CNN –
Consider journalist Bryan West the “lucky one” because he’s the new Taylor Swift reporter for The Tennessean and USA Today.
The Tennessean announced the news Monday, saying West, a veteran journalist and two-time Emmy-winning television producer, was “the top choice from a pool of hundreds of applicants.”
“Admittedly, I’m a Swiftie,” West says in his video application shared by the publication, where he lists 13 reasons why he’s the guy for the job.
“So I follow a lot of Taylor news. I know about every trip, every new song, every lyric, every album release, every party,” he added.
While touting his technical skills as a multi-platform journalist and licensed drone pilot, West also highlighted his track record of predicting Swift’s album announcements and noted that he is one of the 100 accounts followed by the official Eras Tour Instagram account .
West shared that he once met Swift during her 2018 “Reputation” tour, hilariously adding that “our ears touched at a meet-and-greet and I thought for a second, ‘I might be straight’ .”
He also mentioned three of Swift’s songs that he “can’t stand,” proving that despite being a self-professed Swifi supporter, he can report unbiased news about the singer.
(We’re just the messenger here, but if you must know… those songs are “Stay Stay Stay,” “False God,” and “It’s Nice to Have a Friend.”)
According to The Tennessean, West has been sober since 2018 and “discovered a deeper affinity for Swift’s music during his recovery from struggles with depression and alcohol addiction – a struggle he shares openly in hopes of inspiring others.”
His duties will include examining the “Anti-Hero” singer’s influence on “musical, business and social issues” while also keeping up with the latest news from the superstar’s tour stops, her album releases and all the Easter eggs she has along the way drops to record.
“I think this job is meant to highlight her global and societal influence,” West said via The Tennessean, adding, “She continues to break her own records.”
The original job ad went viral when it was posted in September by Gannett, the parent company of USA Today and The Tennessean.
At the time, Gannett also published a separate job ad for a reporter from Beyoncé Knowles-Carter.