Why is Beyonce the standard? If you compare Taylor Swift to Billie Holliday or Sarah Vaughan or Aretha Franklin, then there's still no comparison. Heck, Memphis Minnie could sing circles around Taylor Swift. It's not a race thing--I could name as many white female singers who are more evocative than Taylor. But it IS a race thing in that someone like Tina Turner doesn't use race to promote her talent, whereas anemic racial identity is all that certain popular artists have.