While scrolling through social media in bed one evening, I came across a post of a somber-looking Taylor Swift from the 1989 era. All cat eyes and red lips, signature blonde bob dusting her chin. In the background, the song "Maroon" from Swift's Midnights album played as she stared in the mirror to take off her makeup.
Except it was not Taylor. It was Ashley, one of the many Taylor Swift impersonators and lookalikes on SwiftTok the portion of the app devoted to unpacking the singer's lyrics, debating music video Easter eggs and posting lookalike content.
Ashley (@noitisashley13) is arguably the most well-known. The 29-year-old married mother of two has more than one million followers on TikTok, and adorable cats that look just like Swift's. The resemblance to the superstar is so uncanny, Swift's own mother has commented on their similarities. There's also Julie (@juliiieanne), a 24-year-old who lip-syncs Swift's songs to her 316K followers while wearing ornate, sparkling costumes that are incredibly similar to the ones Swift has worn on tour. There's the tattoo artist who designs Swift-related body art and so many more. And it's not just that they look like a celebrity - it's that they're able to earn money, certain levels of fame and opportunities that likeness.
by leaning into The online impersonator economy is not unique to Swift superfans, either. There are Ariana Grandes and Dove Camerons, Kim Kardashians (et al), Kate Middletons and Christina Aguileras. As I continued to watch Ashley's video, it wasn't just her wow resemblance to Taylor that caught my eye but a block of text that appeared on the screen: "How do you not lose yourself when everyone is constantly comparing you to a celebrity?"
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