Grab your mini Swiftie for story time courtesy of us at Paradise Valley City Lifestyle as this feature is for your Taylor Swift fan.
We scored a chat with Bryan West, a former reporter at KPNX 12News in Phoenix turned T-Swift journalist.
“I was mid workout when I got a text saying: ‘Your dream job just became available.’ I pulled up the application and immediately started envisioning how I could differentiate my video from other applicants as the job posting went viral,” said Bryan.
Gannett, a mega media conglomerate, had posted a role seeking a Taylor Swift reporter and Bryan was determined to snag the gig.
“I rushed home and recorded 13 reasons why Gannett should pick me. After two months of interviewing, they whittled down the candidates and I was chosen.”
In November 2023, Bryan scored the prestigious title dubbed “dedicated Taylor Swift Reporter” for Gannett | USA TODAY Network. He earned the role thanks to his background in news; Bryan has an impressive resume having won many awards including two Emmys. With his TV experience, Bryan truly understood the time and talent behind being a one-man-band; in other words, shooting, editing, and reporting stories. His skills helped get him the job, in addition to being an admitted Swiftie.
“My introduction to Taylor Swift was the summer following my high school graduation. She released ‘Tim McGraw,’ and I was hooked on the first line. I was drawn to Taylor’s innate ability to weave in and out of different genres, write compelling and relatable lyrics, and make power moves as a singer, artist and businesswoman.”
Bryan’s position is swiftly swoon-worthy. Every day is different. The role consists of covering trending topics, preparing for broadcast interviews, and working on long-form articles. What’s unique about his beat is it covers every news angle: breaking, business, economics, entertainment, education, law, life, politics, sports, tech, and travel- Taylor is all the above.
Since claiming the position, Bryan has covered Taylor's Eras Tour recalling it to be a one-of-a-kind experience as it set a Guinness World Record, boosted domestic and foreign economies and united fans from all over the world.
"My favorite Swift song to hear live is 'Long Live' from 'Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).'"
Bryan says there’s been countless memorable moments like interviewing one of the 22 Hat recipients in Australia.
“During Swift concerts, one lucky fan gets the coveted ‘Red’ era fedora during her song, ‘22.’ The handmade hat is designed by Los Angeles couture milliner, Gladys Tamez. It was neat holding the Holy Grail of Swift fan fashion.”
And of course, Bryan also tracks Taylor's love story with Travis.
“I was at a concert where Travis Kelce showed up, night one in Sydney, and the crowd lost it when he walked across the floor to the VIP tent.”
The job has taken Bryan all over the world, most notably to Glendale where he met Miss Swift in 2018. During night two of the Reputation Stadium Tour in Arizona, they connected, chatted, and snapped some photos.
While the job is dreamy, it’s also a hustle; Bryan says big announcement days are crazy busy shooting and editing photos, putting together interviews, designing animations, writing multiple print stories, and doing national appearances. And when Swift takes a break, Bryan works on long-lead stories and research projects. There’s always news when it comes to Taylor.
“What’s refreshing about my job is no matter who you talk to at any point during Swift’s career, they all say the same thing: she is genuine, kind and caring.”
Instagram/Facebook/X/TikTok: @bryanwesttv
It’s a Love Story...
All smiles, Travis Kelce wowed the crowd joining Taylor on stage during a June show in London- a first for both player and singer. Days after the debut, Dublin concert attendees say Swift allegedly paid tribute to her NFL beau by doing his signature archer pose while performing "Midnight Rain."