In the documentary out Friday, Swift goes after Blackburn's record as she gets emotional discussing with her parents and team about wanting to voice her opinion in the 2018 midterm elections, adding that she regrets not speaking out against Donald Trump during the 2016 election.
Swift, who had been reluctant to voice her political opinions in the past, broke her silence on politics during the 2018 midterms and endorsed Blackburn's rival for Senate, Democrat Phil Bredesen, and another Democrat running in Tennessee in an Instagram post. In the post's caption, Swift had said Blackburn's voting record "appalls and terrifies me."
Blackburn, a conservative lawmaker closely tied to the President, ended up winning her 2018 race by about 11 points, becoming the first female senator to represent her state.
Later in the documentary, Swift is shown reacting to Blackburn's election victory, saying she "can't believe it."
"She gets to be the first female senator in Tennessee, and she's Trump in a wig," Swift says. "She represents no female interests. She won by being a female applying to the kind of female males want us to be in a horrendous 1950s world."
The pop singer criticizes also Blackburn for her 2013 vote against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and stance against same-sex marriage.
"It's really basic human rights, and it's right and wrong at this point, and I can't see another commercial and see her disguising these policies behind the words 'Tennessee Christian values,'" Swift says, getting emotional. "Those aren't Tennessee Christian values. I live in Tennessee. I am Christian. That's not what we stand for."
After Swift went public with her endorsement of Bredesen, Blackburn told Fox News at the time, "Of course I support women and I want violence to end against women."
CNN has reached out to Blackburn's office about the newly released documentary.
In a statement to Variety, it seemed that the Republican senator didn't want bad blood between her and Swift.
"Taylor is an exceptionally gifted artist and songwriter, and Nashville is fortunate to be the center of her creative universe," Blackburn said in the statement. "While there are policy issues on which we may always disagree, we do agree on the need to throw the entertainment community's collective influence behind legislation protecting songwriters, musicians, and artists from censorship, copyright theft, and profiteering."
She pointed to her and Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler's legislation, the Ask Musicians for Music Act, or AM-FM Act, that seeks to have radio services "pay fair market value" for the music they use.
Swift has been a vocal about concerns around the rights of singers and songwriters to profit from their own music.
"I welcome any further opportunities to work with Tennessee's and the nation's creative communities to protect intellectual property and ensure appropriate compensation for their creations. On that note, I wish Taylor the best — she's earned it," Blackburn added.
The singer opened up this week about the "beautiful" moment in 2017 when she told her parents she could see herself "ending up possibly with a woman," adding she was "still figuring it out."
Lovato talked about her love life and her personal journey Thursday with Andy Cohen on his "Radio Andy" SiriusXM show.
"It was actually, like, emotional but really beautiful," Lovato said. "After everything was done, I was, like, shaking and crying, and I just felt overwhelmed."
Lovato said her parents after the talk were "incredible" and "supportive."
"My dad was like, 'Yeah, obviously,'" she said. "And I was like, 'Oh, OK, Dad.' My mom was the one that I was, like, super nervous about, but she was just like, 'I just want you to be happy,'" Lovato said.
"That was so beautiful and amazing, and like I said, I'm so grateful."
As for a family of her own, Lovato is not quite sure yet.
"I don't know what my future looks like," she continued. "I don't know if I'm going to have kids this year or in 10 years. I don't know if I'm going to do it with a partner or without."
Lovato recently made a comeback at the Grammy Awards, more than a year after a drug overdose, with a performance of her new song, "Anyone."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly had a way out of the royal family before they tied the knot. When they were engaged, Queen Elizabeth allegedly pushed for a longer transition period for Meghan that would have kept her out of the royal spotlight. But Meghan and Harry turned down the offer and became working members of the monarchy shortly after their $25 million wedding.
Meghan Markle gives up acting for Prince Harry
Before she met Prince Harry, Meghan had a promising career in Hollywood. The future Duchess of Sussex had made a name for herself in the popular legal drama, Suits, and seemed poised for a successful career in the entertainment industry.
That all changed when she started dating Harry. When he proposed
to Meghan, she decided to give up acting altogether and become a full-time
royal.
After the couple tied the knot in 2018, Meghan took on a full
schedule as a senior member of the royal family. But the scrutiny Meghan and Prince
Harry faced over the past two years proved too difficult for them to handle.
At the beginning of 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
announced that they were stepping away from their royal duties in favor of a
quieter life. They plan on splitting their time between the UK and Canada and
will no longer accept public funding.
Queen Elizabeth announces royal split
In the days following the stunning announcement, Prince Harry met with other senior royals about leaving The Firm. This includes several meetings with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Prince William at Her Majesty’s estate in Sandringham.
Following the intense discussions, Queen Elizabeth released a
statement confirming that Harry and Meghan will be leaving the royal family to
lead a more private life. The transition is likely to be finalized sometime
this spring.
“I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a
result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a
more independent life,” Queen Elizabeth shared.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are currently living on Vancouver Island and are reportedly looking to purchase a second home somewhere in Canada. They are also expected to pay back the money that was used to renovate their house, Frogmore Cottage.
While the couple’s departure shocked royal watchers around the
world, inside sources claim that they were offered a way out of the royal
spotlight days before their lavish wedding.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle offered freedom
Before Meghan and Harry tied the knot, Queen Elizabeth reportedly
approached them with an offer that would make her transition into the royal
family a lot smoother. According to The
Sun, Queen Elizabeth wanted Meghan to take on a lesser role in the
family that would allow her to continue acting.
“From the early days, the Queen really wanted to agree a
smooth transition for Meghan,” a source claims. “The offer would have
allowed her to carry on her career but she was happy to stop acting to become a
working member of the royal family.”
At the time of her wedding, Meghan discussed leaving her acting
career behind and said that she was excited to begin a new chapter in her life.
She also stated that she had put everything she had in her career and felt like
it was a good time to step away.
Fast forward two years and palace officials are reportedly
frustrated by Megxit because they believe it could have been prevented if
Meghan and Prince Harry had accepted Queen Elizabeth’s offer.
They are also disappointed because it seems like Meghan and Harry
were pressured into quitting, which could not be further from the truth. The
royal family has not confirmed the rumors about Queen Elizabeth’s offer.
Was Meghan Markle planning Megxit this whole time?
Apart from Her Majesty’s alleged offer, there are rumors that
suggest Meghan had been planning an early exit from the royal family since day
one.
Once Meghan and Prince Harry exchanged vows, it was presumed that
she would be living permanently in the UK. But prior to moving her things from
Canada, Meghan put a bunch of her clothing in a storage unit in Toronto.
A few weeks ago, Meghan had the clothes shipped from the storage facility to her temporary home on Vancouver Island.
The move has sparked a lot of speculation that Meghan never
intended to remain in the UK for the rest of her life and always had plans to
return to Canada. After all, why else would she keep some of her personal items
in Canada if she didn’t plan on returning?
Meghan Markle has not commented on the rumors surrounding her
exit. Prince Harry has spoken out and said that he felt he “had no other choice.”
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex are in the midst of a very public transition from being at the forefront of the modern monarchy to retired royals who no longer act on behalf of the queen. It all started on January 8th, when the couple made a statement on their Instagram account, revealing that they intended to “step back” from the historic family and begin, among other things, to earn their own independent income.
While members of the public have mixed feelings about it, it is the royal family itself that has been dealing with the lion’s share of the upheaval. Specifically, Prince Harry’s father, Prince Charles, who is next in line to the throne, has been reported to be struggling with the move in a serious way.
Prince Harry and Prince William’s feud is over
For several years, Prince Harry has had a strained relationship with his older brother, Prince William. While it’s not crystal clear when the feud started, it seems to have been prior to the royal wedding, when Prince William reportedly cautioned his brother against moving into marriage so quickly.
From then on, there was always a feeling of tension between the two, with Prince Harry very determined to strike out on his own, forging a separate identity.
Still, with the news that Prince Harry and Meghan will be stepping back from royal duties, a tentative truce has reportedly formed between Prince Harry and Prince William. According to reports, the two have had a series of private conversations that have worked to repair their bond and end the bad blood.
In the months to come, it seems likely that the two will not be spending a lot of time with each other, but for royal fans, it is reassuring to know that the two brothers have managed to become friends once more.
Is Prince Charles angry with Prince Harry?
Even though Prince William might be at peace with Prince Harry’s decision, Prince Charles reportedly is not. According to a recent Page Six report, Prince Charles is firmly at odds with his youngest son and that Prince Harry’s announcement left him “floored.”
Furthermore, the story claims that Prince Harry’s relationship with Prince Charles — as well as his stepmother Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall — is “complicated.” Prince Charles is reportedly saddened over the whole ordeal.
What’s next for the relationship between Prince Harry and Prince Charles?
It’s hard to predict what the future holds for Prince Harry and his father, at this point in time. Negotiations between Prince Harry and the palace are ongoing, but it has been determined that in the near future, Meghan and Prince Harry will begin to divide their time between the United Kingdom and Canada. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will also lose the right to use their royal titles in an official capacity.
In addition, Prince Harry and Meghan will lose their ability to receive taxpayer funding in any capacity, leaving the doors open for sponsorship deals, corporate contracts, and other moneymaking opportunities. While this is clearly in line with what they want, it could potentially cause strained relations between the couple and their royal relatives.
Traditionally, the royal family keeps its distance from the media and doesn’t involve themselves in television or film projects. However, it seems as though that is exactly the type of work that Prince Harry and Meghan have in mind.
For now, a royal source told the Sun last week: “It’s fair to say that the past week has brought William and Harry back together but the relationship with Charles and Camilla is far more complicated and complex. There remains a real lack of trust there and it’s going to take some time to resolve.”
Hopefully, in the future, Prince Harry and his father will be able to forge the same type of understanding that the two royal brothers have reached. As Prince Charles gets older, he will undoubtedly like to surround himself with all of his family and friends — including his renegade youngest son.