Celebrity-fan relationship: studying Taylor Swift and Indonesian Swifties’ parasocial relationships on social media

Abstract

The emergence of social media platforms has shifted the ways celebrities and fans communicate and build connections. Having been in the entertainment industry for more than 15 years, Taylor Swift has continuously grown her online fanbase. Due to her constant effort to connect with her fans through social media, a parasocial relationship is formed between Swift and her fans, also known as “Swifties”. Despite a lack of reciprocity, Swifties are continuously motivated to perform online interactions with their idol. Therefore, this study examines how fans’ motivation and celebrity’s social media persona play a role in developing parasocial relationships between them. Using a qualitative approach, the study employs in-depth interviews with 10 Indonesian Swifties who have supported her online for more than seven years. The study employs theoretical concepts of Public Identity, Uses and Gratification, and Parasocial Interactions and Relationships to analyse the emotional connection between fans and Swift. The research concludes that the parasocial relationship between Swift and her fans developed due to Swift’s constant self-disclosure and authentic persona on social media. Also, the emotional connection strengthened as the parasocial interaction with Swift and the interactions between Swifties fulfilled their social media gratifications for entertainment, social interactions, and information-seeking.

Keywords:

• Parasocial relationship
• celebrity
• social media
• brand
• marketing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nadzira Zafina

Nadzira Zafina is a communication graduate specialized in Public Relations in the International Communication Programme at Bina Nusantara University International in Jakarta, Indonesia. She works as a Media and Event Specialist at Imajin Indonesia. Her research interests include popular culture, communication on social media, and public relations.

Annapurna Sinha

Annapurna Sinha is a Lecturer in the International Communication Programme at Bina Nusantara University International in Jakarta, Indonesia. Her research interest spans communication for development and social change, community media, gender, multiple literacies, and popular culture. She completed her PhD in communication from the University of Hyderabad in India in 2020. With a dual master’s in economics and mass communication and a post-graduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi, she worked as a business journalist with leading business dailies The Economic Times, Business Standard, and Business Bhaskar in Delhi, India for three years before embarking on her academic journey.