Taylor Swift Made This Unusual Request to TIME After Being Named Person of the Year

Taylor Swift's recent TIME magazine cover as the Person of the Year for 2023 has sparked heated debate among fans, critics, and social media users. Swift is draped in a black Bardot bodysuit on the cover, with her beloved cat, Benjamin Button, perched on her shoulders. This choice was particularly made by Swift, showing her fondness for feline companionship. This photograph also draws inspiration from Bill Hayward's 1970s-era book Cat People.

The creative minds behind the image, photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, revealed that the cover was inspired by Hayward's book, which depicts professionals with their pets, as reported by Marca. "The pictures are brilliant. It shows very well the relationship that people have with their cats," Lamsweerde said. "But at the same time, [shows] the way cats are kind of on their own - they're a special breed of animal."

"So I got a vintage copy of it for Taylor because I know she's a major cat lover, and her cats travel with her," Lamsweerde continued. "And I said, 'You know, I've always wanted to do a picture like the one that's on the cover of that book where the cat's on the shoulder of the girl." Lamsweerde explained the concept, saying, "It speaks to a sense of carrying everything on your shoulders but being defiant while doing so. And she agreed, and that's how that picture happened."

The photographer continued, "[The image] really has everything: Her glamor [sic], her power, her sense of empathy of carrying the whole world on her shoulders. I felt that there is something there in her body position that's very powerful and strong. Her expression and the way she looks has this old Hollywood glamor [sic], but underneath, there's so much power in her stance. The way she has Benjamin on her shoulders is kind of like, 'Yeah, I'm carrying you all.'"

Swifties applauded the inclusion of her cherished ragdoll cat, which added a charming element to her Person of the Year recognition. However, not everyone is approving the cover. A viral social media post slammed the photoshoot, with the user on X saying, "It just reeks of the corporate client over-involving themselves in a high-profile shoot and stripping all style from the image to avoid risk until you end up with the photographic equivalent of a saltine cracker." In another post, a person criticized the background, hairstyle, and lighting, comparing specific images to works by photographer Annie Leibovitz and implying a lack of nuance in the stylistic choices, as reported by Newsweek.

People also took to Reddit to voice their thoughts on TIME's choice for the cover. One person wrote, "Time person of the year when Russia was invading Ukraine- Zelenskyy. Time person of the year when Israel is decimating Palestine- Taylor Swift." A second person said, "They couldn't find anyone more deserving? She's spent most of the year in a private jet, hanging around with a racist, staying silent on genocide and just being overall greedy. I'll stay silent on the homophobic himbo. self-serving white woman wins again."