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Sky News Australia host Paul Murray has blasted a journalist who penned a controversial opinion piece about “the exclusionary empowerment” of Taylor Swift, which described the popstar as “the sound of whiteness”.
The Saturday Paper column, written by Zambian-born Australian journalist Santilla Chingaipe, copped fierce criticism this week as Swiftmania continues to take the country by storm with the 34-year-old’s record-breaking Eras Tour attracting hundreds of thousands of fans in Melbourne and Sydney.
Murray became the latest to lash the article during his show on Thursday night, taking aim at “snobby” individuals who go against what is popular, declaring: “Screw you for being such a pompous piece of work”.
While the Sky News Australia host conceded he was not a Swiftie himself, he recognised the Eras Tour was “a big cultural event for lots of people” and something Australians should be able to have “a good time with”.
“There are always people who just are so snobby about whatever the big thing is, whatever the cool thing is, whatever the popular thing is, and wait till you see one of the snooty little takes that popped up in one of those far-left bits of the internet that no one really reads,” he said.
“But someone sent it to me. So I had to show you The Saturday paper, which, you know, is for the people who think that the Greens are too far right wing.
“This was all about the exclusionary empowerment of Taylor Swift. You see, if you like her, you’re part of a racist cult.”
Murray then read an excerpt of the article which claimed Swift’s fans “don’t have to feel guilt or shame about white privilege” and instead “embrace it”.
Chingaipe then described the 14-time Grammy winner as “the sound of whiteness” who “makes music that confirms whiteness for an audience large enough to be reassured by its whiteness”.
“Seriously?” Murray then jumped in, questioning the author’s argument.
“The reason the kids are lining up for Taylor Swift is because it’s some sort of secret white power thing?”
Murray went on to read a section in which Chingaipe discussed how Swift, being in her 30s, should write music about the “climate emergency and being repeatedly failed by our political leaders, racial injustice and raging conflicts” after the Love Story hitmaker last week told concertgoers that songwriting was “something that actually gets me through my life”.
After reading a third excerpt from Chingaipe, Murray doubled down on his attack of the journalist.
“My girls love her. Which means I’m aware of all of the upside of Taylor Swift. As a middle-aged bloke, not my thing, but screw you,” he said.
“Screw you for being such a pompous piece of work.
“Especially when somebody of any celebrity and it could be your favourite sports star, your favourite pop star, your favourite person on TV. But for a lot of people, someone like a Taylor Swift literally means it was the light at the end of the tunnel to get through hospital.”
The Sky News host then played a video of a young Swiftie talking about receiving a cancer diagnosis two years ago and how the singer-songwriter’s music helped her through it.
“For her, it’s about hope. For wankers, it’s about whiteness,” Murray concluded.
“For the rest of us, it’s just something that people are having a good time with.”
The Saturday Paper’s column was earlier met with extreme distaste on social media, even from some who have not proclaimed to be Swifties.
“Ah gosh, folks. I’m a ‘progressive’ by almost every measure. But this is truly misanthropic journalism. There is much sadness in the world, but there wasn’t at the MCG last weekend. People need joy and art, and these expressions of love,” one wrote on social media platform X.
“This article is written by someone who has never written a song in their life. I don’t even like Swift’s music, but damn this article is cringe,” another commented.
“She got a bunch of young Americans registered to vote. She donates money in every city she tours. She gives generously to her crew and roadies. But that’s not enough cause she’s a woman. She must do 100 times more than all male singers combined cause… WOMAN.”
Swift took the stage at the MCG on Friday, Saturday and Sunday last week, playing to her largest-ever audience of 96,000 people each night.
The next leg of the Australian part of the Eras Tours kicks off at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Friday night.
Swift will play a total of four shows in the Harbour City, concluding on Monday night, before jetting off to her next stop, Singapore.
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