently, and we reiterate the fact that we are charting higher than Bob Lesfetz. We talk her Vanity Fair party serve of an appearance, that one famous gif that reigns supreme, and the gold cavalli dress that shook us all. We also discuss the Speak Now Tour in its entirety. We get into Madeline vs Swiftsecrets and the ridiculous quotes that stormed our dashboards way back in 2011. Please dear listeners, promise us, that you will never forget the essence of your spark.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Madeine and Zack pick up where they left off in 2010: Part 1 with the Mine video. It drops and we are completely and utterly shaken by the talent, the emotion, the power. Toby Hemingway is discussed as the elusive enigma that he is, and Taylor embarrassingly performs Innocent at the VMAs. We get four pre-releases from Speak Now that mislead us towards the greatness that is impending, and Taylor attends a taping of SNL where she meets someone who will change her life forever. Speak Now is released to critical and commercial acclaim, and we go through each song like the true Taylor Swift Sluts that we are. If This Was A Movie finally gets her chance to shine. John Mayer is very embarrassed. We get some incredible performances from the Thanksgiving special and Taylor spends the holiday with a family she grows close to. She is spotted arm in arm with a gentleman drinking maple lattes. Surely that is of some significance to you, Swifties. Back to December is made a single and we get some mixed performances. The year ends excruciatingly, with a guest mysteriously absent from Taylor’s 21st birthday bash. Buckle up y’all.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack and Madeline dive into the year that catapulted Taylor from twangy teenager to adult pop star. 2010 was a professionally incredible year for Taylor that was unfortunately full of personal heartbreak . We get into the John Mayer saga, the emergence of Katy Perry & Taylor's friendship, as well as Taylor's longstanding beef with distinct nobody: Bob Lesfetz! Her disastrous acting career continues with Valentine's Day, and Zack and Madeline disagree about the merits of Today Was A Fairytale. The never-ending Fearless tour finally wraps up with a stadium show and Taylor wraps up living with her parents and moves into her now iconic Nashville apartment. We are served a legendary live chat with tea Miss Swift would never give us all at once in 2019. Speak Now is announced, Mine leaks and the experience of a leak scars Taylor for all of eternity. George W. Bush attends the premiere of Mine in Maine.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack and Madeline pick up from where they left off in the first part of 2009. The impact of the VMAs shake the world so hard that President Obama chimes in and calls Kanye West a jackass. They discuss the media circus that unfolds as a result, and the classiness and godliness of Beyonce Knowles. A radio interview from this year is unearthed - an uncomfortable encounter Taylor had with a radio host who refused to stop badgering her, we hear the voice of the elusive (and now fired!) publicist Paula. The Platinum Edition of Fearless comes out, and The Other Side of The Door came in and spanked Madeline. The year ends rockily with Taylor's questionable SNL appearance, a horrific rendition of Forever and Always at the CMAS and a social justice (?) mishap at Katy Perry's birthday party. Yup, you read that right. Tune in to hear the drama.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack and Madeline deep dive into the jam packed, legendary, very busy year of 2009 - where Taylor continues to conquer the world with Fearless, has her first questionable encounters with Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato and plugs You’re Not Sorry like it’s her next #1 single. We take a trip down memory lane to her first Rolling Stone profile, the iconic Fearless Tour, her dramatic wins at various award shows, the beginning of Taylor Squared, her continued beef with Joe Jonas, her first (terrible) Grammy performance, her short-lived friendship with Katy Perry and two music videos: You Belong With Me and Fifteen. The beginnings of her acting career are also discussed - Taylor Swift on CSI, anyone?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack and Madeline dissect the year that skyrocketed Taylor Swift from a successful country artist, to a crossover pop star. 2008 was a formative year for TSwizzle creatively and personally - she continued her iconic work with Liz Rose, wrote much of Fearless by herself, and fell in and out of love with the famously intelligent Joe Jonas. This episode deep dives into the creative process behind Fearless and its astonishing commercial success, and follows some of the drama you may not have heard of - Emily Poe getting fired, anyone?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack and Madeline discuss the beginning of Taylor Swift's career from the years 2006 to 2007. Covering her first music video, award show win, and album release period - the first episode of The Evolution of a Snake delves into some swiftie drama, Taylor Swift's legendary heart tattoo, the injustice done to "I'd Lie", the origins of some of the most legendary memes, a promotional moment for "Cold as You" and a word on Taylor's sketchy country accent. There is a track by track analysis of the debut with some hot takes (A Place in This World is garbage), a sponsorship from Drew Hardwick, a discussion of Taylor's brief interest in headset microphones, and a review of her first three singles and music videos, "Tim McGraw", "Teardrops On My Guitar" and "Our Song."  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist Taylor Swift once invited fans into her actual homes to hear her albums before release — cookies baked by Taylor, Polaroids with her cats, holding her GRAMMYs. Secret Sessions were peak Swiftie lore. But after the chaos of Lover — leaks, drama, clogged toilets, and unhinged fan behavior — the sessions disappeared for good. In this episode, we revisit the rise and fall of Secret Sessions, from Tumblr-era stalking to the insanity of the Lover house party, and explain why The Life of a Showgirl will never get them. Taylor’s fame, paranoia, and the scale of her stardom in 2025 make Secret Sessions literally impossible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist What happens when Taylor Swift trades in the bow gowns and crop tops for chokers, combat boots, and a peroxide bob? You get Bleachella—the messy, chaotic, and unforgettable era where Taylor was less America’s sweetheart and more… the original showgirl. From Anna Wintour’s makeover experiment to Coachella antics, Calvin drama, Hiddleswift PDA, and a Met Gala look that had the fashion world divided, we chart the rise and spectacular crash of Taylor’s bleached-out reinvention. Was it camp? Was it cringe? Or was it simply Taylor’s most showgirl moment yet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist The engagement heard around the world: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are officially headed down the aisle (yes, we have thoughts 😭). We break down the proposal, the fan frenzy, and what this means for Taylor’s next era before switching gears to analyze the couple’s surprisingly coordinated street style. From Travis’ tunnel fits to Taylor’s New York chic, we’re asking the important question: are they the new fashion power couple? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JOIN US ON PATREON FOR THE TAYVIS UNPOPULAR OPINIONS EP: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist  The hotline is open and the Swifties are unhinged. This week on Phone a Snake, we react to your most unfiltered opinions about Life of a Showgirl: is the Sabrina collab just charity work? Did Taylor already set the bar too high? Does the album cover actually suck? Will “Wood” be the worst track on the record? And, most importantly, can the first good D really change your life?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JOIN US ON PATREON FOR NEW ERA TEA: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist We're so back divas. Back harder than we ever were before. In today's episode, New Heights is the topic du jour: Taylor Swift makes her podcast debut with her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and they get into some nonsense that needs to be corralled by his brother, Jason. Most importantly: we learn more about The Life of a Showgirl. Very much Max Martin, and no Jack Antonoff at all. Tune in for our unfiltered first reactions.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GET LAST TIX TO SNERAS TOUR DUBLIN: https://www.evolutionofasnake.com  It started with secret messages in album liner notes. It ended in meth math. In this episode, we unpack how Taylor Swift’s innocuous, juicy easter eggs spiraled into a full-blown fandom obsession. From real clues to completely made-up conspiracies, we trace the descent, and try to answer one question: when did easter egg hunting become a diagnosable condition? JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GET LAST TIX TO EOAS IN DUBLIN AND LONDON: https://www.evolutionofasnake.com  In this episode of TayRewind, we go back to 2016 to unravel one of pop culture’s most infamous scandals: the phone call between Taylor Swift and Kanye West. Was Taylor blindsided? Did Kanye tell the whole truth? And how did Kim Kardashian’s Snapchat edits ignite the snake era? We’re fact-checking every statement, every leak, and every receipt to finally answer the question: who really lied? JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GET WEEKLY BONUS EPISODES: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologistHe’s cold. He’s distant. He’s British. And unfortunately…Taylor Swift is obsessed. This week on Sister Songs, we dive into False God, Peace, Hoax, and So Long, London—a saga of red flags, blind faith, and emotionally unavailable men. Taylor takes us on a journey through delusion, martyrdom, and the worst kind of intimacy: insecure. Grab the wine, make your confession, and get ready to talk shit with your friends (finally). Use our code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/SNAKE10Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GET TICKETS TO EOAS LIVE IN LONDON & DUBLIN: https://www.evolutionofasnake.comBefore Bleachella and Roman Holiday, there was Hyannis Port. In this episode, we revisit the summer of 2012 — when Taylor Swift was deep in her Kennedy obsession and dating Conor Kennedy. From buying a house next to the compound to writing fanfic about Ethel Kennedy we unpack how this whirlwind romance shaped the Red era, her American royalty fantasy, and the myth-making that followed. Was it love? PR? Or just a brief chapter in her quest to become part of a dynasty? JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/swiftologist  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices