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Taylor Swift arriving at the MTV video music awards in Los Angeles on Sunday,
where the video for Wildest Dreams was revealed. Photograph: Gregg
DeGuire/WireImage
View image in fullscreen
Taylor Swift arriving at the MTV video music awards in Los Angeles on Sunday,
where the video for Wildest Dreams was revealed. Photograph: Gregg
DeGuire/WireImage
Taylor Swift

This article is more than 8 years old


TAYLOR SWIFT ACCUSED OF RACISM IN 'AFRICAN COLONIAL FANTASY' VIDEO

This article is more than 8 years old

Singer sparks another controversy after online critics lash out at film for
Wildest Dreams, which was shot in Africa with a largely white cast



Nadia Khomami
@nadiakhomami
Wed 2 Sep 2015 16.27 CESTLast modified on Wed 29 Nov 2017 12.50 CET
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Taylor Swift has found herself embroiled in fresh race-related controversy after
the video for her song Wildest Dreams was accused of having racist overtones.

Is Taylor Swift's colonial fantasy the beginning of the end?
Read more


The Joseph Kahn-directed video, which was revealed at Sunday’s MTV video music
awards and has already been viewed more than 14m times on YouTube, has been
accused of portraying an “African colonial fantasy” due to its largely white
cast, despite being filmed in an undisclosed location in Africa.

It sees Swift, with her trademark blonde hair dyed dark, on a 1950s film set
opposite the fictional movie’s leading man, played by the actor Scott Eastwood.
It also features wild animals including giraffes, lions and zebras – all
proceeds from the video are being donated to the African Parks Foundation of
America.


The video for Wildest Dreams.

The backlash from bloggers and social media users has seen the video likened to
outdated storylines that romanticised European rule over Africa. Madeleine
Davies, a writer on the feminist blog Jezebel, described it as Old Hollywood
meets Out of Africa. “It’s all passion and desire while on location (isn’t it
funny how wild things get in Africa?), but once back in Hollywood and shooting
on a soundstage, our poor lovelorn colonisers just can’t get it together,” she
wrote.

The title of an article on Fader, the music and lifestyle blog, read: “Taylor
Swift Went to Africa to Film a Music Video and There’s Only White People in it.”
On the blog for National Public Radio in the US, contributors Viviane Rutabingwa
and James Kassaga Arinaitwe wrote: “We are shocked to think that in 2015, Taylor
Swift, her record label and her video production group would think it was OK to
film a video that presents a glamorous version of the white colonial fantasy of
Africa.”

And Lauren Duca, of the Huffington Post, added: “Instead of the cultural
appropriation that has become almost status quo in today’s pop music, Swift has
opted for the bolder option of actually just embodying the political
exploitation of a region and its people.”

> "Omg Nicki how dare you accuse me of racism" *week passes* "Hey guyz watch me
> living my WILDest dreams in colonial Africa!!"
> 
> — Olly Hudson (@OWHudson) September 1, 2015

> it's too bad that the video for "wildest dreams" is so colonial garbage
> because it's prolly one of my favorite songs on the alb
> 
> — crystal (@crystalleww) September 1, 2015

> I question your pleasure principal if your "Wildest Dreams" are to fall in
> love in colonial Africa by erasing black ppl from the continent.
> 
> — Victoria M. Massie (@vmmassie) August 31, 2015

> so taylor went to film wildest dreams in Ethiopia and didn't bother to cast
> one POC but she's not a racist ok
> 
> — goth mom (@LUNALAFAYETTE) September 1, 2015

> I didn't like the wildest dreams video, really not into rich white fantasies
> of Africa in the 1950s like... is that romantic?
> 
> — James Potter (@prooongs) August 31, 2015

This is not the first time Swift has been accused of cultural insensitivity. Her
hit video for Shake it Off was described as perpetuating black stereotypes
because it featured only people of colour to portray urban dancers while using
only white people in its ballet scenes.

Nicki Minaj has something serious to say about race. We should listen to her
Suzanne Moore

Read more

The singer was also forced to row back after a spat with Nicki Minaj over what
the rapper viewed to be inherent racism in the music industry. “I missed the
point, I misunderstood, then misspoke,” Swift said.

Although the 25-year-old is yet to comment on the recent criticisms, many have
sprung to her defence, praising Wildest Dreams’ concept and cause.

> Also, @taylorswift13 's wildest dreams video is stunning!! @JosephKahn is a
> beast. Lovin' the VMA's so far. So many great performances!
> 
> — Victoria Justice (@VictoriaJustice) August 31, 2015

> the wildest dreams video is beautiful and it's great that she's donating the
> proceeds to the animals
> 
> — mulan menna (@crisspayne) August 31, 2015

> if you think taylor is 'racist' for not having black people in wildest dreams
> you're reaching so hard and looking for any reason to hate her
> 
> — allison ღ (@sojumpthenfall) September 1, 2015

> How is the Wildest Dreams video racist? The shots are all in the safari part
> of Africa where only animals roam.
> 
> — Andrew (@KingSwift13) September 1, 2015

> Shake it off is racist Bad blood is racist Wildest dreams is racist Twitter
> makes Racism sound like a joke. 😩
> 
> — Khizra (@swiftkloss89) September 1, 2015

Explore more on these topics
 * Taylor Swift
 * Pop and rock
 * Race
 * news

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