With the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” I could not help but notice some strange phenomena.

The album, threatened to be released on April 19, features Swift on the cover in a slightly suggestive pose.

This image striked fans immediately as the most risque Swift has looked to date. Swifties are theorizing it’s going to be her riskiest album to date after Reputation, the album in which she wears black lipstick.

I found myself agreeing with these Swifties, Swift hasn’t done anything this mature looking in her entire career, but neither has any mainstream artist. I have come to the conclusion that we, as a society, are in a major diva drought.

Let me explain what my definition of a diva is. A diva is a daring woman who doesn’t pander to anyone. A diva is outwardly rotted and has an army of gay men who are over 35 and will attack anyone to protect her name. A diva also has to make good music.

Swift does not fall under this category. Not only are her fans not gay men, they are around the age of 12.

Someone who would fall under this category is Madonna, who still manages to push boundaries 41 years into her career.

Testing different genres throughout her decade spanning career, Madonna never stuck to one sound.

Even though the majority of her chart topping songs were kitschy 80s pop, she never stayed in that bubble.

Experimenting with house music and R&B, Madonna really showed critics her full power.

Alongside her genre defining music, she puts the high brow art factor into her live performances

When Madonna was Swift’s age, she was embarking on one of the most controversial tours in music history: “The Girlie Show” tour.

The tour featured burlesque dancers, knee high boots and stunning choreography, causing outrage as it played across the world.

From protests in Israel to record burnings in Puerto Rico, Madonna was making headlines and exercising her diva power throughout the world.

Even today, at 65 Madonna is still able to shock audiences and deliver the “Madonna experience” way past what many consider her prime. A true diva.

Another diva is Lady Gaga. The woman who wore a meat dress, advocated for LGBTQ+ rights way before it was the standard, and made mature pop music that was not meant for children.

With obscene live performances including vomiting neon green paint on a willing participant, Gaga created a disgusting, fun, world within her music that set her apart from anyone else in pop music.

Now, we have Taylor Swift who speaks in a Dora-esque manner and does the most subpar choreography for a billion dollar tour.

I have, regretfully, seen a few minutes from “The Eras Tour” film and I was bewildered that anyone above the age of 15 can find that enjoyable.

Up-and-coming pop stars (Olivia Rodrigo, Chapelle Roan, Gracie Abrams, i.e.) don’t have that hunger for success that makes a diva. The music panders to girls, which isn’t bad by any means but that narrows the artist’s reach. This pandering creates an uncomfortable music experience for someone like me, an adult man.

Society needs more divas. Pop music is meant to be stretched out and experimented with. So instead of relying on the same basic cookie cutter methods for 14 consecutive albums, play around with genres and break the norm.