November 7, 2023
Watch: Journalist Bryan West Lands Coveted Taylor Swift Reporting Gig
Emell Adolphus READ TIME: 2 MIN.
From the moment Gannett announced that it was looking for a reporter to exclusively cover superstar Taylor Swift full-time, Swifties went into overdrive spreading the word about the dream job.
But it was Arizona-based journalist Bryan West who ultimately understood the assignment and landed the role to work for USA Today, reported Variety.
West had not only met Swift before, but he also created a whole explanatory video about why he was the best one for the job. He referred to himself as a "one-man band" who can handle photos, videos and audio as a reporter, and he has covered Swift's many times over for a number of previous outlets.
"I would say this position's no different than being a sports journalist who's a fan of the home team," said West. "I just came from Phoenix, and all of the anchors there were wearing Diamondbacks gear; they want the Diamondbacks to win. I'm just a fan of Taylor, and I have followed her her whole career, but I also have that journalistic background: going to Northwestern, winning awards, working in newsrooms across the nation. I think that's the fun of this job is that, yeah, you can talk Easter eggs, but it really is more of the seriousness, like the impact that she has on society and business and music."
And West knows the ins and outs of Swift's music catalog.
"I do think our biggest moment of contention is gonna be the secret Vault songs," he told Variety. "1989 (Taylor's Version)" – "because I know you're a fan of 'Now That We Don't Talk,' and I'm a huge fan of 'Say Don't Go.'"
West is also, naturally, a big fan of Swift's music and even has a take on her a couple of her newer songs, such as "Say Don't Go."
"When you listen to it, she screams a harmony of 'I said "I love you"' [in a bridge near the end of the track], and that's why I really like it: It's the harmony she screams that's muted," he explained.
It sounds like West is absolutely the perfect person for the job. See his pitch for the position below.
