It’s no secret that Taylor Swift is a mastermind when it comes to songwriting, but studying that skill is now earning some students college credit at Berklee College of Music.
The course, which is called Music of Taylor Swift, is being offered for the first time this semester and seats filled up just as fast as her concerts. NBC10 Boston was invited to sit in on one of the lectures.
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Professor Scarlet Keys teaches the class and crafted the curriculum. Together the students listen to one of Swift’s songs and then discuss the techniques she used.
“I’m kind of doing the Eras Tour in the class, like week one is record one. Week two is record two,” Keys said.
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The class is much more than a sing-a-long. The students study the tools that Swift uses including melodies and metaphors. Their homework is coming up with their own versions and performing them.
“She’s the reason I got into songwriting and want to be a songwriter. She showed me getting people to listen to your story through music is possible,” senior Benji Luong said.
Ada Papila, a senior studying music business, met Swift at a movie premiere last week and told her about the class.
“I also gave her a letter and it was in there so hopefully she hears about it and comes to class one day,” Papila said.
While they are all in their student era now, they all have big professional dreams and say they owe a lot more than college credit to the pop superstar.
“College is so stressful and this is a place where they can learn, sing and have fun. It’s lovely to see them learn the craft. They come in with such talent and I’m just the coach,” Keys said.
The course has become so popular that Keys will offer two sections of it next semester just to keep up with the demand.
