The hit Amazon Prime TV show, The Summer I Turned Pretty, has reached new heights of popularity since the release of season 2. The show is based off of author Jenny Han’s book series. Centered around the life of teenage girl Belly Conklin and her family vacation home in Cousins Beach. The series is filled with summers of fun, love triangles, and of course, drama. But what makes season 2 so special? We all know that music choice can really make or break a TV show, so why has TSITP chosen to feature so much of Taylor Swift’s discography?
The original buzz started when the trailer was released, featuring a Swift track. It wasn’t just fans who were hyped over these new song features. Lola Tung, who plays Belly Conklin, was equally as shocked and excited. She showed her enthusiasm in a TikTok posted by the series’ author, Jenny Han, at the trailer launch party.
This season in particular has captured the hearts of its viewers, could that be due to Swift’s songs? From upbeat anthems to emotional love ballads, allow fans to immerse themselves even further into the fantasy. On top of it all, every Taylor Swift song featured in season 2 is from Taylor’s Version, which made Swift fans even more inclined to tune into the show.
Why Taylor Swift?
Although we know that Taylor Swift has amazing artistry and talent, the question still arises as to why her music was chosen. There’s no doubt that Swift has captured the hearts of her fans, but it also seems that she has captured the heart of Jenny Han as well. Han shared her love and appreciation for Swift in an Instagram post releasing the trailer.
Thank you @taylorswift for giving us the gift of your music. we are so very honored.
Han even attended a Taylor Swift concert recently. This is now her second time at Taylor’s Eras Tour, as she had previously gone to one with actress Lola Tung.
It seems that the majority of the cast has loved Taylor Swift from the very beginning and this love has only increased since the production of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2. Han’s attachment to Swift’s music has created such a wonderful connection to the show. And for the fans, well, they have their own theories about these song choices.
What Do Fans Think?
Fans of the show over a wide variety of platforms have formed theories regarding why certain Taylor Swift songs are played at specific scenes. Keeping in the theme of the love triangle, fans are divided as to who they would rather see the main character end up with. They’ve gone as far as to say that it seems only Taylor Swift songs are played when Conrad, Belly’s original love interest, appears on screen.
But later on in the series, Jenny Han threw quite the curveball at Conrad fans. “Delicate” from Reputation was played during a scene with Belly and her other love interest, Jeremiah. Fans were shocked after the episode was released and took to social media to give their opinions. One fan even commented:
Jenny How Could You Betray the COnrad Girlies…
The feature of “Delicate” definitely has thrown fans for a loop, as they don’t know what to expect given how often Han has stated the significance of Taylor Swift in this series. The anticipation and back and forth between Conrad and Jeremiah have kept fans on their toes. The release of season 3 means we can finally see how it all turns out. Hopefully with many more Taylor Swift songs to go along!
What Swift Songs Would You Pick?
Although this season was packed with a variety of amazing songs, ranging from “Snow On The Beach”, to “exile”, to “invisible string”. There were still plenty of Taylor Swift songs that would’ve fit perfectly in the series. Her artistry ranges from album to album and not one piece would’ve felt out of place. Personally, I would’ve loved to hear “Enchanted” at some point, as I think the whimsical, light-hearted tone would have been beautiful in many different scenes.
There’s no doubt that any of Taylor Swift’s albums would have fit this season. Packed with romance and drama, the theme of the two boys fighting for Belly seems to be right out of a Swift song. Her music is the perfect soundtrack to a show filled with so much emotion. So, were there any songs you would have liked to see in this season of The Summer I Turned Pretty? Is there a specific album you think would fit best? Perhaps anything you’re looking forward to hearing in the next season?
You can stream Swift’s music here or maybe even snag a ticket to one of her last few Eras Tour shows! Who knows…maybe you’ll see Jenny Han there gathering inspiration for season 3.
