taylor swift career biography

Taylor Swift

Fourteen-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift made a splash in the country music world in 2006 and is now one of the biggest pop music stars.

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1989-present

Taylor Swift News: Pop Superstar Wins Historic Album of the Year Award and Announces a New Album at the 2024 Grammys

“I would love to tell you that this is the best moment of my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song, or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love, or when I’m shot-listing a music video, or when I’m rehearsing with my dancers or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show,” the pop star said during her acceptance speech at the February 4 ceremony. “All I want to do is keep being able to do this.”

It wasn’t the only big news from Swift of the night. While onstage collecting the Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights , the singer surprised fans by announcing a new album: The Tortured Poets Department .

“My brand new album comes out April 19. It’s called The Tortured Poets Department ,” Swift said. She immediately posted the news on her social media accounts, including photos of what could be the new album’s cover as well as a short note that concludes “All’s fair in love and poetry... Sincerely, The Chairman of The Tortured Poets Department.”

Swift restarts her already record-breaking Eras Tour in Tokyo on February 7. Before the concert series is scheduled to wrap in December, she will perform in 16 countries, including a handful of dates in the United States. Fans continue to speculate on whether she will be able to attend the 2024 Super Bowl on February 11 to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce , and the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers.

Quick Facts

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Musician Taylor Swift began earning renown as a country singer by age 16. Early hits like “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me” appealed to country and pop fans alike and helped fuel the multiplatinum success of her albums, including the award-winning Fearless . Now a pop megastar with 14 Grammys to her name, she is the first artist to win Album of the Year four times. Named Time ’s 2023 Person of the Year, Swift is currently performing on her record-breaking Eras Tour and is dating professional football player Travis Kelce . The “Shake It Off” and “Anti-Hero” singer plans to release her new album, The Tortured Poets Department , in April 2024.

FULL NAME: Taylor Alison Swift BORN: December 13, 1989 BIRTHPLACE: Reading, Pennsylvania ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Sagittarius

Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania. Swift spent her early years with her parents, Scott and Andrea, and brother, Austin, on the family’s Christmas tree farm in nearby Wyomissing. “I had the most magical childhood, running free and going anywhere I wanted to in my head,” she told Rolling Stone . She learned to ride horses and even competed for a time, but a greater passion soon took root.

Swift followed in the musical footsteps of her grandmother Marjorie Finlay, who was a professional opera singer. By age 10, Swift was singing at a variety of local events, including fairs and contests. She sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a Philadelphia 76ers basketball game at age 11 and began writing her own songs and learning guitar at 12 years old. Her early music idols included Shania Twain and The Chicks.

To pursue her music career, Swift often visited Nashville, Tennessee, the country music capital. There, she cowrote songs and tried to land a recording contract. Noting her dedication, her family moved to nearby Hendersonville when she was 13 in an attempt to further young Swift’s career. She attended Hendersonville High School before finishing out her education through the home schooling program of Aaron Academy, a private Christian school, once her musical career took off.

One of today’s biggest pop stars, Swift has worked her way from performing at local venues in Tennessee to commanding stadiums full of Swifties—her adoring fans—on international tours. A stellar performance at The Bluebird Café in Nashville helped her get a contract with Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records at age 14.

She spent her early career as a country musician, and her first single, “ Tim McGraw ,” was named after one of the genre’s biggest stars. The 2006 song, which she wrote in her freshman year math class, became a Top 10 hit on Billboard’s country chart, quickly launching Swift into the spotlight. McGraw and fellow country music singer Faith Hill even brought Swift on their Soul2Soul tour the next year as an opening act. Reminiscing on the tour years later, McGraw told ET Canada , “Faith and I both knew that there was no stopping her. She’s a special talent.”

It wasn’t long before Swift began receiving critical praise for her work. The teenager won the Horizon Award from the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Award for Top New Female Vocalist in 2007. The next year, she was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys. She became the youngest artist to win the Grammy for Album of the Year, for Fearless in 2010.

The country music darling eventually began experimenting with genre. With her fifth album, 1989 , she decisively reintroduced herself as a pop musician. Her new sound excited fans, and the 2014 release is one of her most successful to date, spending 11 weeks atop the Billboard 200 and selling more than 1.2 million copies in its first week.

Not everything about her music changed, though. Personal experiences, including her romantic relationships, continue to fuel Swift’s songwriting. “I’m enthralled by relationships, and I love the drama in them, but that’s usually where it lives,” Swift told Rolling Stone in 2009, maintaining “I’m not a dramatic person.” Hardly the first musician to utilize this practice, the pop star usually doesn’t reveal who her song subjects are, unless they are family or friends. Instead, her loyal fans obsess over easter eggs in her lyrics and music videos to pinpoint a likely person.

Since March 2023, Swift has been performing on her headline-grabbing Eras Tour. It marks her sixth international tour, having first headlined her own concert series after the release of her award-winning sophomore album, Fearless . When presale tickets for the Eras Tour went live in November 2022, so many fans attempted to snag their seats that Ticketmaster canceled the general sale, leading to a congressional hearing about the debacle. Already one of the highest-grossing touring musicians as of July 2022, Swift has earned more than $1 billion on the Eras Tour so far—surpassing Elton John ’s record-setting farewell tour that spanned five years. The Eras Tour wraps in December 2024 after dozens more concerts, mostly abroad.

Swift’s successes in 2023 also include the release of the 1989 (Taylor’s Version) album and the record-setting concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour , two more No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, tying with Drake as the artist with the most Billboard Music Awards in history, dethroning Bad Bunny as Spotify’s most streamed artist of the year, and achieving billionaire status. All that culminated in Time naming her its 2023 Person of the Year. Swift is the fifth woman to receive the honor.

Early in 2024, Swift became the first artist to win the Grammy for Album of the Year four times, further cementing her place in the history books.

Swift has won 14 Grammy Awards out of 52 nominations.

She was first nominated in 2008 for Best New Artist. Although Amy Winehouse claimed the honor, 20-year-old Swift lived up to her promising career start by collecting four Grammys the next year. Fearless won Album of the Year and Best Country Album, and “White Horse” was named Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2009.

Swift has now won Album of the Year four times: for Fearless , 1989 , folklore , and Midnights. She is the only artist to have accomplished this feat, setting the record in 2024. Midnights also won the award for Best Pop Vocal Album this year.

Even so, Swift has never won the top song honor of Song of the Year, though she has received a record seven nominations in the category. As for Best Country Song, the artist has won twice in five nominations; “Mean” earned the trophy the year after “White Horse” did.

The singer-songwriter has won a host of other accolades, including nine CMA Awards and eight ACM Awards. Both country music organizations have twice named her Entertainer of the Year. Since her first in 2009, Swift has taken home 23 Video Music Awards, second only to Beyoncé . Billboard named her Woman of the Year in 2012, one of Swift’s 29 awards from the publication.

In December 2023, Swift notched another first when she received her first Golden Globe Award nomination for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour . Her concert film competed in but didn’t win Cinematic and Box Office Achievement at the January 2024 ceremony.

Ever since her first single, “Tim McGraw,” in 2006, Swift’s music has found a home on the Billboard charts. As of February 5, 2024, she has had 232 songs grace the mainstream Hot 100. That includes 11 No. 1 hits and a record-setting 49 songs in the top 10; no woman has had more top 10 hits, and Swift only trails Drake among all artists. She also holds nine No. 1 Hot Country Songs, including “Our Song” and “Should’ve Said No.”

“Fearless” debuted at No. 9 on the mainstream chart in November 2008, marking Swift’s first top 10 song. Her first chart-topper was roughly four years away. That came in September 2012 with Grammy-nominated “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Her other No 1. songs include:

• “Shake It Off”
• “Blank Space”
• “Bad Blood”
• “Look What You Made Me Do”
• “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)”
• “Anti-Hero”
• “Cruel Summer”
• “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From The Vault]”

At 10 minutes, 13 seconds, “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” is the longest No. 1 hit in history. “Shake It Off” is Swift’s only diamond-certified song, having sold the equivalent of 10 million copies.

To date, Swift has released 18 albums, including 10 original studio albums, four rereleases, and four live albums. Excluding those live recordings, every album since her sophomore effort, Fearless , has nabbed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for at least one week. In December 2023, she became the first living artist to have five albums rank among the chart’s top 10 simultaneously.

Her first album came in 2006 with Taylor Swift , and her most recent all-new music is on 2022’s Midnights . Her latest rerecorded album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) , debuted in October 2023. Swift will release a new album, The Tortured Poets Department , on April 19, 2024.

Her albums, in order, are:

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The young musician’s self-titled debut album was released in October 2006 when she was 16. Spurred on by the success of songs like “Tim McGraw,” “Teardrops on My Guitar,” and “Our Song,” it became a No. 1 country album in August 2007 and held the top spot for a total of 24 weeks. Indicating her future crossover success, the album also reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200. Taylor Swift has sold more than 7 million copies to date.

In November 2008, Swift released her next album, Fearless , which quickly hit the top of both the country and pop charts, marking her first No. 1 mainstream album. It maintained its apex ranking on the charts for weeks on end. By the end of the year, Swift had become 2008’s highest-selling country artist.

Now a Diamond-certified album, Fearless earned Swift her first Grammy Awards in January 2010. In addition to Best Country Album, it took home one of the night’s top honors with Album of the Year. The track “White Horse” won Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance, while “You Belong With Me” was nominated for three Grammys. Also named Album of the Year at the CMA and ACM Awards, Fearless featured the top 10 hits “Love Story,” “Fearless,” and “Change.” 

After skeptics doubted her involvement in her songwriting, Swift chose to write her next album alone. Speak Now came out in October 2010 and immediately found success. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 1 million copies in its first week. Popular tracks included “Mine,” “Back To December,” “Speak Now,” and the Grammy-winning “Mean.” Swift was once again nominated for Best Country Album at the Grammys but didn’t win. 

Edging her way into pop music, Swift followed with Red , which featured her first No. 1 single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and also topped 1 million in its first week of sales. The October 2012 release collected Grammy nominations for Album of the Year and Best Country Album. “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “Red,” and “Begin Again” were among its most popular songs.

With her next effort, Swift stepped outside her country music roots squarely into mainstream pop. She released 1989 in October 2014. It tied her record (set by Fearless ) for most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, produced three chart-topping singles, and moved more than 1.2 million copies in its first week. That made Swift the first artist to pass the 1 million mark in opening-week sales for three albums. She won her second Album of the Year award at the Grammys in February 2016 as well as Best Pop Vocal Album for her work.

In late August 2017, using an image of a snake, Swift revealed that she would release her sixth studio album, reputation , that November. Swift debuted the first single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” on August 24. In the music video, Swift played characters of all her misrepresentations. The video had more than 19 million views on YouTube within the first day.

Days before reputation ’s scheduled November 10 release, its secret tracklist was leaked to social media. Swift responded by posting the complete list to her Instagram page: 15 songs, including a collaborative effort with Ed Sheeran and rapper Future titled “End Game.” The two later appeared in the video for the track, which debuted in January 2018.

Reputation sold 1.05 million copies in the United States over its first four days. Along with giving the artist her fourth consecutive album to surpass 1 million in sales for its opening week, that total made reputation the top-selling album of 2017. Its success continued into 2018, surpassing 2 million in sales while generating the release of seven singles. By the end of the year, Grammy-nominated reputation had been honored with Favorite Pop/Rock Album at the American Music Awards and Top Selling Album at the Billboard Music Awards.

On April 26, 2019, Swift debuted “ME!” with Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, along with a video of the duo singing and dancing amid a panoply of elaborate sets and swirling colors. It became the first single from her seventh studio album, Lover , with “You Need to Calm Down” and the title track also hitting the airwaves as singles over the next few months. The album was released in August.

In November, Swift claimed a whopping six wins at the American Music Awards, including Artist of the Year and Artist of the Decade honors. Swift also received her third consecutive Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album. A few weeks later, it was reported that Lover was the only album to sell 1 million copies in the U.S. in 2019.

Nearly four years later, Lover ’s “Cruel Summer” was promoted as her latest single amid her highly successful Eras tour. The song enjoyed renewed success, becoming Swift’s 10 th song to top the Billboard Hot 100.

On July 23, 2020, Swift announced on Instagram that she planned to release her eighth studio album, folklore . The 16-track album—made with Aaron Dessner of The National, Jack Antonoff of Bleachers, and Justin Vernon, better known as Bon Iver—debuted the next day at midnight. The alternative influence of her collaborators was apparent throughout.

Folklore produced the top 10 hits “The 1” and “Exile” featuring Bon Iver, plus went on to win Album of the Year at the 2021 Grammys. Swift also made history that year, becoming the only female solo artist to win that award three times.

Less than six months later, Swift dropped another surprise album to accompany folklore . She announced on December 10, 2020, that evermore would release at midnight the next day. “To put it plainly, we just couldn’t stop writing songs,” Swift wrote in a social media post . “In the past I’ve always treated albums as one-off eras and moved onto planning the next one after an album was released. There was something different with folklore. In making it, I felt less like I was departing and more like I was returning.” Evermore earned a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year, though unlike its sister album, it didn’t win.

Swift released her 10 th studio album, Midnights , at midnight on October 21, 2022. Three hours later, she released seven extra tracks in a deluxe version titled Midnights (3 am Edition) . The album broke new ground for the already prolific Swift, making her the first artist to have a song on all of the top 10 slots on the Billboard Hot 100. That included “Anti-Hero” at No. 1, “Snow On The Beach” featuring Lana Del Rey , “Lavender Haze,” and “Karma.” Actor Zoë Kravitz earned writing credits on the latter two songs, and Jack Antonoff played a heavy hand in the album’s creation, cowriting 11 of Midnights ’ 13 songs.

Taylor’s Version albums

After the master recordings to her first six studio albums were sold in 2019, Swift decided to rerecord her old music to regain artistic and financial control of her catalog. So far, she has released four of six: Fearless (Taylor’s Version) in April 2021, Red (Taylor’s Version) in November 2021,  Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) in July 2023, and  1989 (Taylor’s Version) in October 2023 . Each included previously unreleased songs labeled as “From The Vault,” some of which she recorded with fellow musicians Keith Urban , Ed Sheeran , Chris Stapleton , and Phoebe Bridgers, among others. 

Swift hasn’t shared when she will rerelease Taylor Swift and reputation .

When she was 26, Swift was the highest-paid musician—and celebrity of any industry—of 2016 per Forbes , earning $170 million. It was one successful year among many, allowing the pop star to amass a huge net worth.

As of February 5, 2024, Swift has a net worth of $1.1 billion, according to Forbes . Bloomberg first reported that Swift had become a billionaire in late October 2023.

Her wealth has skyrocketed in the past year fueled by the pop star’s highly successful Eras Tour. Pollstar reported in December 2023 that the ongoing tour has earned $1,039,263,762 so far, making Swift the first musician to gross more than $1 billion on a single tour. The trade publication previously estimated the tour brings in $14 million in ticket sales each night.

Swift ranks No. 17 on Pollstar ’s list of highest-grossing touring artists since 1980, having sold nearly $925 million in tickets from her first five tours and other appearances as of July 2022. The only women higher on the list are Madonna , Celine Dion , and Beyoncé .

Contributing to her overall net worth are her real estate holdings. According to Business Insider , her properties total $84 million. She also has lucrative endorsement deals with Capitol One, Stella McCartney, Diet Coke, Apple, and more.

Over the years, the musician has shared some of her fortune to help others. For example, in 2013, she funded the $4 million Taylor Swift Education Center at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. The facility opened with three classrooms, a learning lab, and a space dedicated to exhibits for children. In an interview with CMT Hot 20 Countdown , she explained that “music education is really such an important part of my life. My life changed so completely when I discovered writing my own songs and playing guitar, and that can’t necessarily all be taught to you in school because there aren’t enough hours in the day.”

The megastar has been involved in a few legal disputes, which all have gone in her favor. In August 2017, she testified in a trial against David Mueller, a former radio DJ she accused of groping her four years earlier. Mueller denied Swift’s allegations and said the incident cost him his job, which led him to sue Swift, her mother, and a radio station employee in 2015. Swift countersued him for alleged assault and battery, and a jury ruled in her favor in 2017, awarding her $1 in damages as a symbolic gesture.

Swift responded to the verdict in a statement: “I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society, and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this. My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves.”

Also in 2017, Swift was on the receiving end of a lawsuit, when two songwriters claimed that she stole the chorus of their song “Playas Gon’ Play” for her hit “Shake It Off.” Although a judge dismissed the case in early 2018, on the grounds that the “allegedly infringed lyrics are short phrases that lack the modicum of originality and creativity required for copyright protection,” an appeals court revived the suit in October 2019. Shortly before the trial was scheduled to begin, a judge dismissed the case in December 2022 at the request of both parties. A few media outlets reported there was a settlement, but if so, the terms weren’t publicly released.

The musician was ensnared in another copyright lawsuit when a Mississippi woman claimed “a number of creative elements” from her self-published poetry book appeared in Swift’s companion book for her Lover (2019) album. The author sued in August 2022 but voluntarily dropped her case the next July.

In November 2018, Swift signed with Universal Music Group’s Republic Records. The deal granted the musician ownership of her master recordings, something she didn’t have in her agreement with her first label, Big Machine Records.

The next June, Swift revealed her dismay that Big Machine sold her catalog of music from her first six albums, up to reputation , to a company owned by Scooter Braun , manager of artists like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande and a person she accused of bullying tactics. “Scooter has stripped me of my life’s work, that I wasn’t given an opportunity to buy,” she wrote on Tumblr . “Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it.” Just before the August 2019 release of Lover , Swift confirmed she would rerecord her old music to regain artistic and financial control of her catalog.

Swift’s catalog was sold once again, in October 2020, to Shamrock Holdings for around $300 million. In a lengthy post on Twitter (now called X), Swift gave her fans an update:

“As you know, for the past year I’ve been actively trying to regain ownership of my master recordings. With that goal in mind, my team attempted to enter into negotiations with Scooter Braun.

“Scooter’s team wanted me to sign an ironclad NDA stating I would never say another word about Scooter Braun unless it was positive, before we could even look at the financial records of BMLG... I would have to sign a document that would silence me forever before I could even have a chance to bid on my own work. My legal team said that this is absolutely NOT normal, and they’ve never seen an NDA like this presented unless it was to silence an assault accuser by paying them off. He would never even quote my team a price. These master recordings were not for sale to me.”

Swift added the deal still allows Braun to profit from her music and that she was in the process of rerecording her old music.

Her first rerecorded release, “Love Story (Taylor’s Version),” came at midnight on February 12, 2021. So far, she has reissued four of six albums from her early catalog.

Currently, Swift is dating NFL football player Travis Kelce . On a July 2023 episode of his New Heights podcast , Kelce explained how he tried to give Swift his number on a friendship bracelet after attending the Eras Tour in Kansas City. Soon after, Swift reached out, and they went public with their romance in the fall. “Obviously, I’ve never dated anyone with that kind of aura about them... I’ve never dealt with it,” Kelce told The Wall Street Journal . “But at the same time, I’m not running away from any of it.”

Swift has attended 12 of his NFL games in the 2023 season and postseason. “By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple,” she told Time .“ I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”

Kelce returned the support in mid-November 2023, traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to attend one of her concerts on the Eras Tour. During the show, Swift changed one of her lyrics in the song “Karma” to reference Kelce, and the couple were caught kissing on camera for the first time .

Over the years, Swift has dated several celebrities. During much of 2008, reports circulated that she was dating musician Joe Jonas of The Jonas Brothers. The song, “Forever & Always,” is reportedly about Jonas. The next year, Swift briefly dated actor Taylor Lautner , who she met while they filmed the 2010 movie Valentine’s Day . Swift then dated fellow singer-songwriter John Mayer for a brief period beginning in late 2009; he’s thought to be the inspiration for her song “Dear John.”

From there, Swift was romantically linked to actors Cory Monteith and Jake Gyllenhaal in 2010, then Conor Kennedy—son of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. —in 2012. She celebrated the new year with One Direction’s Harry Styles in 2013, but the relationship ended later that year. In 2015, Swift dated DJ and music producer Calvin Harris, though the couple reportedly broke up in June 2016. Shortly thereafter, the pop star began dating actor Tom Hiddleston , but the couple split three months later.

Swift’s longest relationship to date was with actor Joe Alwyn. The pair met at the 2016 Met Gala and were together from 2017 until spring 2023. Beyond being another boyfriend to spark her songwriting, Alwyn also helped write songs on her folklore , evermore , and Midnights albums under the pseudonym William Bowery.

Just prior to the rumors about her and Kelce, Swift was said to be dating musician Matty Healy of The 1975 band.

Beyond her romantic relationships, Swift has had many high-profile friendships—with singer and actor Selena Gomez , model Karlie Kloss , and actor Blake Lively , to name a few—as well as headline-making feuds. Chief among those is her beef with rapper Kanye West .

In 2009, when Swift won the MTV Video Music Award’s Best Female Video for “You Belong With Me,” West leaded to the stage as the young singer was giving her acceptance speech. He took the mic and famously declared, “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!”

The stunned Swift was unable to finish her acceptance speech, and West was removed from the show. When Beyoncé accepted her award for Best Video of the Year later in the night, she called Swift to the stage to finish her speech. West later apologized to Swift privately and made a public apology on The Jay Leno Show .

In early 2016, West released his song “Famous” that includes a lyric taking credit for her fame and calling her a derogatory word. The rapper said Swift had approved the line in a phone call, though her team initially denied the conversation. Days later, Swift said in a Grammys acceptance speech:

“I wanna say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame. But if you just focus on the work, and you don’t let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you’re going, you’ll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who loved you who put you there. And that will be the greatest feeling in the world.”

Kim Kardashian , who was married to West at the time, defended her husband in a GQ interview that summer and released clips of the phone call between the musicians. Although edited, the recordings proved Swift’s PR team had been lying in their initial statement. Kardashian also implied Swift was a snake in a July 2016 social media post . The pop star alluded to the fight in the songs “Look What You Made Me Do” and “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” from her reputation (2017) album. She has also used snakes in music videos and onstage in concerts. The feud briefly reignited in March 2020 when a 25-minute video of the phone conversation leaked online.

Previously having released several concert movies, Swift made a bigger splash with her Netflix documentary Miss Americana . The January 2020 release covered the makings of her recent studio albums as well as other high-profile events like her sexual assault trial. Miss Americana earned a limited run in theaters simultaneously to its streaming release.

Swift’s new concert movie, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour , capitalizes on her massive star power. The film opened exclusively in theaters—3,850 locations in North America alone—in October 2023. According to Comscore, no other concert movie has enjoyed as wide of a release . It also has showtimes in some 90 other countries and has grossed more than $261 million worldwide as of February 5, 2024, making it the highest-grossing concert film of all time . An extended version, with three additional songs, is now available to rent on streaming services.

Swift has also dabbled in acting. She appeared in the 2010 blockbuster Valentine’s Day, alongside Julia Roberts , Jamie Foxx , Jessica Biel , Bradley Cooper , and other Hollywood heavyweights. A voice role in The Lorax (2012) and another role in The Giver (2014) followed. In December 2019, Swift was featured in a live-action adaptation of the famed Broadway musical Cats , along with Jennifer Hudson , James Corden , and Rebel Wilson . She also teamed with Cats creator Andrew Lloyd Webber to write a song, “Beautiful Ghosts,” for the movie. Swift also had a cameo in 2022’s Amsterdam .

• I have this really high priority on happiness and finding something to be happy about.
• Just be yourself. There is no one better.
• I’m not fast at running. I’m not fast at any kind of force. I’m fast at trivia games.
• The words you regret most are often the ones unsaid.
• I have to believe in fairytales, and I have to believe in love.
• Never believe anyone who says you don’t deserve what you want.
• Life isn’t about how to survive the storm. It’s about how to dance in the rain.
• You’re lucky enough to be different. Never change.
• I’ve learned when to get out. I’ve never wasted too much time with the wrong person, and that’s one thing I’m proud of.
• People haven’t always been there for me, but music has.
• To me, feminism is probably the most important movement that you could embrace, because it’s just basically another word for equality.

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John Williams

LIFE AND CAREER

    Taylor Alison Swift is a singer-songwriter born on December 13, 1989, in West Reading, Pennsylvania. Her father, Scott Swift, is a stockbroker; her mother, Andrea Swift, is a homemaker who previously worked as a fund marketing executive; and her brother, Austin, is an actor. Swift spent her early years on a Christmas tree farm with her parents.    At age 9, Swift started taking vocal and acting lessons in New York City and later decided to shift her focus toward country music, inspired by Shania Twain and Faith Hill.    When the rising star was around 12 years old, a computer repairman named Ronnie Cremer taught her to play guitar and helped with her first efforts as a songwriter, leading Taylor to write "Lucky You", her first song ever.     In 2003, with the help of a family friend manager, she modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch and had an original song included on the show's compilation CD. With it, came the opportunity to attend meetings with major record labels.     To help Taylor's break into country music, her father transferred his job to an office in Nashville when she was 14, and the family relocated to a lakefront house in Hendersonville, Tennessee, where Taylor attended high school. Two years later, she transferred to Aaron Academy to better accommodate her touring schedule through homeschooling. She graduated high school a year early because of that.

Career Beginnings

  In Nashville, Taylor started working with songwriter Liz Rose during two-hour writing sessions every Tuesday afternoon after school. Later, she became the youngest artist signed by Sony/ATV publishing house, but left the group at age 14. She believed she was running out of time because she wanted to capture the early years of her life on an album while it still represented what she was going through.     At a showcase in Nashville's Bluebird Cafe in 2005, Swift caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, a record executive who was preparing to form an independent record label, Big Machine Records. She became one of Big Machine's first signings, with her father purchasing a three percent share of the company.     Taylor then started working on her debut album and persuaded Big Machine to hire Nathan Chapman to produce her songs. Her first lead single “Tim McGraw” was released in June 2006, and Taylor Swift’s self titled album was released later that year, on October 24, 2006. It peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard 200, where it spent 275 weeks. Swift was also the opening act for Brad Paisley’s 2007 tour to promote her album and spent 2006 and 2007 doing promotion on radios, television, and being the opening act for country artists in the US. Throughout 2007 and 2008, Taylor released four more singles from her debut album and all of them appeared on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.    Swift released her first two EPs "The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection" and "Beautiful Eyes" in October 2007 and July 2008, respectively, winning accolades for all of her first three projects.     She became the youngest person to be honored with the BMI Songwriter of the Year title in 2007. She won awards at the CMAs, ACMs and AMAs while also securing a nomination for Best New Artist at the 50th Grammy Awards.

  Swift's sophomore album, Fearless, was released on November 11, 2008. Five singles were released throughout 2008 and 2009, with "Love Story", the lead single, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100  chart and number 1 in Australia. The second single, "You Belong With Me", peaked at number 2 in the US. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was the top selling album of 2009 in the US.     The Fearless Tour – Swift's first headlining concert tour – grossed over $63 million, with Taylor releasing a documentary of the tour that was aired on television and released on DVD. Throughout 2009 and 2010, Swift won multiple awards with her LP at prestigious award shows such as the CMAs and the ACMs, including Artist of the Year at the AMAs and her first Album of the Year statue at the 52nd Grammys, where Swift also bagged another 3 wins. She was named 'Female Artist of the Year' by Billboard back in 2009 as well.     Taylor also co-wrote songs with artists such as John Mayer, Boys Like Girls, and Kellie Pickler, and wrote 2 tracks for Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana – "Crazier" and "You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home" – which were featured on the movie’s soundtrack.     During Fearless era, Taylor also wrote “Today Was A Fairytale” for the Valentine's Day movie Soundtrack, which peaked at number 2 in the US.

   In August 2010, Swift released "Mine”, the lead single from her third studio album, Speak Now. It debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at number three. Following criticism claiming Taylor’s songwriting was good because she worked with co-writers, Swift wrote all 17 tracks on her third record by herself as well as co-produced every song.     The album was released on October 25, 2010, debuting at number 1 on Billboard 200, with 1 million copies sold in its first week.     At the 54th Grammy Awards, in 2012, Swift won Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for "Mean", which she performed during the ceremony in response to her much criticized 2010 Grammy performance, serving as a testament to her abilities as a musician.    Swift won several awards for Speak Now, including Songwriter of the Year at the BMI Awards, Entertainer of the Year at the ACMs and CMAs, and was named Billboard’s Woman of the Year. The album also received general acclaim from critics, with Rolling Stone praising Taylor abilities as a rockstar.     The Speak Now World Tour was done between 2011 and 2012, grossing over $123 million. In November 2011, she released a live album, the “Speak Now World Tour Live".     Swift also contributed to The Hunger Games soundtrack with two original songs: “Eyes Open” and “Safe & Sound”, recorded with The Civil Wars. The latter went on to win a Grammy award as well as a Golden Globe nomination. Taylor was featured on BoB's single "Both of Us”, released in May 2012. 

   In August 2012, Swift released "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", the lead single from her fourth studio album, RED. It became her first number one in the US and New Zealand, and reached the top spot on iTunes digital song sales chart only 50 minutes after its release. Her third single, "I Knew You Were Trouble”, peaked in the top 5 of the most important music market countries in the world, reaching the 2nd position on Billboard Hot 100.     RED was released on October 22, 2012. For this project, Taylor worked with new producers and songwriters, such as Max Martin and Shellback – who would become two of Taylor’s biggest collaborators in the future – as well as Nathan Chapman and Liz Rose, with whom she’d been working since her earlier days. The album incorporates new genres for Swift, like heartland rock, dubstep and dance pop influences.     RED debuted at number 1 in the US, with a first week sale of 1.2 million copies, and was Swift's first number 1 album in the UK. The Red Tour ran from March 2013 to June 2014 and grossed over $150 million, becoming the highest grossing country tour when it wrapped.     Red earned Swift several accolades, including 4 Grammy nominations, a VMA trophy, multiple AMA statues and a BMI award for Songwriter of the Year. Taylor was also honored by the Country Music Academy with the Pinnacle Award.     In 2013, Taylor recorded "Sweeter than Fiction" for the One Chance movie soundtrack. It became her first project with producer Jack Antonoff, who she would continue to work with in the future. Taylor also collaborated with Tim McGraw and Keith Urban in one of the most successful country songs of that year, “Highway Don’t Care”.  

    In March of 2014, Taylor moved to New York City while she worked on her fifth studio album, 1989, which would become her most successful and longest-charting record. Influenced by 1980s synth-pop, Swift severed ties with the country sound of her previous albums, and marketed 1989 as her "first documented, official pop album". The album was released on October 27, 2014 and sold 1.28 million copies in the US during the first week of release, debuting at the top of Billboard 200 chart.    Three of its singles – “Shake It Off", "Blank Space", and "Bad Blood”, featuring rapper Kendrick Lamar – reached number one in Australia, Canada, and in the US.     The 1989 World Tour ran from May to December 2015 and was the highest-grossing tour of the year, with $250 million in total revenue.     During this era, Taylor went up against two of the biggest steaming services in the world, Spotify and Apple Music, in an effort to oppose the way these companies payed artists. In November 2014, Swift removed her entire catalog from Spotify, arguing that the streaming company’s ad-supported free service undermined the premium service, which provides higher royalties for songwriters. In June of 2015, Taylor wrote an open letter criticizing Apple Music for not offering royalties to artists during the streaming service's three-month free trial period. The following day, Apple announced that it would pay artists during the free trial period.     Swift was named Billboard's Woman of the Year in 2014, and at the 2014 American Music Awards, she received the inaugural Dick Clark Award for Excellence. During this era, Swift also won a BRIT, several VMAs, and multiple other accolades which solidified the 1989 era as the most awarded pop era of all time.     At the 58th Grammy Awards in 2016, 1989 won in 3 categories, including Album of the Year. Swift became the first woman and fifth act overall to win Album of the Year twice as a lead artist.     Swift co-wrote "This Is What You Came For" with Calvin Harris in 2016, and early in 2017, she collaborated with Zayn Malik on “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever”, for the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack. The song reached number two in the US and won Best Collaboration at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards.    "Better Man”, a song Taylor had written during Red era, was released on Little Big Town's seventh album, The Breaker, and earned Swift an award for Song of the Year at the 51st CMA Awards in 2017.

   After disappearing from social media and the public eye during most of 2016, Swift executed one of the most successful comebacks in history with her sixth studio album, reputation. “Look What You Made Me Do” was released as the albums’s lead single and its music video broke the record for the most views in the first 24 hours of release.    The album was released on November 10, 2017 and incorporated a heavy electropop sound, with hip hop, R&B and EDM influences. It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 1.21 million copies. With this achievement, Swift became the first act to have four albums sell one million copies within one week in the US. The project spawned three other international singles, including the US top-five entry "...Ready for It?".     In support of reputation, she embarked on her reputation Stadium Tour, which ran from May to November 2018. In the US, the tour grossed $266.1 million in box office and sold over two million tickets, breaking Swift's own record for the highest-grossing US tour by a woman, which was previously held by her 1989 World Tour ($181.5 million). It also became the highest-grossing North American concert tour in history. Worldwide, the tour grossed $345.7 million. On December 31st, Swift released the reputation Stadium Tour concert film on Netflix.     Reputation was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 61st Grammy Awards in 2019. At the 2018 AMAs, Swift won four awards, including Artist of the Year and Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist. After the 2018 ceremony, Swift garnered a total of 23 awards, becoming the most awarded female musician in AMA history.

    In November 2018, Taylor signed a new multi-album deal with Universal Music Group and her subsequent releases would be promoted under the Republic Records imprint. The contract included a provision for her to maintain ownership of her masters recordings. Her seventh album would become the first studio album owned by Swift.    Lover was released on August 23, 2019 and became Taylor’s sixth consecutive album to sell over 500,000 copies in its first week in the US, making Swift the first female artist to achieve this. All 18 songs from the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in the same week, setting a record for the most simultaneous entries by a woman. Lover was the world's best-selling solo studio album of 2019, selling 3.2 million copies.     The album earned multiple accolades, including 3 nominations at the Grammys, 3 VMAs and 6 AMAs. Swift also became the first female artist to win Artist of the Decade at the American Music Awards.    Taylor starred as Bombalurina in the movie adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, Cats. She co-wrote and recorded an original song for the movie called "Beautiful Ghosts”, which would earn her another Golden Globe nod & a Grammy nomination at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards.    The documentary 'Miss Americana', which chronicles part of her life and career over the years, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was released on Netflix in January 2020. Miss Americana features the original song "Only the Young", which Swift wrote after the 2018 United States presidential elections.     During promotion for Lover in 2019, Swift became embroiled in a publicized dispute with manager Scooter Braun and her former label Big Machine regarding the acquisition of the masters of her back catalog. She stated she had been trying to buy the masters for years, but Big Machine only allowed her to do so if she exchanged a new album for an older one under another contract, which she chose not to sign. In October 2019, Swift's masters, videos and artworks were sold to Shamrock Holdings for a reported $300 million. Swift began re-recording her back catalog in November 2020 in an effort to own and be in control of her music and life’s work.

folklore, evermore and re-recordings

     On July 23, 2020, Swift surprise-announced she would be releasing her eighth studio album, folklore, at midnight. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and became the year's longest-running no. 1, with 8 non-consecutive weeks at the top of the chart. The album’s lead single “cardigan” also debuted at #1.     Made in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, folklore was the result of a collaboration with long-time musical partner Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, from The National, with whom Taylor had never worked before, and Bon Iver who are featured in one of the album’s tracks.    In November 2020, Swift released the self-directed “folklore: the long pond studio sessions” on Disney+, a documentary in which Taylor, Aaron and Jack perform all the songs from the record while discussing the meanings and inspirations behind the album.    Folklore earned Swift 5 nominations at the Grammys, including Album and Song of the Year. Taylor won the Album of the Year statue, becoming the first woman to win the Grammy’s highest honor three times.    On December 10, 2020, Swift once again surprised her fans with the announcement of her ninth studio album and folklore’s sister record, evermore. The album was released on the 11th and continued Taylor’s collaborations with Aaron Dessner, Jack Antonoff and Bon Iver, as well as incorporated new artists into the “folkmore universe”, such as HAIM and The National. Both evermore and its lead single “willow” debuted atop of the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts. Having both sister albums achieve this feature, Swift became the first artist to debut at the top of both the singles and albums charts simultaneously twice.    Folklore and Evermore embrace an indie folk and alternative rock production, a departure from Swift’s previous upbeat pop releases. Both albums sold over one million units worldwide in its first week and folklore broke the record for first-day album streams by a female artist on Spotify.     Taylor began working on the re-recordings of her first 6 studio albums in November of last year. The first release from this effort to own her catalog was the re-recording of her sophomore album Fearless, now Fearless (Taylor’s Version). It was released on April 9, 2021 and included 6 never before heard songs that didn’t make it into the album originally, besides the 20 tracks that had already been released in 2008 and 2009. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 200, becoming Swift’s 9th consecutive album and the first re-recorded album in history to do so.     Taylor announced she will be releasing the re-recording of her 4th studio album, RED, on November 19, 2021.

Taylor Swift

• Born December 13 , 1989 · Reading, Pennsylvania, USA
• Birth name Taylor Alison Swift
• Dr Taylor Alison Swift
• Height 5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
• Taylor Alison Swift is a multi-Grammy award-winning American singer/songwriter who, in 2010 at the age of 20, became the youngest artist in history to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In 2011 Swift was named Billboard's Woman of the Year. She also has been named the American Music Awards Artist of the Year, as well as the Entertainer of the Year for both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, among many other accolades. As of this writing, she is also the top-selling digital artist in music history. Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania, to Andrea (Finlay), a one-time marketing executive, and Scott Kingsley Swift, a financial adviser. Her ancestry includes German and English, as well as some Scottish, Irish, Welsh and 1/16th Italian. She was named after James Taylor , and her mother believed that if she had a gender neutral name it would help her forge a business career. Taylor spent most of her childhood on an 11-acre Christmas tree farm in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. When she was nine years old the family moved to Wyomissing, PA, where she attended West Reading Elementary Center and Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School. Taylor spent her summers at her parents' vacation home at the Jersey shore. Her first hobby was English horse riding. Her mother put her in a saddle when she was nine months old and Swift later competed in horse shows. At the age of nine she turned her attention to musical theatre and performed in Berks Youth Theatre Academy productions of "Grease", "Annie", "Bye Bye Birdie" and "The Sound of Music". She traveled regularly to New York City for vocal and acting lessons. However, after a few years of auditioning in New York and not getting anything, she became interested in country music. At age 11, after many attempts, Taylor won a local talent competition by singing a rendition of LeAnn Rimes ' "Big Deal", and was given the opportunity to appear as the opening act for Charlie Daniels at a Strausstown amphitheater. This interest in country music isolated Swift from her middle school peers. At age 12 she was shown by a computer repairman how to play three chords on a guitar, inspiring her to write her first song, "Lucky You". She had previously won a national poetry contest with a poem entitled "Monster in My Closet", but now began to focus on songwriting. She moved to Nashville at age 14, having secured an artist development deal with RCA Records. She left RCA Records when she was 15--the label wanted her to record the work of other songwriters and wait until she was 18 to release an album, but she felt ready to launch her career with her own material. At an industry showcase at Nashville's The Bluebird Café in 2005, Swift caught the attention of Scott Borchetta , a Dreamworks Records executive who was preparing to form his own independent record label, Big Machine Records. Taylor was one of the new label's first signings. Taylor released her debut album, "Taylor Swift", in October of 2006 and received generally positive reviews from music critics. The New York Times described it as "a small masterpiece of pop-minded country, both wide-eyed and cynical, held together by Ms. Swift's firm, pleading voice". Her single "Our Song" made her the youngest solo writer and singer of a #1 country song. The album sold 39,000 copies during its first week. In 2008 she released her second studio album, "Fearless". The lead single from the album, "Love Story", was released in September 2008 and became the second best-selling country single of all time, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Four more singles were released throughout 2008 and 2009: "White Horse", "You Belong with Me", "Fifteen" and "Fearless". "You Belong with Me" was the album's highest-charting single, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. It was the top-selling album of 2009 and brought Swift much crossover success. In September 2009 she became the first country music artist to win an MTV Video Music Award when "You Belong with Me" was named Best Female Video. Her acceptance speech was interrupted by rapper Ye , who had been involved in a number of other award show incidents. West declared Beyoncé 's video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", nominated in the same category, to be "one of the best videos of all time". When Beyoncé later won the award for Video of the Year, she invited Taylor onstage to finish her speech. In November 2009 Taylor Swift became the youngest ever artist, and one of only six women, to be named Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association. She released her third studio album in October 2010, "Speak Now", and wrote all the songs herself. She originally intended to call the album "Enchanted" but Scott Borchetta, her record label's CEO, felt the title did not reflect the album's more adult themes. Swift toured throughout 2011 and early 2012 in support of "Speak Now". As part of the 13-month, 111-date world tour, Swift played seven shows in Asia, 12 in Europe, 80 in North America and 12 in Australasia (three dates on the US tour were rescheduled after she fell ill with bronchitis). The stage show was inspired by Broadway musical theatre, with choreographed routines, elaborate set-pieces, pyrotechnics and numerous costume changes. Swift invited many musicians to join her for one-off duets during the North American tour. Appearances were made by James Taylor, Jason Mraz , Shawn Colvin , Johnny Rzeznik , Andy Grammer , Tal Bachman , Justin Bieber , Selena Gomez , Nicki Minaj , Nelly , B.o.B. , Usher , Flo Rida , Tip 'T.I.' Harris , Jon Foreman , Jim Adkins , Hayley Williams , Hot Chelle Rae , Ronnie Dunn , Darius Rucker , Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney . In May 2012 Taylor featured in B.o.B's song "Both of Us". Swift's fourth studio album, "Red", was released on October 22, 2012. She wrote nine of the album's 16 songs alone; the remaining seven were co-written with Max Martin , Liz Rose , Dan Wilson , Ed Sheeran and Gary Lightbody . Nathan Chapman served as the album's lead producer but Jeff Bhasker , Butch Walker , Jacknife Lee , Dann Huff and Shellback (aka Shellback) also produced individual tracks. Chapman has said he encouraged Swift "to branch out and to test herself in other situations". She has described the collaborative process as "an apprenticeship" that taught her to "paint with different colors". "Red" examines Swift's attraction to drama-filled relationships; she believes that, since writing the record, such relationships no longer appeal to her. Musically, while there is some experimentation with "slick, electronic beats", the pop sheen is limited to a handful of tracks sprinkled among more recognizably Swiftian fare. "Rolling Stone" enjoyed "watching Swift find her pony-footing on Great Songwriter Mountain. She often succeeds in joining the Joni/ Carole King tradition of stark-relief emotional mapping . . . Her self-discovery project is one of the best stories in pop." The Guardian described Swift as a "Brünnhilde of a rock star" and characterized "Red" as "another chapter in one of the finest fantasies pop music has ever constructed". "USA Today" felt that the "engaging" record saw Swift "write ever-more convincingly--and wittily and painfully--about the messy emotions of a young twenty something nearing the end of her transition from girl to woman". The "Los Angeles Times" noted the exploration of "more nuanced relationship issues" on "an unapologetically big pop record that opens new sonic vistas for her". As part of the "Red" promotional campaign, representatives from 72 worldwide radio stations were flown to Nashville during release week for individual interviews with Swift. She made television appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) , Good Morning America (1975) , The View (1997) , Late Show with David Letterman (1993) , ABC News Nightline (1980) and All Access Nashville with Katie Couric (2012) . She performed at Los Angeles' MTV VMAs and London's Teen Awards, and will also perform at Nashville's CMA Awards, Frankfurt's MTV Europe Music Awards, Los Angeles' AMA Awards and Sydney's ARIA Music Awards. Swift offered exclusive album promotions through Target, Papa John's and Walgreens. She became a spokesmodel for Keds sneakers, released her sophomore Elizabeth Arden fragrance and continued her partnerships with Cover Girl, Sony Electronics and American Greetings, as well as her unofficial brand tie-ins with Ralph Lauren and Shellys. The album's lead single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", was released in August 2012. The song became Swift's first #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, recording the highest ever one-week sales figures for a female artist. Two further singles have since been released: "Begin Again" (country radio) and "I Knew You Were Trouble" (pop and international radio).In her career, as of May 2012, Swift has sold over 23 million albums and 54.5 million digital tracks worldwide. Taylor Swift is only beginning to emerge as an acting talent, having voiced the role of Audrey in the animated feature The Lorax (2012) . She also made appearances in the theatrical release Valentine's Day (2010) and in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) . She contributed two original songs to The Hunger Games (2012) soundtrack: "Safe & Sound featuring The Civil Wars" and "Eyes Open". Taylor released her fifth album, titled "1989", on October 27, 2014. This album is when she finally made the complete transition from country to pop. She says that she will not be going to any Country Music Award shows. The album is named after the year she was born, and is a sort of '80s-sounding album, in the sense that it's more electronic. In March 2015 she began dating Scottish Disc Jockey Calvin Harris after having met at the Brit Awards in February. They were together for thirteen months. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous and Aman Jaitly (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)
• Children No Children
• Parents Scott Swift Andrea Swift
• Relatives Austin Swift (Sibling)
• Writing songs about her exes
• Frequent use of the number 13
• She often goes barefoot
• Red lipstick
• Literary references in song lyrics
• Named Person of the Year by Time magazine in 2023, becoming the first entertainer to be named as an individual. She was also named among 2017's Persons of the Year, "The Silence Breakers", as people who spoke out against sexual abuse and harassment.
• Has three cats: Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button.
• Was home-schooled around the time she was 14.
• Grew up on a Christmas tree farm in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, which would serve as the inspiration for one of her Christmas songs.
• Close friends with actress Blake Lively . Taylor included the names of three of Blake's daughters, James, Betty and Inez in her song, 'Betty'.
• [on the Britney Spears perfume she wore] The coolest girl in school wore Britney Spears' Fantasy, and I had to copy her.
• People haven't always been there for me, but music always has.
• I never want to change so much that people can't recognize me.
• When I was a little girl I used to read fairy tales. In fairy tales you meet Prince Charming and he's everything you ever wanted. In fairy tales the bad guy is very easy to spot. The bad guy is always wearing a black cape so you always know who he is. Then you grow up and you realize that Prince Charming is not as easy to find as you thought. You realize the bad guy is not wearing a black cape and he's not easy to spot; he's really funny, and he makes you laugh, and he has perfect hair.
• There's more to life than dating the boy on the football team.

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Taylor swift.

• Sam Lansky @samlansky

'It feels like the breakthrough moment of my career, happening at 33'

Taylor Swift is telling me a story, and when Taylor Swift tells you a story, you listen, because you know it’s going to be good—not only because she’s had an extraordinary life, but because she’s an extraordinary storyteller. This one is about a time she got her heart broken, although not in the way you might expect.

She was 17, she says, and she had booked the biggest opportunity of her life so far—a highly coveted slot opening for country superstar Kenny Chesney on tour. “This was going to change my career,” she remembers. “I was so excited.” But a couple weeks later, Swift arrived home to find her mother Andrea sitting on the front steps of their house. “She was weeping,” Swift says. “Her head was in her hands as if there had been a family emergency.” Through sobs, Andrea told her daughter that Chesney’s tour had been sponsored by a beer company. Taylor was too young to join. “I was devastated,” Swift says. 

But some months later, at Swift’s 18th birthday party, she saw Chesney’s promoter. He handed her a card from Chesney that read, as Swift recalls, “I’m sorry that you couldn’t come on the tour, so I wanted to make it up to you.” With the note was a check. “It was for more money than I’d ever seen in my life,” Swift says. “I was able to pay my band bonuses. I was able to pay for my tour buses. I was able to fuel my dreams.”

Listening to Swift share this, on a clear fall afternoon in her New York City apartment, I’m struck by how satisfying the story is. There are high stakes at the outset; there are details, vivid and sensory; there’s a twist that flips the action on its head; and there’s a happy ending for its hero. It takes her only about 30 seconds to recount this, but those 30 seconds contain an entire narrative world.

Buy the Taylor Swift Person of the Year issue here

I’m not surprised. Swift has a preternatural skill for finding the story. Her anecdote about Chesney symbolizes a larger narrative in Swift’s life, one about redemption—where our protagonist discovers new happiness not despite challenges, but because of them. Swift, as we’ll discuss, took a few hits to get here. “I’ve been raised up and down the flagpole of public opinion so many times in the last 20 years,” she says as we tuck into a cozy den off the kitchen to talk, and she kicks off her shoes and curls up onto the sofa. “I’ve been given a tiara, then had it taken away.” She is seemingly unguarded in conversation, reflective about both where she’s been and where she finds herself now. After all, while she’s long been one of the biggest entertainers in the world, this year is different. “It feels like the breakthrough moment of my career, happening at 33,” she says. “And for the first time in my life, I was mentally tough enough to take what comes with that.” This is her story—even if she’s now so high that it’s hard to believe she was ever low.

Swift’s accomplishments as an artist—culturally, critically, and commercially—are so legion that to recount them seems almost beside the point. As a pop star, she sits in rarefied company, alongside Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and Madonna; as a songwriter, she has been compared to Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, and Joni Mitchell. As a businesswoman, she has built an empire worth, by some estimates, over $1 billion. And as a celebrity—who by dint of being a woman is scrutinized for everything from whom she dates to what she wears—she has long commanded constant attention and knows how to use it. (“I don’t give Taylor advice about being famous,” Stevie Nicks tells me. “She doesn’t need it.”) But this year, something shifted. To discuss her movements felt like discussing politics or the weather—a language spoken so widely it needed no context. She became the main character of the world.

If you’re skeptical, consider it: How many conversations did you have about Taylor Swift this year? How many times did you see a photo of her while scrolling on your phone? Were you one of the people who made a pilgrimage to a city where she played? Did you buy a ticket to her concert film? Did you double-tap an Instagram post, or laugh at a tweet, or click on a headline about her? Did you find yourself humming “ Cruel Summer ” while waiting in line at the grocery store? Did a friend confess that they watched clips of the Eras Tour night after night on TikTok? Or did you?

Her epic career-retrospective tour recounting her artistic “eras,” which played 66 dates across the Americas this year, is projected to become the biggest of all time and the first to gross over a billion dollars; analysts talked about the “Taylor effect,” as politicians from Thailand, Hungary, and Chile implored her to play their countries. Cities, stadiums, and streets were renamed for her. Every time she came to a new place, a mini economic boom took place as hotels and restaurants saw a surge of visitors. In releasing her concert movie , Swift bypassed studios and streamers, instead forging an unusual pact with AMC, giving the theater chain its highest single-day ticket sales in history. There are at least 10 college classes devoted to her, including one at Harvard; the professor, Stephanie Burt, tells TIME she plans to compare Swift’s work to that of the poet William Wordsworth. Friendship bracelets traded by her fans at concerts became a hot accessory, with one line in a song causing as much as a 500% increase in sales at craft stores. When Swift started dating Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chief and two-time Super Bowl champion, his games saw a massive increase in viewership. (Yes, she somehow made one of America’s most popular things—football—even more popular.) And then there’s her critically hailed songbook—a catalog so beloved that as she rereleases it , she’s often breaking chart records she herself set. She’s the last monoculture left in our stratified world.

It’s hard to see history when you’re in the middle of it, harder still to distinguish Swift’s impact on the culture from her celebrity, which emits so much light it can be blinding. But something unusual is happening with Swift, without a contemporary precedent. She deploys the most efficient medium of the day—the pop song—to tell her story. Yet over time, she has harnessed the power of the media, both traditional and new, to create something wholly unique—a narrative world, in which her music is just one piece in an interactive, shape-shifting story. Swift is that story’s architect and hero, protagonist and narrator.

This was the year she perfected her craft—not just with her music, but in her position as the master storyteller of the modern era. The world, in turn, watched, clicked, cried, danced, sang along, swooned, caravanned to stadiums and movie theaters, let her work soundtrack their lives. For Swift, it’s a peak. “This is the proudest and happiest I’ve ever felt, and the most creatively fulfilled and free I’ve ever been,” Swift tells me. “Ultimately, we can convolute it all we want, or try to overcomplicate it, but there’s only one question.” Here, she adopts a booming voice. “Are you not entertained?”

A few months before I sit with Swift in New York, on a summer night in Santa Clara, Calif., which has been temporarily renamed Swiftie Clara in her honor, I am in a stadium with nearly 70,000 other people having a religious experience. The crowd is rapturous and Swift beatific as she gazes out at us, all high on the same drug. Her fans are singularly passionate, not just in the venue but also online, as they analyze clues, hints, and secret messages in everything from her choreography to her costumes—some deliberately planted, others not. (“Taylor Swift fans are the modern-day equivalent of those cults who would consistently have inaccurate rapture predictions like once a month,” as one viral tweet noted .)

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Standing in the arena, it’s not hard to understand why this is the biggest thing in the world. “Beatlemania and Thriller have nothing on these shows,” says Swift’s friend and collaborator Phoebe Bridgers. Fans in Argentina pitched tents outside the venue for months to get prime spots, with some quitting their jobs to commit to fandom full time. Across the U.S., others lined up for days, while those who didn’t get in “Taylor-gated” in nearby parking lots so they could pick up the sound. When tickets went on sale last year, Ticketmaster crashed. Although 4.1 million tickets were sold for the 2023 shows—including over 2 million on the first day, a new record—scalpers jacked up prices on the secondary market to more than $22,000. Multiple fans filed lawsuits. The Justice Department moved forward with an investigation. The Senate held a hearing . Given these stakes, Swift had to deliver.

“I knew this tour was harder than anything I’d ever done before by a long shot,” Swift says. Each show spans over 180 minutes, including 40-plus songs from at least nine albums; there are 16 costume changes, pyrotechnics, an optical illusion in which she appears to dive into the stage and swim, and not one but two cottagecore worlds, which feature an abundance of moss.

In the past, Swift jokes, she toured “like a frat guy.” This time, she began training six months ahead of the first show. “Every day I would run on the treadmill, singing the entire set list out loud,” she said. “Fast for fast songs, and a jog or a fast walk for slow songs.” Her gym, Dogpound, created a program for her, incorporating strength, conditioning, and weights. “Then I had three months of dance training, because I wanted to get it in my bones,” she says. “I wanted to be so over-rehearsed that I could be silly with the fans, and not lose my train of thought.” She worked with choreographer Mandy Moore—recommended by her friend Emma Stone, who worked with Moore on La La Land —since, as Swift says, “Learning choreography is not my strong suit.” With the exception of Grammy night—which was “hilarious,” she says—she also stopped drinking. “Doing that show with a hangover,” she says ominously. “I don’t want to know that world.”

Read More: Taylor Swift Shares Her Eras Tour Workout and Self-Care Regimen

Swift’s arrival in a city energized the local economy. When Eras kicked off in Glendale, Ariz., she generated more revenue for its businesses than the 2023 Super Bowl, which was held in the same stadium. Fans flew across the country, stayed in hotels, ate meals out, and splurged on everything from sweatshirts to limited-edition vinyl, with the average Eras attendee reportedly spending nearly $1,300. Swift sees the expense and effort incurred by fans as something she needs to repay: “They had to work really hard to get the tickets,” she says. “I wanted to play a show that was longer than they ever thought it would be, because that makes me feel good leaving the stadium.” The “Taylor effect” was noticed at the highest levels of government. “When the Federal Reserve mentions you as the reason economic growth is up, that’s a big deal,” says Ed Tiryakian, a finance professor at Duke University. 

Carrying an economy on your back is a lot for one person. After she plays a run of shows, Swift takes a day to rest and recover. “I do not leave my bed except to get food and take it back to my bed and eat it there,” she says. “It’s a dream scenario. I can barely speak because I’ve been singing for three shows straight. Every time I take a step my feet go crunch, crunch, crunch from dancing in heels.” Maintaining her strength through workouts between shows is key. “I know I’m going on that stage whether I’m sick, injured, heartbroken, uncomfortable, or stressed,” she says. “That’s part of my identity as a human being now. If someone buys a ticket to my show, I’m going to play it unless we have some sort of force majeure.” (A heat wave in Rio de Janeiro caused chaos during Swift’s November run as one fan, Ana Clara Benevides Machado, reportedly collapsed during the show and later died; Swift wrote on Instagram that she had a “shattered heart.” She rescheduled the next show because of unsafe conditions, and spent time with Benevides Machado’s family at her final tour date in Brazil.)

Swift is many things onstage—vulnerable and triumphant, playful and sad—but the intimacy of her songcraft is front and center. “Her work as a songwriter is what speaks most clearly to me,” says filmmaker Greta Gerwig, whose feminist Barbie was its own testament to the idea that women can be anything. “To write music that is from the deepest part of herself and have it directly speak into the souls of other people.” As Swift whips through the eras, she’s not trying to update her old songs, whether the earnest romance of “You Belong With Me” or the millennial ennui of “22,” so much as she is embracing them anew. She’s modeling radical self-acceptance on the world’s largest stage, giving the audience a space to revisit their own joy or pain, once dismissed or forgotten. I tell Swift that the show made me think of a meme that says, “Do not kill the part of you that is cringe—kill the part of you that cringes.” “Yes!” she exclaims. “Every part of you that you’ve ever been, every phase you’ve ever gone through, was you working it out in that moment with the information you had available to you at the time. There’s a lot that I look back at like, ‘Wow, a couple years ago I might have cringed at this.’ You should celebrate who you are now, where you’re going, and where you’ve been.”

Read More: How We Chose Taylor Swift as TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year

Getting to this place of harmony with her past took work; there’s a dramatic irony, she explains, to the success of the tour. “It’s not lost on me that the two great catalysts for this happening were two horrendous things that happened to me,” Swift says, and this is where the story takes a turn. “The first was getting canceled within an inch of my life and sanity,” she says plainly. “The second was having my life’s work taken away from me by someone who hates me.”

Swift shows me some things she loves in her apartment: a Stevie Nicks Barbie that sits still boxed in her kitchen, sent to her by the artist; the framed note from Paul McCartney that hangs in her bathroom; tiles around the fireplace that Swift found shopping in Paris with her mother. Connections to her family are everywhere, including a striking photo of her grandmother Marjorie, an opera singer and the inspiration for a track on her album evermore. Swift grew up on a Christmas-tree farm in Pennsylvania, with her younger brother Austin; her father Scott was a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch, and Andrea worked in marketing. Her family still works closely with her today. “My dad, my mom, and my brother come up with some of the best ideas in my career,” Swift says. “I always joke that we’re a small family business.”

After moving to Nashville as a teen, she signed with Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records. Swift’s songwriting ability was evident from the first lyrics of “Tim McGraw,” her debut single: “He said the way my blue eyes shined put those Georgia stars to shame that night—I said, ‘That’s a lie.’” Even for country music these lyrics are literary—conjuring a romantic fantasy, then deflating it a line later. The fairy-tale promise of love and intimacy became a runner in Swift’s work as a songwriter, something she’d repeatedly espouse, then skewer; she was self-aware about the role narrative played in her expectations. She was seen as a gifted pop-country ingenue when, in a now infamous moment, Kanye West interrupted Swift onstage at the 2009 VMAs while she was accepting an award. The incident set in motion a chain of events that would shape the next decade of both artists’ lives. 

It was around that time, Swift remembers now, that she began trying to shape-shift. “I realized every record label was actively working to try to replace me,” she says. “I thought instead, I’d replace myself first with a new me. It’s harder to hit a moving target.” Swift wrote songs solo, incorporated diverse sonic influences, and placed more clues about personal relationships in her lyrics and album materials for fans to decode. Her epic ballad “All Too Well,” from 2012’s Red, epitomizes Swift’s superpower as a songwriter, deploying tossed-off details like a forgotten scarf that comes back at the song’s end to stab you in the heart—but it also had a secret message hidden in the liner notes. When an extended version of the song hit No. 1 last year upon its rerelease, it wasn’t only because the song is extraordinary, but because it has its own lore, like Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” if it came with an experiential puzzle for fans to solve. “She’s like a whole room of writers as one person, with that voice and charisma,” Bridgers says. “She’s everything at once.”

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Swift knew she had to keep innovating. “By the time an artist is mature enough to psychologically deal with the job, they throw you out at 29, typically,” she says. “In the ’90s and ’00s, it seems like the music industry just said: ‘OK, let’s take a bunch of teenagers, throw them into a fire, and watch what happens. By the time they’ve accumulated enough wisdom to do their job effectively, we’ll find new teenagers.’” She went full-throttle pop for 2014’s 1989 , putting her on top of the world —“an imperial phase,” she calls it. She didn’t realize it would also give her much farther to fall. Public sentiment turned—sniping about everything from her perceived overexposure to conspiracy theories about her politics. “I had all the hyenas climb on and take their shots,” she says. West wrote a song with vulgar lyrics about her, and claimed that Swift had consented to it, which Swift denied; West’s then wife, Kim Kardashian, released a video of a conversation between West and Swift that seemed to indicate that Swift had been on board with the song. The scandal was tabloid catnip; it made Swift look like a snake, which is what people called her. She felt it was “a career death,” she says. “Make no mistake—my career was taken away from me.”

It was a bleak moment. “You have a fully manufactured frame job, in an illegally recorded phone call, which Kim Kardashian edited and then put out to say to everyone that I was a liar,” she says. “That took me down psychologically to a place I’ve never been before. I moved to a foreign country. I didn’t leave a rental house for a year. I was afraid to get on phone calls. I pushed away most people in my life because I didn’t trust anyone anymore. I went down really, really hard.” (Kardashian wrote, in a 2020 social media post, that the situation “forced me to defend him.”) Swift’s next album, 2017’s Reputation, featured snake imagery; the video for “Look What You Made Me Do” saw her killing off younger versions of herself. She remembers Reputation being met with uproar and skepticism. “I thought that moment of backlash was going to define me negatively for the rest of my life,” she says. She had also satisfied her record deal with Borchetta, and knew she wanted out. “The molecular chemistry of that old label was that every creative choice I wanted to make was second-guessed,” she says. “I was really overthinking these albums.”

She met with Lucian Grainge, the CEO of Universal Music Group, and Monte Lipman, who runs Universal’s top label Republic Records, to talk about signing a deal that would give her more agency. Today, Grainge is perhaps the most powerful executive in the music industry, but, as I sit with him in his office in Los Angeles, he describes himself as an “old punk” who operates on instinct more than metrics. He told Swift, he says, “We will utilize everything that we’ve got as a company for you.” Swift felt like she’d been given carte blanche: “Lucian and Monte basically said to me, ‘Whatever you turn in, we will be proud to put out. We give you 100% creative freedom and trust.’” It was exactly what she needed to hear most when the chips were down.

Yet the release of Swift’s first album with Republic, 2019’s Lover , coincided with the second big upheaval in her professional life: Borchetta had sold Big Machine—and with it, Swift’s catalog, valued then at a reported $140 million—to Ithaca Holdings, which is owned by music manager Scooter Braun, a former ally of West’s. “With the Scooter thing, my masters were being sold to someone who actively wanted them for nefarious reasons, in my opinion,” Swift says. (“It makes me sad that Taylor had that reaction to the deal,” Braun told Variety in 2021.) The sale meant that the rights to Swift’s first six albums moved to Braun, so whenever someone wanted to license one of those songs, he would be the one to profit. Swift rallied her fans against the deal, but still felt powerless. “I was so knocked on my ass by the sale of my music, and to whom it was sold,” she says. “I was like, ‘Oh, they got me beat now. This is it. I don’t know what to do.’” She went back to work, using the pandemic lockdown to pare back her sound on critically acclaimed albums folklore and evermore .

Around the same time, she started thinking about rerecording her old albums in an effort to wrest back control. “I’d run into Kelly Clarkson and she would go, ‘Just redo it,’” Swift says. “My dad kept saying it to me too. I’d look at them and go, ‘How can I possibly do that?’ Nobody wants to redo their homework if on the way to school, the wind blows your book report away.” Since Swift wrote her own songs, she retained the musical composition copyright and could rerecord them. She also negotiated to own the master rights for her material when she moved over to Republic in 2018, so she now owns her new material and the rerecorded songs. (Major labels have since made it more difficult for artists to rerecord their music.) She began rerecording subtly different versions of her old albums, tagging them “(Taylor’s Version)” and adding unreleased tracks to redirect listenership to them. She frames the strategy as a coping mechanism. “It’s all in how you deal with loss,” she says. “I respond to extreme pain with defiance.”

Grainge calls the rerecording project “bizarrely brilliant and unique”—something that only an artist at her level could pull off. “It’s got such a narrative—there’s a reason for it.” He shakes his head. “Imagine Picasso painting something that he painted a few years ago, then re-creating it with the colors of today.” Part of the success story, Swift says, is the freedom she received from the label to follow her instincts. “If you look at what I’ve put out since then, it’s more albums in the last few years than I did in the first 15 years of my career,” she says. That prolific output has fueled her ascension. “She could serve two terms as President of the United States and then go to Las Vegas,” Grainge says. “Who else can do that?” 

In the grand narrative of Swift’s life, as she rose this year, her foes’ fortunes also seemed to turn. Over the summer, it was reported that several of Braun’s key clients—chief among them Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande—were no longer being managed by his company, while West’s antisemitic and other offensive remarks led to his losing key endorsement deals. Swift knows firsthand that fame is a seesaw. “Nothing is permanent,” she says. “So I’m very careful to be grateful every second that I get to be doing this at this level, because I’ve had it taken away from me before. There is one thing I’ve learned: My response to anything that happens, good or bad, is to keep making things. Keep making art.” She considers. “But I’ve also learned there’s no point in actively trying to quote unquote defeat your enemies,” she says. “Trash takes itself out every single time.”

The premiere for Swift’s concert film takes place at the Grove, an outdoor mall in Los Angeles, which has been shut down for the event; Swift has packed 13 screens with thousands of fans. She goes, one by one, to each theater thanking sobbing audience members for being there. Like the tour, the film, which was released directly to theaters without a traditional partner, is an event. “We met with all the studios,” she tells me, “and we met with all the streamers, and we sized up how it was perceived and valued, and if they had high hopes and dreams for it. Ultimately I did what I tend to do more and more often these days, which is to bet on myself.” She credits her father with the idea. “He just said, why does there have to be a—for lack of a better word—middleman?”

Read More: ‘I Bet on Myself.’ How Taylor Swift’s Deal With AMC Came Together

In the theater excitement ripples through the crowd, a mix of fans and Swift’s friends, as we wait for her. To my left are two dedicated Swifties, sisters who introduce themselves as Madison, 23, and McCall, 20, and who are still reeling from taking a selfie with Swift on the red carpet. Their wrists are covered in friendship bracelets, some of which are deep cuts—such as no it’s BECKY, a reference to a beloved Tumblr meme, and BLEACHELLA STAN, for Swift’s 2016 platinum blond bob—and Madison reveals a tattoo on her forearm that says “Taylor’s Version.” Both tell me their favorite album is Reputation. They are my favorite people I have ever met, and I want to talk to only them for the rest of my life. Madison admires Swift for her vulnerability—“which is insane, when she’s under endless scrutiny”—while McCall cites her consistency, which she calls “a lost art form.” When I ask how McCall feels about Swift’s romantic life, she fields the question elegantly. “It’s a disservice to her to focus on that stuff,” she says. “She’s so good at making her personal experience relate to millions of people. When I listen to her songs, I think about what I’ve been through—not what she’s been through.”

Swift’s private life has long served as both grist for the tabloid mill and inspiration for her own work; she split from her longtime boyfriend, actor Joe Alwyn, earlier this year. Most recently, she’s been dating the NFL star Travis Kelce , as has been well documented when she attends his games. “I don’t know how they know what suite I’m in,” she says. “There’s a camera, like, a half-mile away, and you don’t know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera is putting you in the broadcast, so I don’t know if I’m being shown 17 times or once.” She is sensitive to the attention that’s put on her when she shows up. “I’m just there to support Travis,” she says. “I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads, and Chads.”

I point out that it’s a net positive for the NFL to have a few Swifties watching. “Football is awesome, it turns out,” Swift says playfully. “I’ve been missing out my whole life.” (A game she attended in October was the most-watched Sunday show since the Super Bowl.)

Given her complex history with public interest in her dating life, I say, it seems noteworthy that her relationship with Kelce has played out so publicly. Swift gently pushes back: “This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,” she says. “We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple. I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.” The larger point, for her, is that there’s nothing to hide. “When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care,” she says. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other.”

Swift’s openness is one part of why her fan base leans heavily, though not exclusively, female. The Eras Tour was one critical piece of what Swift calls “a three-part summer of feminine extravaganza”—the other two parts being Gerwig’s box-office bonanza Barbie and Beyoncé’s blockbuster, culture-shifting Renaissance Tour. “To make a fun, entertaining blast of a movie, with that commentary,” she says of Barbie, “I cannot imagine how hard that was, and Greta made it look so easy.” (“I’m just a sucker for a gal who is good with words, and she is the best with them,” Gerwig says about Swift, whom she calls “Bruce Springsteen meets Loretta Lynn meets Bob Dylan.”)

Swift is no less effusive in talking about Beyoncé, who brokered a similar deal with AMC and shows up to Swift’s Los Angeles premiere; the next month, Swift returns the favor by attending Beyoncé’s in London. “She’s the most precious gem of a person—warm and open and funny,” Swift says. “And she’s such a great disrupter of music-industry norms. She taught every artist how to flip the table and challenge archaic business practices.” That her tour and Beyoncé’s were frequently juxtaposed is vexing. “There were so many stadium tours this summer, but the only ones that were compared were me and Beyoncé,” she says. “Clearly it’s very lucrative for the media and stan culture to pit two women against each other, even when those two artists in question refuse to participate in that discussion.”

Read More: ‘The Most Precious Gem of a Person:’ Taylor Swift on Her Friendship With Beyoncé

To Swift, the success of all three feels like an inflection point. “If we have to speak stereotypically about the feminine and the masculine,” she says, “women have been fed the message that what we naturally gravitate toward—” She has a few examples: “Girlhood, feelings, love, breakups, analyzing those feelings, talking about them nonstop, glitter, sequins! We’ve been taught that those things are more frivolous than the things that stereotypically gendered men gravitate toward, right?” Right, I say. “And what has existed since the dawn of time? A patriarchal society. What fuels a patriarchal society? Money, flow of revenue, the economy. So actually, if we’re going to look at this in the most cynical way possible, feminine ideas becoming lucrative means that more female art will get made. It’s extremely heartening.”

Amid so much attention, it seems noteworthy that Swift appears more relaxed in the public eye, not less—although I wonder out loud whether it just appears that way. She nods. “Over the years, I’ve learned I don’t have the time or bandwidth to get pressed about things that don’t matter. Yes, if I go out to dinner, there’s going to be a whole chaotic situation outside the restaurant. But I still want to go to dinner with my friends.” She sounds thoughtful. “Life is short. Have adventures. Me locking myself away in my house for a lot of years—I’ll never get that time back. I’m more trusting now than I was six years ago.” 

She’s also having more fun. At her premiere, Swift sits in the same row as me, Madison, and McCall, singing along and dancing in her seat; we keep craning our necks to look at her, sharing thunderstruck looks: Isn’t this surreal? There are moments in the film when the cameras capture the enormous screens behind Swift onstage, and it feels like a house of mirrors, these myriad reflections of Taylor Swift—us watching her watch herself on a screen, which is itself showing Swift’s image on so many screens, the thousands of fans onscreen in the stadium and us in this theater, with Swift in the middle of it—all of us rapt, unable to look away.

Read More: Taylor Swift Makes History as Person of the Year. Here’s How

Swift and I have been talking for a while now at her apartment, long enough that our coffees have gone cold and her cat Benjamin Button has trundled into the room, then gotten bored and left. She tells me about revisiting Reputation, which is perhaps the most charged era in the tour. “It’s a goth-punk moment of female rage at being gaslit by an entire social structure,” she says, laughing. “I think a lot of people see it and they’re just like, Sick snakes and strobe lights.” The upcoming vault tracks for Reputation will be “fire,” she promises. The rerecordings project feels like a mythical quest to her. “I’m collecting horcruxes,” she says. “I’m collecting infinity stones. Gandalf’s voice is in my head every time I put out a new one. For me, it is a movie now.”

It strikes me then that for all the talk about eras, it’s also worth thinking about genres—how Swift has moved between them in the stories she’s told. At first, it was a coming-of-age story, one about a young woman finding her way in the world and honing her voice before a fickle public. Then there were romances, great ones—tales of enchantment and desire, heartbreak and disillusionment, relationships that she both excavated for her songs and that the media documented for her with either joy or schadenfreude, depending on the day. There have been dramas with stakes so high and turns so twisty they feel Shakespearean in their scope, betrayals both personal and professional that have shaped her life. Occasionally, these stories have tipped into screwball comedy—like when a crowd in Seattle cheered so loudly it registered as an earthquake, or when, on a tour stop in Brazil, the local archdiocese allowed messages celebrating her to be projected onto the 124-ft. Christ the Redeemer statue. But they have one thing in common: Swift. 

She is a maestro of self-determination, of writing her own story. The multihyphenate television creator Shonda Rhimes—no stranger to a plot twist—who has known Swift since she was a teenager, puts it simply: “She controls narrative not only in her work, but in her life,” she says. “It used to feel like people were taking shots at her. Now it feels like she’s providing the narrative—so there aren’t any shots to be taken.”

Read More: Behind the Scenes of TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year Issue

Here, Swift has told me a story about redemption, about rising and falling only to rise again—a hero’s journey. I do not say to her, in our conversation, that it did not always look that way from the outside—that, for example, when Reputation ’s lead single “Look What You Made Me Do” reached No. 1 on the charts, or when the album sold 1.3 million albums in the first week, second only to 1989, she did not look like someone whose career had died. She looked like a superstar who was mining her personal experience as successfully as ever. I am tempted to say this.

But then I think, Who am I to challenge it, if that’s how she felt? The point is: she felt canceled. She felt as if her career had been taken from her. Something in her had been lost, and she was grieving it. Maybe this is the real Taylor Swift effect: That she gives people, many of them women, particularly girls, who have been conditioned to accept dismissal, gaslighting, and mistreatment from a society that treats their emotions as inconsequential, permission to believe that their interior lives matter. That for your heart to break, whether it’s from being kicked off a tour or by the memory of a scarf still sitting in a drawer somewhere or because somebody else controls your life’s work, is a valid wound, and no, you’re not crazy for being upset about it, or for wanting your story to be told. 

After all, not to be corny, haven’t we all become selective autobiographers in the digital age as we curate our lives for our own audiences of any size—cutting away from the raw fabric of our lived experience to reveal the shape of the story we most want to tell, whether it’s on our own feeds or the world’s stage? I can’t blame her for being better at it than everyone else. It’s also not like she hasn’t admitted it. She sang it herself, in her song “Mastermind,” off last year’s Midnights , in a bridge so feathery you could almost miss that it marks some of the rawest, most naked songwriting of her career: “No one wanted to play with me as a little kid/ So I’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since/ To make them love me and make it seem effortless/ This is the first time I’ve felt the need to confess/ And I swear I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian because I care.”

She tells me she wrote that song after watching the Paul Thomas Anderson film Phantom Thread, which—spoiler—culminates in the reveal of a vast, layered manipulation. “Remember that last scene?” she says. “I thought, wouldn’t it be fun to have a lyric about being calculated?” She pauses. “It’s something that’s been thrown at me like a dagger, but now I take it as a compliment.” 

It is a compliment. After I leave Swift’s house, I can’t stop thinking about how perfectly she crafted this story for me—the one about redemption, how she lost it all and got it back. Storytelling is what she’s always done; that’s why, Chesney tells me, he gave her that gift all those years ago. “She was a writer who had something to say,” he says. “That isn’t something you can fake by writing clichés. You can only live it, then write it as real as possible.” 

She must have known that all the references she made had hidden meanings, that I’d see all the tossed-off details for the Easter eggs they were. The way she told me that story about Chesney, she knew there was a lesson, about the power of generosity, and how a crushing defeat can give way to a great and surprising gift. The way she said, “Are you not entertained?”—surely we both knew it was a quote from Gladiator, a movie in which a hero falls from grace, is forced to perform blood sport for the pleasure of spectators, and emerges victorious, having survived humiliation and debasement to soar higher than ever. And the way before I left, she showed me the note from Paul McCartney hanging in her bathroom, which has a Beatles lyric written on it—and not just any Beatles lyric, but this one: “Take these broken wings and learn to fly.” — With reporting by Leslie Dickstein and Megan McCluskey •

Styled by Heidi Bivens at Honey Artists; hair by Holli Smith; make-up by Diane Kendal; nails by Maki Sakamoto; production by VLM Productions

On the covers: 

Jacket, denim shirt and turtleneck by Polo Ralph Lauren; dress by Area; bodysuit by Bardot, tights by Wolford; earrings are artist’s own

On the inside: 

Jacket, denim shirt and turtleneck by Polo Ralph Lauren; tuxedo jacket, tuxedo shirt, vest and pocket square by Ralph Lauren Collection, jeans by Polo Ralph Lauren; dress by Alaia; rings by Anna Sheffield and Cartier; earrings are artist’s own

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‘She is a snake – in the most positive way!’ How Taylor Swift became the world’s biggest pop star, again

In 2015, the singer’s career looked shaky as the media and public turned on her. But after the battle for her masters, her intimate lockdown records and the all-conquering Eras tour, she’s reclaimed her crown – and is now immune to hate

L ast month, Taylor Swift wrapped up the first leg of the Eras tour – a career-spanning, three-hours-plus stadium spectacular that’s proved to be the year’s single most significant pop culture phenomenon, Barbenheimer be damned.

Eras has generated an estimated $5bn boost to consumer spending in the US, forcing cities to ramp up underprepared public transport systems and world leaders to turn into reply guys: Justin Trudeau pleaded with her on Twitter to come to Canada. And fair enough: I saw the final US Eras show in August and found it to be one of the most euphoric concerts I’ve ever seen, a reminder of Swift’s singular generational talent.

When Eras concludes in November 2024 it is likely to be the highest-grossing tour of all time with an estimated $1.4bn in revenue – half a billion more than Elton John’s farewell tour, the current record holder. Even a filmed version of Eras being released in US cinemas in October brought in $37m the day that tickets went on sale. All told, the tour has re-established Swift as the most successful pop star in the world, after a few years in which a resurgence seemed far from likely.

By the time the South American leg commences in November, Swift will have released her third album in 12 months, the re-recorded version of 1989. It’s the album that, on its original release in 2014, made her as omnipresent as Michael Jackson and Madonna had been in the 80s. Newspapers and blogs obsessed about “the squad” – the revolving clique of models, actors and musicians that surrounded her. But by the end of the attendant world tour she was being accused of self-serving and superficial “girl boss” feminism and there were public squabbles with Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Calvin Harris. A fierce backlash was soon under way.

But next month, when Swift releases 1989 (Taylor’s Version), it’s possible that it may debut with higher first-week sales than the album it’s recreating; her current cultural dominance makes the original 1989 era look small scale. How has Swift managed to restore her stature without succumbing to the pitfalls that felled her last time?

In the immediate aftermath of the 1989 fallout, Swift broke her pattern of releasing a new album every two years, instead waiting three to return in 2017 with Reputation, billed as her retort to the haters. Louis Mandelbaum, host of the pop music podcast Pop Pantheon , says that Reputation is “actually more interesting than that: it’s really about her finding refuge in a new relationship in the face of [being] ostracised”, but its presentation – she wiped her once effusive social media accounts and adopted gothic imagery – allowed Swift to play with her newly tarnished image. “She attempted to parlay the negative press about her into the narrative of the record; like, ‘I’m taking ownership over how you view me,’” he says.

Many fans now feel Reputation is underrated, but “relative to 1989, it was less [commercially] successful. And she was so intent on responding to the backlash that she obscured what the album actually was.” In 2019, Swift released her seventh album, Lover, a record that literally wore its heart on its sleeve to affirm that she had moved on from the drama and was happy. It was one of her least successful records, her first since 2010’s Speak Now’s to not produce any US No 1 singles.

Its release did, however, coincide with another feud: the original masters of her first six albums were acquired by manager Scooter Braun and then resold without Swift’s approval. She announced that she would release note-for-note re-recordings of the albums in order to devalue the Braun-owned versions.

Mandelbaum says that Swift’s feud with Braun “allowed her to gain a certain amount of empathy from the public that she had lost at the peak of her post-1989 era. It was easy for most pop fans to say: this male music executive is attempting to steal the art of this female singer-songwriter. It then allowed her to put the focus back on her songwriting: ‘I should own my songs because I wrote them in my bedroom when I was 15 years old.’”

The pandemic provided another boost: in 2020, Swift surprise-released Folklore and Evermore, two albums produced with the National’s Aaron Dessner that repositioned her as a serious musician, not just a pop star. Maltese-British singer-songwriter Lauren Aquilina, a Swift devotee who supported her on her 1989 tour, cites Folklore as her favourite of Swift’s albums, calling it “so well rounded and sure of itself” and the work of “somebody who has absolutely mastered their craft”. The lyrical focus turned outwards again, giving new fans “an opportunity to appreciate her storytelling”.

Swift started releasing the Taylor’s Version re-recordings in spring 2021 andput out another original album, Midnights, in 2022. That record “brought some of those more folky storytelling elements into the pop stuff, and blended them naturally,” Aquilina explains, saying that songwriting-wise, Swift has now “proved she can do whatever she wants to do”. She hasn’t left the charts since, breaking records for having the most albums in the US Top 100 and becoming the first act since the Beatles to have songs from three different albums in the US singles chart.

Crisis publicist Lauren Beeching says that beyond the musical talent it’s Swift’s ability to recast her image that’s given her such longevity. “She is a snake in the most positive way,” she says, referring to an insult hurled at and then reclaimed by Swift during the Reputation era. “She sheds her skin and becomes a new version of herself to fit in with today’s culture. You never know what will come next, which is what keeps her fans so engaged.”

Now Swift is more famous than ever, fans and critics are wondering if another backlash is brewing. The Eras tour has become a huge story, not just for Swift’s performance but for its unprecedented cultural and political impact – Ticketmaster’s mishandling of the Eras tour rollout, criticised by Swift, has led to an antitrust investigation – while moments from the show constantly go viral online.

Swift has seemingly put up the “squad” bat signal, being spotted with Gigi Hadid, the Haim sisters and Blake Lively, and her dating life is back in the news: in January, she broke up with Joe Alwyn, her partner of six years, and was soon linked to Matty Healy, firebrand frontman of the 1975. Healy got in hot water for laughing along with racist jokes on a podcast, leading extreme Swifties to petition her to break up with him. Some fans have also expressed disquiet at the endless stream of special-edition merchandise that Swift puts on sale – the same record in various vinyl colourways, endless associated apparel – feeling gouged by what some are calling her “capitalist era”.

But the nature of fame has changed since Swift’s last fall from grace, and in her favour. When Swift released 1989, there was no way to be a megastar pop icon without blanket media coverage, meaning that there was a vast audience forced to interact with Swift content who didn’t actually want to see it. Beeching says that, at that point in time, Swift “was so analysed – the poor girl couldn’t even go on a date without receiving a ludicrous amount of hate”.

Today there is less of a monoculture, and conversation is chiefly driven by users of TikTok, Reddit and X. The fandoms that have emerged on those social media platforms are siloed and diffuse; the algorithms that serve users content are prone to showing them things they are already predisposed to like. This ecosystem has spawned celebrities such as the video game-esque vlogger Pinkydoll , dancer turned pop star Addison Rae and riot-causing Twitch streamer Kai Cenat – hugely famous to those who are interested, largely unknown to those who are not.

“We’re in the era of everyone being a cult star, from Taylor, down to Charli XCX,” says Mandelbaum. “There is less imperative for pop stars to create music that’s all-encompassing; all Taylor has to do is play into what her fans want from her.” Swift can be the most famous person in the world to those who love her, while remaining out of the feeds of those who don’t.

In her second go at pop’s peak, Swift is therefore more insulated against the forces that precipitated her downfall last time, while her songs remain heavily played on still-important legacy platforms such as pop radio. And Eras has its own promotional power: the Lover album track Cruel Summer has exploded in popularity off the back of the tour, leading Swift to push it as a single. The re-recording project means she has gone from one album every two years to two or three a year, along with deluxe editions, meaning there’s a constant drip feed of new music being uploaded to streaming services. Swift had four albums in the US Top 10 at once this summer, matching a record set by Herb Alpert in 1966.

For aspiring stars, pop’s new economy has proved challenging. Last month, a Billboard report detailed the music industry’s struggle to mint new A-listers – managers and industry executives bemoaned the fact that the last big pop star to break was Olivia Rodrigo in 2021; one lamented that “people are just buried in content”. Younger stars such as Sabrina Carpenter and Afrobeats singer Rema may be netting significant streaming hits, but it takes a far bigger push than it used to for a star to break through to Swift level, simply because even if your feed is flooded with videos of Carpenter, it is likely that the person sitting next to you on the train is only seeing clips of Rema.

For Swift, this is a boon. There’s just too much content online for any one person to become significantly overexposed and fewer avenues for fans or haters to air grievances that will be seen by broad swaths of the population. It’s also the reason why Healy, who has faced his fair share of controversies, has proven remarkably weatherproof, and the attempted cancellation-by-association of Swift went nowhere.

As Mandelbaum says, Swift’s prime mode these days is fan-service. “Even people that don’t like her begrudgingly admit that she has achieved so much through her own merits and talent and vision,” he says. But they’re not the point. “She is only in communication with the people that love her, and doesn’t need to care about the people who don’t – because there are just so many people that love her.”

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Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift charmed fans and critics alike when she came out of the gate at 16 with the introspective maturity of a singer-songwriter twice her age. Since then, Swift has built an illustrious career as a musician and performer. Her music — ranging from country to rock to synth ballads to alternative pop — has made her one of the most significant artists of the 21st century.

Taylor Alison Swift was born December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania. After moving to a Nashville suburb and performing original songs on Music Row, Swift signed to indie label Big Machine Records. Swift’s self-titled debut was released in 2006 to significant country radio play and was certified platinum a year later. Her sophomore country pop album,  Fearless  (2008) helped break the singer into the mainstream with major hits like “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me.”

Swift seamlessly crossed over from country to mainstream pop with her 2012 album Red , which also contained her greatest songwriting achievement, “All Too Well.“ The singer's fifth studio album  1989  completed her move into full-blown pop and played a significant role in shaping the diaristic, synth-heavy Top 40 landscape of the mid 2010s, catapulting Swift to superstardom.

After Swift's master recordings were sold to a controversial talent manager in 2018, she decided to re-record her first six albums as a way to own her music. Since then, Swift has released four re-recordings of her original work;  Fearless (Taylor’s Version) ,  Red (Taylor’s Version) ,  Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) , and  1989 (Taylor’s Version).

While re-recording her six original albums, Swift has continued to release new albums, each more groundbreaking than the last. Swift's 2022 release,  Midnights,  made her the first artist in history to take all 10 of the top slots on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

In 2023, Swift embarked on her monumental Eras Tour — a three-hour spectacle in which she performed music from her 10 studio albums, honoring each album and its “era” in her life. The first leg of the Eras Tour netted the singer over a billion dollars.   —Maya Georgi

Taylor Alison

December 13, 1989

West Reading, Pennsylvania

Taylor Swift (2006), Fearless (2008), Speak Now (2010), Red (2012), 1989 (2014), Reputation (2017), Lover (2019), Folklore (2020), Evermore (2020), Midnights (2022)

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Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift Biography

The actress, singer and also composer of Country music Taylor Alison Swift , was born on December 13, 1989, in the city of Reading (Pennsylvania), daughter of Scott Kingsley Swift and Andrea Gardner Swift. She spent her childhood on a farm where Christmas trees were grown. She attended preschool and elementary school at the Alvernia Montessori School. Taylor and his younger brother were raised as Presbyterians and each summer attended the Bible School on vacation. After she and her family moved to Wyomissing (Pennsylvania), where she began studying at the West Reading Elementary Center and the Wyomissing Junior / Senior High School.

At the age of nine, she became interested in musical theater beginning to perform in productions of the Berks Youth Theater Academy. Normally she traveled to Broadway to receive singing and acting classes.

Taylor was influenced by the Country music with which she participated in festivals, Cafes, Fairs and Karaokes of her locality.

On October 24, 2006, the first studio album “Taylor Swift” was released under the record label Big Machine Records, she wrote her songs for the album during her first year of high school, focusing on romantic themes with country music style and pop. The singles that were derived from her were placed on the most important lists.

On May 15, 2007, at the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM) she sang “Tim McGraw.”

“Teardrops On My Guitar” her second single, was released on February 24, came second in the country charts and thirty-three in the Billboard Hot 100.

In the month of October, she was awarded the Nashville Composers Association Award for best singer and songwriter. She also recorded a Christmas EP called “Sounds Of The Season” which she released for sale on October 16, and was available exclusively at Target Corporation, achieving the success of her debut album.

On November 7, 2007, released the third single called “Our Song” and was six weeks in the first place of the country lists.

On September 12, 2008, debuted with her first single, the most successful called “Love Story” this song became the first country music. The video of this song was based on Romeo and Juliet.

On November 11, the second studio album called “Fearless” was released in the United States where all the songs were written by her. It was one of the best selling in that country, also was presented with this album at Madison Square Garden and debuted at number one on Billboard 200, was the country music album with the highest sales and the fourth best seller that year.

The second single from Fearless called “White Horse” debuted on December 8, 2008.

In the forty-fourth edition of the Academy of Country Music Awards, Taylor received the “Album of the Year” award for Fearless becoming the youngest artist to receive it.

In January 2009, Taylor Swift spoke about her first tour, during which she visited fifty-two cities in thirty-eight provinces and states. In the United States and Canada, there was a lapse of six months. The tour began on April 23 in Evansville, Indiana.

In the month of June at the CMT Music Awards, she won the best female video of the year and video of the year, for her single “Love Story” this is the most awarded country album in history.

At the beginning of 2010, Taylor made her debut in the film Valentine’s Day with a supporting role for the official soundtrack of the film with a new song called “Today Was a Fairytale.”

On July 20 she announced to her fans in a digital meeting that her third album called “Speak Now” would be released on October 25. Said album consists of 14 songs written by herself, and her first single was “Mine.”

In September of 2010, the first dates of the tour were confirmed, which in February 2011 would cover 18 countries around the world and would end in 2012.

On September 12, 2010, at the celebration of the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards amid controversy over the previous edition, she was nominated in the “Best Female Video of the Year” category.

On March 19, 2011, on her first visit to Spain, she performed at the Sports Palace of the Community of Madrid.

On October 22, 2012, Taylor Swift released her new album called “Red” the first single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” was released on August 13, achieving with it, her first number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

On September 7, she released her single “Ronan” at the Stand Up To Cancer gala, a song dedicated to a four-year-old boy who died of cancer. That same year she contributed the songs Safe & Sound and Eyes Open for the movie The Hunger Games.

It was awarded at the Kids’ Choice Awards 2012 with the award “The Big Help” (The Big Help), awarded by Michelle Obama for her work in helping the needy in various parts of the world, those affected by tornadoes in the United States, and affected by the rains in Colombia, among others; with his project “Speak Now, Help Now.” On March 13, 2013, she started the Red Tour in 45 different cities. In the month of July, she began writing the songs for her fifth studio album.

On August 18, 2014, Taylor , in an event broadcast live on Yahoo, announced the details of her fifth studio album. Her new musical work called “1989” is a Pop album inspired by the 80s that went on sale on October 27, 2014. Swift released two singles: the first called “Shake It Off” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 on August 27 and the second single called “Blank Space” with this theme snatched itself for the first time in history the No. 1 spot.

On August 30, 2015, the singer, at the MTV awards, won the Video of the Year award, with Bad Blood, in addition to the best pop video with Blank Space and the best female video. In August of 2017, Taylor Swift presented the video of Look What You Made Me, the first single from her new album “Reputation” which will be released on November 10.

DISCOGRAPHY

• 2006: Taylor Swift.
• 2008: Fearless.
• 2010: Speak Now.
• 2014: 1989.
• 2017: Reputation.

FILMOGRAPHY

• 2009: Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience.
• 2009: Hannah Montana: The Movie.
• 2010: Valentine’s Day.
• 2012: The Lorax /Voz.
• 2014: The Giver.
• 2009-2010: Fearless Tour.
• 2011-2012: Speak Now World Tour.
• 2013-2014: Red Tour.
• 2015: The 1989 World Tour.
• 2009: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Episode: “Turn, Turn, Turn”
• 2013: New Girl Episode: “Elaine’s Big Day”.
• Son Some: 2007: Country Music Association Awards – Horizon Award
• 2008: American Music Awards – Favorite Female Country Artist (Taylor Swift)
• 2009: American Music Awards-Favorite Country Album (Fearless)
• 2010: Capricho Awards-International Singer (Taylor Swift)
• 2010: Grammy Awards-Album of The Year and Best Country Album (Fearless)
• 2011: Billboard Music Awards-Top Country Artist (Taylor Swift) 2011: Billboard Music Awards-Top Artist Billboard 200 (Taylor Swift)
• 2012: Billboard Music Awards-Woman of the Year (Taylor Swift) 2012: American Music Awards-Favorite Country Album (Speak Now)
• 2013: MTV Video Music Awards-Best Female Video (I Knew You Were Trouble).
• 2015: American Music Awards-Favorite Pop / Rock Album (1989) 2015: Brit Awards-International Female Artist (Taylor Swift)
• 2015: Billboard Music Awards-Top Billboard Album 200 (1989) 2016: Grammy Awards-Best Music Video (Bad Blood)
• 2016: People’s Choice Awards-Favorite Pop Artist (Taylor Swift).
• I am a person who can achieve many things, and I want to be known for the good things I achieve in my life.
• You can not have a better tomorrow if you keep thinking about yesterday.
• I am far, but I will never let you go.
• Life is full of small interruptions.
• We should love, not fall in love. Because everything that falls, breaks.

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Fernando Botero

Fernando Botero Biography

Fernando Botero Angulo (April 19, 1932 – September 15, 2023) was a sculptor, painter, muralist, and draftsman, hailing from Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia. He was a Colombian artist known and celebrated for infusing a substantial volume to human and animal figures in his works.

Early Years and Beginnings

Fernando Botero was born into an affluent Paisa family , composed of his parents, David Botero and Flora Angulo, along with his older brother Juan David, who was four years his senior, and his younger brother, Rodrigo, who would be born four years after Fernando, in the same year that their father passed away. In 1938, he enrolled in primary school at the Ateneo Antioqueño and later entered the Bolivariana to continue his high school education. However, he was expelled from the institution due to an article he published in the newspaper El Colombiano about Picasso , as well as his drawings that were considered obscene. As a result, he graduated from high school at the Liceo of the University of Antioquia in 1950.

In parallel to his studies, Fernando attended a bullfighting school in La Macarena at the request of one of his uncles. However, due to an issue related to bullfighting, Botero left the bullring and embarked on a journey into painting. In 1948, he held his first exhibition in Medellín. Two years later, he traveled to Bogotá where he had two more exhibitions and had the opportunity to meet some intellectuals of the time. He then stayed at Isolina García’s boarding house in Tolú, which he paid for by painting a mural. Once again in Bogotá, he won the second prize at the IX National Artists Salon with his oil painting “Facing the Sea” .

“Ephemeral art is a lesser form of expression that cannot be compared to the concept of art conceived with the desire for perpetuity. What many people fail to understand is that Picasso is a traditional artist”- Fernando Botero

Due to the prize from the IX Salon and the sale of several of his works, Fernando Botero traveled to Spain in 1952 to enroll at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid. There, he lived by selling drawings and paintings in the vicinity of the Prado Museum. In 1953, he went to Paris with filmmaker Ricardo Irrigarri, and later, they both traveled to Florence. Here, he entered the Academy of San Marco, where he was heavily influenced by Renaissance painters such as Piero della Francesca, Titian, and Paolo Uccello.

Career and Personal Life

In 1955, Botero returned to Colombia to hold an exhibition featuring several of his works created during his time in Europe, but it was met with a lukewarm reception from the public.

Woman With a Mirror / Foto:Luis García (Zaqarbal) / Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Spain (CC BY-SA 3.0 ES)

In 1956, he married Gloria Zea, with whom he would later have three children: Fernando, Juan Carlos, and Lina. The couple traveled to Mexico City, where Fernando Botero was eager to see the works of Mexican muralists, but this experience left him disillusioned. Consequently, he began searching for his own artistic style, drawing influence from both the Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo and the Colombian artist Alejandro Obregón . In this quest, he started experimenting with volume, initially in still lifes, and gradually extending this approach to other elements.

In 1957, he successfully exhibited in New York, showcasing his new artistic sensibility. The following year, he returned to Bogotá, where he was appointed as a professor at the School of Fine Arts at the National University of Colombia . He presented his work “La Camera Degli Sposi” at the X Colombian Artists Salon , winning the first prize and becoming the country’s most prominent painter. This piece sparked some controversy as it was initially censored for being almost a parody of Andrea Mantegna’s “La Cámara de los Esposos”. However, it was later reinstated in the exhibition on the advice of Marta Traba. Subsequently, Fernando Botero exhibited his works in various spaces in the United States, where a businessman from Chicago purchased “La Camera Degli Sposi” .

“Fernando Botero and his works are the finest ambassadors of our country in this land of navigators and discoverers, of poets and fado singers”- Juan Manuel Santos

In 1960, Botero separated from Gloria Zea and traveled to New York. He led a modest life here as the New York art scene was primarily inclined towards abstract expressionism. Consequently, Botero was influenced by artists like Pollock, which led him to experiment with color, brushwork, and format, to the point of nearly abandoning his distinctive style characterized by the manipulation of volume. Aware of this, Botero returned to his usual style of flat colors and figurative representations.

Starting in 1962, he began a series of exhibitions in both Europe and the United States, as well as in Colombia. By 1970, the year his son Pedro was born to his second wife, Cecilia Zambrano, Fernando Botero had already become the world’s most sought-after sculptor. However, in 1974, his son Pedro tragically died in a traffic accident, leading to his second divorce and leaving significant marks on his artistic endeavors.

In 1978, the Colombian painter married Sophia Vari , a renowned Greek artist with whom he shared a significant part of his life, until sadly, she passed away in May 2023.

Since 1983, Fernando Botero has been exhibiting his works and donating them to various cities around the world. As a result, we can find his pieces in the streets of Medellín, Barcelona, Oviedo, Singapore, and Madrid, among others. In 2008, the Autonomous University of Nuevo León in Mexico conferred upon him an honorary Doctorate.

Renowned Colombian artist, Fernando Botero, died on September 15, 2023 , in Monaco at the age of 91 due to pneumonia . His artistic legacy will endure forever. In his hometown, seven days of mourning were declared.

Pedrito a Caballo, Fernando Botero (1975).

Top 10 Famous works by Fernando Botero

Some of the most recognized works by Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero:

• “Pedrito on Horseback” / “Pedrito a Caballo” (1974): This is an oil painting on canvas measuring 194.5 cm x 150.5 cm. For Botero, this work is his masterpiece and a refuge during a personal tragedy. The child depicted is Pedro, his son from his second marriage, who tragically passed away in an accident when he was young.
• “Mona Lisa at 12 Years Old” / “Mona lisa a los 12 años” (1978): This piece stands out as a unique version of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, the Mona Lisa . Painted in oil on canvas and measuring 183 cm x 166 cm, Botero incorporates his characteristic style of voluptuous and rounded figures into this work, which has become one of his most distinctive pieces.
• “Woman’s Torso” / “Torso de Mujer” (1986): It is a majestic bronze sculpture that rises to an impressive height of approximately 2.48 meters. It is often affectionately referred to as “La Gorda” (“The Fat One”). This artwork finds its home in Parque de Berrío, located in the captivating city of Medellín.
• “Woman with Mirror” / “Mujer con Espejo” (1987): An imposing bronze sculpture weighing 1000 kg. It is located in Plaza de Colón, in the heart of Madrid, Spain. The artwork captivates the gaze with the portrayal of a woman peacefully lying face down on the ground, holding a mirror in her hands. Her expression reflects deep introspection and enigmatic melancholy.
• “The Orchestra” / “La Orquesta” (1991): In this oil on canvas artwork, measuring 200 cm x 172 cm, Botero presents a band of musicians with a singer, all immersed in a spirit of celebration. The artist aims to convey a sense of harmony and joy through his portrayal.
• “Woman Smoking” / “Mujer Fumando” (1994): It is a creation executed in watercolor, spanning dimensions of 122 cm x 99 cm. In this work, Maestro Botero skillfully captures the essence of a woman elegantly holding a cigarette between her fingers. His meticulous focus on voluptuous forms, posture, and the serene expression of the figure masterfully combine to emphasize the sensuality and profound intimacy of the moment captured in the artwork.
• “Man on Horseback” / “Hombre a Caballo” (1996): This bronze sculpture is one of the most iconic works in the artist’s career. It depicts a rider in a majestic and proud posture. Over the years, this imposing work has been exhibited in multiple cities around the world, solidifying its place as a prominent piece in the sculptor’s body of work.
• “The Horse” / “El Caballo” (1997): This iconic sculpture showcases a horse of majestic presence and a distinctive rounded form, sculpted in bronze and measuring approximately 3 meters in height. This masterpiece reflects Botero’s profound passion for horses while also serving as a powerful representation of the mythical Trojan Horse.
• “The Death of Pablo Escobar” / “La muerte de Pablo Escobar” (1999): This artwork, created using the oil on canvas technique, has dimensions of 58 cm x 38 cm. While not considered a masterpiece, this artistic piece represents one of the most significant moments in Colombia’s history. Fernando Botero captures, in his distinctive style, the moment of the death of the drug lord Pablo Escobar , addressing issues related to violence and criminality that have marked the country’s history. An interesting detail is that, although Pablo Escobar admired Fernando Botero’s art, it cannot be said that the admiration was mutual. The painter created two works depicting the death of the drug trafficker.
• “Boterosutra Series” / “Serie Boterosutra” (2011): This work by Botero is part of an erotic art collection called Boterosutra , marking a milestone in the history of Colombian art as the first artistic representation of sexual intimacy between lovers. This series comprises around 70 small-sized pieces created using various techniques, including colored drawings, watercolors, brushstrokes, and also black and white, all of which constitute one of the most contemporary works by the painter.

Ryan Reynolds

Biography of Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Rodney Reynolds was born on October 23, 1976 in Vancouver, Canada, and he is a well-known actor. When Ryan was born, his mother, Tammy, was a student and a salesperson, while his father, Jim, worked in wholesale food sales and also excelled as a semi-professional boxer. In addition, Ryan has three older siblings.

He studied in his hometown of Vancouver until 1994 when he decided to join a theater group as an extracurricular activity while attending Kwantlen College. However, his passion for acting became a vocation, and Ryan dropped out of college to devote all his time and energy to his acting career.

Debut as an actor

He quickly landed small roles in successful and memorable TV series such as “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and “The X-Files”. In 1998, his big break came with the series “Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place”, which ran until 2001 and catapulted him to fame. The show became very popular thanks to its great comedic content, an area where Reynolds demonstrated perfect skill, but this was not the first time that Ryan had made a name for himself in a Hollywood comedy, as he had already been in “Life During Wartime” in 1997.

After working in several minor jobs, Ryan got his first major role as a protagonist in the crazy “Van Wilder – Animal Party”, where he played a college party organizer. The success of the film opened doors for him to work alongside Michael Douglas in “Till Death Do Us Part”, support Wesley Snipes in “Blade Trinity” or star in the horror movie “The Amityville Horror”. However, at this stage of his career, Ryan stood out mainly as a protagonist in comedies such as “Just Friends”, “Waiting” and “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle”. This led him to want to leave his comedic side behind, getting involved in different projects such as the thriller “Smokin’ Aces”, the independent film “Adventureland” and the action film “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”. Later on, he also participated in romantic films such as “The Proposal” and “Definitely, Maybe”. However, recognition of his acting ability did not come until Ryan was nominated for a Goya Award for his demanding role in “Buried”. It is worth noting that he also brought to life the comic book hero “Green Lantern” and the renowned “Deadpool”.

Contracts, curiosities

Prestigious brands like Hugo Boss have not been oblivious to Ryan Reynolds’ popularity, charisma, and good looks, offering him contracts to be the face of one of their fragrances : Boss Bottled Night, a fragrance that, through great advertising, managed to convey an irresistible seductive effect.

Two curiosities can be highlighted from his work: first, the nearly 10 kilos of solid muscle he gained thanks to rigorous physical training to bring Hannibal King to life in “Blade: Trinity”; and second, his appearance on the animated TV series Zeroman, in which he lent his voice to the character Ty Cheese. In addition, like many Hollywood stars, Ryan Reynolds has an eccentricity outside the world of entertainment: a great passion for motorcycles , of which he owns three collector’s items, one of which was designed exclusively for him and is none other than a Harley Davidson.

Romantic relationships

Regarding his personal life, Ryan Reynolds was in a romantic relationship with singer Alanis Morissette from 2002 to 2007. The couple got engaged in 2004, but in July 2006, People magazine reported that they had separated, although neither of them officially confirmed the news. Shortly after, in February 2007, they decided to end their engagement by mutual agreement. In May 2008, Reynolds announced his engagement to actress Scarlett Johansson , and they got married on September 27 of the same year. However, in December 2010, the couple announced in a statement to People magazine that they had decided to end their marriage.

So, on September 9, 2012, he married the actress Blake Lively in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. In October 2014, they announced that they were expecting their first child, and in December of that same year, Ryan Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively became parents with the birth of their daughter: Ines. Later, on April 14, 2016, his wife’s second pregnancy was confirmed, and on September 30, 2016, he became a father for the second time to a boy named James.

Biography of Tom Hanks

Thomas Jeffrey Hanks, born July 9, 1956 in Concord, California, United States, is an actor known as Tom Hanks. Hanks was raised by his father Amos Mefford Hanks, who worked as a cook of English food, and his mother Janet Marylyn, a nurse. He was raised with the values of the Catholic and Mormon religion. During his time at Skyline High School in Oakland, he attended theater classes with his best friend. During his adolescence, Hanks demonstrated his acting talent and won the Best Theater Actor award at his institute. Later, he enrolled in Chabot College in Hayward, California and two years later did a exchange at California State University, Sacramento.

1981 – Debut as an actor

In 1979, the Hanks family moved to New York, which gave Tom the opportunity to debut as a supporting actor in the horror film “Sabe que estás sola” in 1981. Two years later, he landed a lead role in another film. Additionally, he did his first television work in the comedy series “Bosom Buddies.” Later, he decided to move to Los Angeles to participate in “Despedida de soltero” in 1984, although the film was not very successful, it allowed him to be discovered by Ron Howard, who later contacted him to offer a role in “Splash” in 1984.

Since then, Tom starred in several comedy films such as “Amigos del alma” (1980), “Esta casa es una ruina” (1986), “Big” (1988), “No matarás… al vecino” (1989), “Socios y sabuesos” (1989), and “Joe contra el volcán” (1990). His father was always very important in his career, constantly encouraging him to keep fighting for his dream. On several occasions, he helped him to get small roles. He also supported his participation in the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival in Cleveland, Ohio. Tom had already made some appearances in series like “Vacaciones en el mar”, “Happy Days”, “Taxi”, or “Family Ties”.

“The King of Comedy”

After a small role in the horror film “He Knows You’re Alone” (1980) directed by Armand Mastroianni, he starred in several comedies that typecast him in comedic roles. His charming personality and natural talent contributed to his growing popularity. Definitely his consecration came in the eighties, he was cataloged as the king of comedy . Thanks to “Big” (1988), he achieved great success for his performance, receiving the Los Angeles Critics Award and an Oscar nomination . Although he had a bit of a downfall after that, he regained momentum as a disillusioned former baseball pitcher who trains a women’s team in “A League of Their Own” (1992).

Tom considered it appropriate to change direction and tackle other stories, to move away from comedy a little. So, he eagerly sought more intense themes where he could showcase his versatility. With his work in “The Bonfire of the Vanities” (1989), directed by Brian de Palma, he attempted to take the first step to break away from light comedies, but the result was not as expected. However, his career took off again with his portrayal of an AIDS-stricken lawyer in “Philadelphia” (1992), directed by Jonathan Demme, an intense character that was quite a challenge. His effort was rewarded with an Oscar. He renewed his commercial success with “Sleepless in Seattle” (1993), directed by Nora Ephron, where he teamed up with Meg Ryan, and worked with her again in “You’ve Got Mail” (1998).

Some of his most acclaimed performances

In the mid-90s, Hanks established himself as one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. It’s worth mentioning that his career enjoyed significant success. For his role in Robert Zemeckis’ “ Forrest Gump ” (1994), this has been one of the most striking films of the decade, he was again deserving of an Oscar , a prize that increased, turning him into one of the best-paid actors in Hollywood. With the comedy “The Wonders” (1996), he made his directorial debut.

Later, he did the same in the field of production with the TV series “From the Earth to the Moon,” a work that took him several years. Hanks had the lead role in the feature film “Saving Private Ryan” (1997), directed by Steven Spielberg , with this role he was nominated for the Academy Award, although the film received five Oscars. In 2000, he worked with Robert Zemeckis again in the film “Cast Away,” a film in which his solo performance was praised, for which he received an Oscar nomination.

Between 2003 and 2004, he repeated his collaboration with Spielberg in “Catch Me If You Can” and also in “The Terminal.” In 2006, he starred in the hit film “The Da Vinci Code,” the cinematic version of Dan Brown’s controversial work. Starting in 2014, Hanks’ films have grossed over 4.2 billion in countries such as the United States and Canada, and over 8.4 billion in the rest of the world, he is definitely an actor who ensures great success for films. His fame is such that the asteroid (12818) Tomhanks bears his name.

Marriages, children.

The actor has had several marriages throughout his life. His first marriage was to Samantha Lewes in 1978, from which two children were born: Colin Hanks in 1977 and Elisabeth Ann in 1982. However, the couple divorced in 1985. Later, in 1988, he married actress and producer Rita Wilson , with whom he had two additional children: Chester Marlon in 1991 and Truman Theodore in 1996. In recent years, the actor has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, which requires a strict diet and daily care to maintain his health.

Marc Anthony

Biography of Marc Anthony

Marc Anthony (born September 16, 1968) is an American salsa singer and actor , born in New York. His real name is Marco Antonio Muñiz Rivera . From a young age, he has been involved in music, growing up with rock and rhythm & blues. His parents, Felipe Muñiz and Guillermina Rivera, discovered his passion and musical ability when he was a child. During his teenage years, to earn money, he began singing at bars and nightclubs , and quickly gained popularity. He was contacted by one of the members of the Latin Rascals group, and their producer Louie Vega invited him to record several albums with the Atlantic Records label.

Beginnings as a singer

One of Marc Anthony’s most successful musical products was the album “Rebel”, which achieved some success on the disco music charts. In 1992, his career in the salsa world took off when the famous Tito Puente took him as an opening act for a concert at Madison Square Garden. A year later, he recorded a salsa version of a song by Juan Gabriel that received excellent reviews and great popularity in the musical circles of New York. Soon, Marc Anthony appeared in several television productions and began to receive offers for concerts. After a few years, he was recognized as the new “king of salsa”. During the 1990s, his lyrics occupied the top position in Latin America and also in the United States.

The new “musical phenomenon”

Marc Anthony became a massively successful musical phenomenon , comparable to the success of Héctor Lavoe. At the same time, he continued to develop his acting career, appearing in films such as “Bringing out the Dead” directed by Martin Scorsese; “Big Night” directed by Stanley Tucci; “Hackers,” and “The Capeman,” a Broadway musical directed by singer and songwriter Paul Simon. He also performed the main theme of the soundtrack of “The Mask of Zorro” (1998), in which Antonio Banderas was the lead actor.

Third salsa album “Against the Stream”

That same year, he worked on the production of his third salsa album: “Contra la Corriente,” undoubtedly many salsa critics and aficionados affirm that it was the best album of his career, for which he received a Grammy for Best Latin-Tropical Album. In 1999, he released the album “Marc Anthony” to the market, this album undoubtedly demonstrates a new stage in his musical career, as it combined salsa with pop and also featured songs in English, in order to reach and conquer the Anglo-Saxon audience and market.

The first single, “I Need to Know,” put him in the top positions of the North American charts: it remained in the Top 10 of the Billboard for eleven weeks and eight more weeks in the Top 40. He also released the Spanish version, titled “Dímelo.” With this song, he won the Grammy for Best Latin Song of the Year and was number one on the Latin Billboard chart. He quickly released the second single, “You Sang to Me,” repeating the success of the previous one and selling over two million copies of the album.

Starting the new millennium, he released a greatest hits salsa album titled “Desde el principio.” After that, Marc Anthony went on a extensive tour that took him through the United States. All magazines and press talked about his triumphant concert at Madison Square Garden. Then he was in Canada and Central America. At that time, Marc Anthony received the admiration of his fans when he helped with his charitable work for the victims of Hurricane George, in sum, he founded a foundation that bears his name.

International tours

In 2011, he started the Dos Mundos Tour, with the company of Alejandro Fernández , a concert across Latin America. The following year, he was in Colombia at the Manacacías Summer Festival, many people from different parts of the country traveled to attend his concert. He had a significant participation in the 53rd International Song Festival of Viña del Mar, Chile, where he sang the song “¿Y cómo es él?” from his album “Iconos”. He received the highest distinction.

On March 3, 2012, Marc returned to Uruguay after 17 years and gave his performance at the Charrúa Stadium in Montevideo with an attendance of 25,000 spectators. In the GIGANT3S TOUR, he performed in several North American cities alongside Chayanne and Marco Antonio Solís . In 2013, he released his album 3.0. In 2014, he was the big winner of four of the five awards for which he was nominated at the Premios Lo Nuestro. Additionally, his career was recognized as one of the most successful Latin music artists. In 2016, he released a song called “Deja que te bese” with the collaboration of Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz, the song has over 50 million views on Youtube.

In September 2016, he carried out his “Marc Anthony Live” tour which included 5 dates at Radio City Music Hall. His private life has been somewhat controversial and has been exposed to various comments. He had his first daughter in 1994, Arianna Rosado-Muñiz, a product of his relationship with a former police officer from New York. In 2000 he married for the first time to Dayanara Torres, with whom he had two children. He later helped Jennifer Lopez in the production of the song “Sway” for the soundtrack of the movie Shall We Dance?. They then fell in love and after only one month of relationship, they got engaged in March 2004.

The couple had twins and Jennifer sold the exclusive photos of the children to People Magazine. However, after a few years, the couple decided to end their marriage on April 9, 2012. It is said that everything started when Jennifer Lopez met dancer Casper Smart and began a relationship with him two months after her separation from Marc. Later, Marc started a relationship with Venezuelan model Shannon de Lima, whom he married in 2014. Despite this, his relationship with Jennifer, the mother of his children, is harmonious, and he even participated in her song “Olvídame y pega la vuelta” in 2016. Two years earlier, the Puerto Rican singer made an impact with the hit song “Flor Pálida”.

On January 28, 2023, he married Nadia Ferreira in an incredible wedding surrounded by stars from film, music, and sports. The ceremony took place at the Perez Art Museum in Miami, with David Beckham as the best man.

  Ver esta publicación en Instagram   Una publicación compartida por Nadia Ferreira (@nadiatferreira)

Paul McCartney

Biography of Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney (born June 18, 1942) is a singer. He was born in Liverpool, England. His mother, Mary Patricia, was a nurse, while his father, James McCartney, was a volunteer firefighter. During Paul’s birth, his father was not present as he was fighting in the Battle of England during World War II. Paul grew up in a religious and strict environment, with his mother Catholic and his father Protestant, but later became agnostic. After returning from the war, his father devoted himself to selling cleaning products and, in his free time, played in bars.

Death of his mother

That’s why his son developed a deep love for music. He stood out in school for his intelligence and discipline and studied at Liverpool Institute secondary school, a good free secondary school. In 1954, he met George Harrison, with whom he quickly formed a strong friendship. At the time, McCartney’s mother was the one who kept the household and for work reasons they moved to Allerton, where they lived until 1964. On October 31, 1956, when McCartney was 14 years old, his mother died from a stroke.

After his mother’s death, McCartney was devastated. It took some time for him to return to normal. H is father saw music as a refuge to help his son feel better, so he took him to listen to the Jim Mac’s Jazz Band, where his father played trumpet or piano. He also gave him a trumpet, but when rock and roll became popular, he chose an acoustic guitar. The first song he composed was “I Lost My Little Girl” on that guitar, a Zenith. He also composed “When I’m Sixty-Four” on the home piano.

1957 – Met John Lennon

He met Lennon on July 6th, 1957. McCartney joined The Quarrymen, a school band led by Lennon, in 1958 as the lead guitarist. The band mixed rock and roll and skiffle, a popular music style, with jazz and blues. After several name changes, the band decided to call themselves The Beatles in August 1960 and recruited drummer Pete Best for their move to Hamburg. In 1961, one of its members, Sutcliffe, left the band and McCartney was forced to take over as bassist. They recorded as a backing band for English singer Tony Sheridan on the single My Bonnie.

1963 – “Beatlemania”

They managed to attract the attention of Brian Epstein, who became their manager in January 1962 and a key figure in their later success. With their first hit, “Love Me Do” in 1963, the “Beatlemania” began. John Lennon and Paul wrote a large number of songs together, but later their egos collided and they preferred to write separately. In 1970, The Beatles disbanded. But Paul continued his successful career with songs that reached number one. He recorded his first solo LP, “McCartney”, with songs very different from those that Lennon would write, with commercial melodies for varied tastes.

1980 – Paul McCartney Guinness Records

In 1980, he entered the Guinness Book of Records as the highest-selling songwriter in the world. His theme Yesterday , one of the most celebrated by The Beatles , has around 2,500 versions in the most diverse musical styles. Some of his solo hits are: Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Live and Let Die for the James Bond film received the Oscar for best musical theme; Coming Up from his solo album Paul McCartney II. He joined George Martin and Ringo Starr in 1982 for the recording of Tug of War. On Press to play, his next album, was recorded with Eric Stewart.

Awards, arrest, record.

Winner of 18 Grammy Awards, including two Lifetime Achievement Grammy Awards (one with the Beatles and another as a solo artist). He is a vegetarian and an animal rights advocate. He was arrested for marijuana possession in Tokyo in 1980 and was briefly in jail. He participated in the “Live Aid” concert against hunger in Ethiopia in 1985. I n 1990, he achieved the record for the largest attendance at a concert with 184,000 people in Rio de Janeiro. Since 1997 he is Sir Paul McCartney, invested as a knight by Queen Elizabeth II.

2013 – Other awards, marriages.

On February 10, 2013, he received a Grammy for “Best Traditional Pop Album” for his album “Kisses On The Bottom”. Later, he received a special award from PRS for Music in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the composition of his most famous song, “ Yesterday “. These songs, as well as “And I Love Her,” “You Will Not See Me,” and “I’m Looking Through You,” were written inspired by his relationship with British actress Jane Asher. After five years of engagement, the couple broke up due to his infidelity with Francie Schwartz. He married Linda Eastman on March 12, 1969, and together they formed the musical group Wings after the dissolution of the Beatles . In 1999, he presented his collection of poems entitled “Blackbird Singing: Poems and Lyrics (1965-1999)”. After the death of his wife, McCartney experienced deep sadness.

In 2002, Paul McCartney married former model Heather Mills in an Irish castle. After a long legal battle in the London Supreme Court, in 2008 Mills was authorized to collect one fifth of the 250 million dollars she had demanded from McCartney for their four-year marriage. In 2011, McCartney married Nancy Shevell in a civil ceremony in London on October 9th of that year.

Relevant aspects of his life and musical career

• With 60 gold records and the sale of over 100 million albums and singles as a solo artist and with The Beatles, McCartney is recognized as one of the most successful composers and artists of all time.
• As a solo artist in 1999 and as a member of The Beatles in 1988, he has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
• As a solo artist and with The Beatles, he has been recognized with twenty-one Grammy Awards.
• 32 of the songs that McCartney has written or co-written have reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
• As of 2014, he had sold over 15 million certified units by the RIAA in the United States.
• In 1997, McCartney was elevated to the rank of knight for his services to music.
• In 1965, McCartney, Lennon, Harrison and Starr were named members of the Order of the British Empire .
• He has been married three times and is the father of five children.
• He has participated in projects to help international charities related to issues such as animal rights, seal hunting, landmine cleaning, vegetarianism, poverty and musical education.
• He ranks 11th on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Singers.
• He ranks first on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Artists as a member of The Beatles.
• He ranks third on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Bassists.
• Only surpassed by Bob Dylan , he ranks second on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 Greatest Songwriters.

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Taylor Swift Biography

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Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is a pop diva and platinum-selling country music superstar. Growing up in Reading, PA, she developed a love for country music, especially Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton . By the age of 10, she began singing and performing around her hometown at festivals, fairs, karaoke contests. She started writing songs at the age of 12, and this was the same time she got her first guitar.

Fast Facts: Taylor Swift

• Born: December 13, 1989 on Wyomissing, PA
• Known For : Blending contemporary country with pop princess appeal.
• Suggested Taylor Swift Songs :
• "Love Story"
• "Teardrops on My Guitar"
• "Should've Said No"
• "Tim McGraw"
• Early Albums:
• "Taylor Swift" (2006)
• "Fearless" (2008) 
• "Speak Now" (2010)
• Notable Quote

"This has definitely been the highlight of my senior year!"

(Upon winning the CMA Horizon Award)

Taylor's family realized her talent and determination, and they made regular trips to Nashville. At the age of 14, she became the youngest songwriter signed to a publishing deal with Sony/ATV. This is when the family packed up and moved to Hendersonville, TN.

At a showcase at the Bluebird Cafe, Taylor caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, who was at the time planning to launch a new label. He signed her to his label, Big Machine Records, and a career was born.

Her self-titled debut was released in 2006. It debuted at No. 3, but 39 weeks later, it hit the top of the charts and has sold over 2.5 million copies, earning the young star a Platinum album.

2007 is Taylor Swift's Year

Although her album came out in October 2006, it was 2007, that was really a career year for Taylor Swift. As mentioned above, her album reached the No. 1 spot on the charts and did so well that her label decided to re-package it with some video content, a few more songs, and release it as a Deluxe Limited Edition. Fans could listen to several new songs, watch all the videos released up until that time, plus watch a movie edited by Taylor herself.

In April, Taylor won her first award, at the CMT Music Awards, for "Breakthrough Video," for "Tim McGraw." She was so ecstatic, that she promised to take the award with her out on the road with Brad Paisley later that year. And, she did.

At the ACM Awards that year, Taylor finally got to meet her idol, and the namesake of her first hit song, "Tim McGraw." Not only did she meet him, but she actually sang "Tim McGraw" to him, as he and wife Faith Hill sat in the front row at the awards show. Fans will not forget when the song ended, she reached out her hand, and said, "Hi, I'm Taylor." It was such a precious moment.

At the ACM Awards, Taylor collected the Best New Female Artist Award. In November at the CMA Awards, she took home the Horizon Award.

The Myspace Generation

Taylor Swift gained a huge following through her MySpace page early on in her career. She made a point to connect personally with fans every day, and answer questions, and it has grown so much that she's become the No. 1 Country artist on Myspace, and her music has surpassed over 40 million streams. In 2007, when she won CMT's Breakthrough Video award, she thanked her "Myspace fans," and said she would bring the award on the road with her when she went on tour with Brad Paisley, later that year, which she did. She even let fans pose with the award.

Before the end of the year, and her 18th birthday, she would reach another milestone, as her single "Our Song" became her first No. 1 song. Not only was it No. 1, but it remained in the position for six weeks, into 2008.

Taylor Moves Fearlessly In 2008

In 2008, Taylor continued touring (she was on the road with Rascal Flatts as well as headlining some shows), which she loves so much.

In November 2008, she released her sophomore release, titled Fearless . The singles "Love Story" and "You Belong With Me" soared to the top of the Billboard charts, earned Taylor various awards including the 2010 Grammy for Album of the Year, and it ultimately became the best-selling album of 2009.

Preceded by the single "Mine," which hit the top of the iTunes chart in just a few hours of release, Taylor continued her winning streak with the October 2010 release of her third album, Speak Now . The album staggeringly sold over one million copies in its first week alone.

What a Doll!

She's hardly the first country star to have a doll designed in her likeness, but in the fall of 2008, fans were able to buy Taylor Swift fashion dolls, and dress the doll in outfits that Taylor has worn. There's even a replica of her trademark crystal guitar.

Songwriting and Musical Influences

Swift's greatest influences include her grandmother, who was an opera singer, Garth Brooks , LeAnn Rimes, and Tim McGraw.

Taylor is the first female solo country artist to have written or co-written all the songs on her Platinum-selling debut. The album has since sold over 3 million copies.

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All of Taylor Swift's biggest and best career moments so far

It's been a real 'Love Story'! 💜

Taylor Swift began her career as a country singer before going on to dominate the mainstream charts. With 10 studio albums already under her belt by the age of 34, and a new album on the way, the singer/songwriter has had an incredible career - and is now even the subject of not one, but two university courses !

Taylor is an artist that has changed the game forever. It is hard to think of a journey like hers, which has spanned four major music genres, two decades and six world tours (including her current 'Eras' tour , also available on Disney+ ) - so it's no surprise that she was named Global Icon at the BRIT Awards in 2021 and has won two 2024 Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, for the fourth time! Making history at the ceremony and also announcing her new album ' The Tortured Poets Department ', it's clear we can expect big things from Taylor in 2024.

We look back on some of the biggest moments of Taylor Swift's career so far...

Taylor Swift's career highlights:

2002: taylor swift performs the national anthem.

In 2002, a young Taylor Swift sang the American National Anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers basketball game. It was clear early on she was destined to be a star.

2004: Taylor Swift signs her first record deal

In 2004, 14-year-old Taylor signed a record deal with Sony/ATV, becoming the youngest signing in the company's history.

2006: Taylor Swift releases her first single and album

By age 16, Taylor was already getting major recognition as an established country artist. She released her first single, 'Tim McGraw', off her self-titled debut album, which was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her album was released on October 24th 2006 by Big Machine Records. The songstress wrote the best-performing songs 'Teardrops On My Guitar', 'Should've Said No' and 'Picture To Burn' whilst juggling high school with her blossoming music career. Impressively, the singer-songwriter became the youngest person in history to single-handedly write and perform a Number 1 song on the Hot Country Songs chart with 'Our Song'. 'Teardrops on My Guitar' also performed well commercially, spending 48 weeks in the Billboard chart and became Taylor's first US top 20 hit.

2007: CMT Music Award win

Taylor Swift won the CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Artist, foreshadowing her massively successful career that was to follow. She also performed at the Academy of Country Music Awards, where she won the award for New Female Vocalist of the Year.

2008: Taylor Swift's 'Fearless' album

The super-talented Taylor released her second album, 'Fearless', in 2008. It became the longest Billboard chart-topper by a female country artist. The album held the Number 1 spot for 11 consecutive weeks in the US. The lead single from this album, 'Love Story', stayed in the Billboard chart for 36 weeks. With the iconic music video re-telling a fairytale love, it became a firm fan favourite and cemented Taylor Swift in the pop scene. 'Love Story' won a number of awards including Song of The Year at BMI's Country Awards.

2009: VMA Best Female Video award

Although this might not typically be a highlight, it did start the complicated relationship that Taylor Swift and Kanye West went on to have. If you don't know what we're talking about then here's a quick recap. During her acceptance speech for her Best Female Video award win, Kanye West interrupted her on stage to speak up for Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies' video, which he believed should have won the award. This event started an infamous feud between the pair that spanned a decade. Thankfully, Taylor later had the chance to finish her VMA's winner's speech when Beyoncé invited her back on stage during her own win. Taylor Swift's 2009 was not clouded by this though as this was also the year that she embarked on her debut concert tour 'Fearless'. The tour was named after her second album of the same name. Beginning in Indiana and concluding in Canada, Justin Bieber was one of the support acts for this tour back in 2009.

2010: Taylor makes film debut in Valentine's Day

Taylor Swift proved she is a woman of many talents in her debut film role in the 2010 Valentine's Day. She played Felicia Miller the film, with the plot following a group of characters through their love struggles and relationships on Valentine's Day. She was also listed as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in 2010. Unsurprisingly, she made the list in 2015 and 2019 too.

2010: Taylor Swift wins her first Grammy Award

Taylor was awarded her first well-deserved Grammy, during the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. She won Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her song 'White Horse'. She won three other Grammy awards on that date, Best Country Song, Best Country Album for 'Fearless' and finally, the coveted Album of the Year award. In her Grammy award acceptance speech, Taylor said, "This is my first Grammy, you guys! I mean this is, this is a Grammy! I live in awe of the people that I was nominated against in this category. I live in awe of my producer, Nathan Chapman, and all of the wonderful incredibly talented musicians in Nashville, and thank you to anyone who was a Grammy voter and decided that it might be a good idea to vote for me for this, because I'm so happy. Thank you so much!"

2011: Taylor Swift releases third studio album 'Speak Now'

2011 was the year that saw Taylor's third album release, 'Speak Now' with it winning Favourite Country Album at the American Music Awards. It also holds the record for Fastest Selling Digital Album by a Female Artist in the Guinness World Records. 'Mean', the best-performing single from the 'Speak Now' album, won two Grammy Awards. Taylor also embarked on her first international headline tour, 'The Speak Now World Tour' in the same year.

2012: Taylor Swift's fourth album release, 'Red'

'Red' is Taylor's critically acclaimed fourth studio album and was released in 2012. It was her first album to top the UK Album Chart in the UK (with her next five album releases also going on to top the chart). 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' became the lead single from her 2012 album. The single was Swift's first to peak at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. Having already conquered the music industry at such young age, she released the iconic '22' song on this album, which took the world by storm and struck a chord with her fanbase.

2013: Taylor Swift's 'Red' tour begins

In 2013, the singer-songwriter embarked on her 'Red' World Tour. During this tour, she became the first female artist in history to sell out the Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Australia (with a 40,900 capacity), since it opened in 1988. Plus, her hit song 'I Knew You Were Trouble', rumoured to be about her former love, Harry Styles , won Best Female Video at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards.

2014: '1989', Taylor's fifth studio album, is released

Taylor released 'Shake It Off', the first single off of her fifth studio album '1989'. Achieving great success it became her second Billboard Hot 100 Number 1 single in the US and it peaked at Number 2 in the UK Singles Chart. '1989' debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart with the largest sales week for an album since 2002, selling 1.287 million copies in the week ending November 2nd 2014, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It also went to Number 1 in the UK Albums Chart. The '1989' album spent a full first year in the Top 10 in the US, making it just the fifth album to spend the first 52 weeks of its release in the Top 10.

2015: Taylor is made into a Madame Tussauds wax work

Taylor Swift gets her own waxwork in the Madame Tussauds gallery in Hollywood. Taylor later became a permanent fixture at the London Madame Tussauds in 2019. 'Bad Blood' achieved Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The epic 'Bad Blood' video premiered on the Billboard Music Awards. It created quite the stir by going viral instantly as it featured her star-studded friendship group including Selena Gomez, Cara Delevingne and Jessica Alba.

2016: Taylor takes home three Grammy awards!

2016 was the year that Taylor won three Grammy Awards. She won Best Music Video with 'Bad Blood', and both best Pop Vocal Album and Album Of The Year with '1989'. She became the first woman to win the Album Of The Year Award twice.

2017: Taylor releases her fifth Number 1 album 'Reputation'

'Reputation' launched after an iconic Instagram deletion and subsequent revamp ahead of its release. 'Reputation' become the super-talented singer's fifth Number 1 album on the Billboard 200 and her third UK Number 1 album. With 1.2 million copies sold in its first week, Taylor became the first artist in Nielsen Music History to do so.

2017: Taylor is one of Time Magazine's 'Silence Breakers'

Taylor's summer court case saw the singer set out to prove a point by requesting only $1 in damages. As a result of her work fighting against sexual assault and harassment, Taylor was among the individuals highlighted. In the Time interview about the court case, Taylor revealed: "I was angry. In that moment, I decided to forego any courtroom formalities and just answer the questions the way it happened. This man hadn't considered any formalities when he assaulted me, and his lawyer didn't hold back on my mom - why should I be polite? I'm told it was the most amount of times the word 'ass' has ever been said in Colorado Federal Court."

2018: Taylor embarks on her 'Reputation' Stadium Tour

Taylor's 2018 'Reputation' tour was massively successful and broke the US record when it became the highest-grossing tour in US history. To top it off, the 38 tour show brought in ticket sales of over a whopping $2 million! With all the drama of three stages, a ten-story screen, two lifts and LOTS of snakes, the worldwide tour was certainly a crowd pleaser!

2019: American Music Awards haul as Taylor wins six awards

2019 was the year that saw Taylor smash the record for winning the prestigious American Music Award, Artist Of The Decade, an astonishing six times! The 'Shake It Off' singer made history at the 2019 AMAs, she became the highest-awarded person in the show's history. With an astonishing 28 total wins under her belt, she beat a record set by Michael Jackson.

2019: Cats song Golden Globe nominee

The singer-songwriter scored a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song for 'Beautiful Ghosts' from the Cats film, in which she also starred as Bombalurina.

2020: Taylor drops surprise albums ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’

2020 saw the surprise release of Taylor's eighth album, 'Folklore', which dropped via social media. It was recorded in lockdown and was just what Swifties needed! Her recent evolutionary journey has taken her to a recent move into folk music. 'Evermore' was the songstresses' second surprise 2020 album, released only five months after 'Folklore'. With 'Folklore' and 'Evermore' described as sister records, 'Evermore' explored the themes of love, marriage and grief, picking up where 'Folklore' left. Selling a million copies globally during its first week, it definitely got the acclaim it deserved! Taylor's fan base has grown with her own artistic development, like they have been on the journey with her. In 2020, Taylor Swift also broken another record, holding the title for most cumulative weeks spent at Number One for a female artist on the Billboard 200.

2020: Miss Americana Netflix documentary release

Taylor's Netflix documentary Miss Americana premiered at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in 2020. Explaining Taylor Swift's story from her own point of view, it offered insight into her hard-working, busy schedule. With both intimate portrayals of home life with her family and the exciting whirlwind of tours, album releases and recording in the studio. The film also gave her the chance to address that infamous 2009 VMA's Kanye West feud. She explores the feud and how it caused her subsequent 'cancelling' but how she ultimately bounced back and rose above it!

2021: 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)'

After Taylor re-recorded her multi-million-selling 2008 album 'Fearless', we were all graced with 'Fearless (Taylor's Version) in April 2021. The re-recording came about after talent manager Scooter Braun acquired the rights to Taylor's master recordings, from her former label Big Machine Label Group, in 2019. Reportedly, this included ownership of the singer's first six albums, from 2006 to 2017. 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)' was released through Republic Records and includes re-recorded versions of all 19 tracks from the platinum edition of 'Fearless', along with six additional 'from the vault' tracks that weren't included on the original album in 2008. Songs on the 2021 release include the iconic 'Love Story' and the world-renowned 'You Belong with Me'.

2021: BRIT Awards 2021 Global Icon

Taylor won the Global Icon Award at the BRIT Awards 2021 , becoming the first female artist to ever take home the gong. In her acceptance speech, Taylor said she was "proud to be part of a musical community, especially in a year where we've needed music so much." She also paid tribute to the key workers in the audience.

2021: 'Red (Taylor's Version)'

Taylor released 'Red (Taylor's Version)' in November 2021, with rerecorded versions of the original album's songs and a 30 song track list. The album includes a 10-minute version of 'All Too Well', and Taylor also directed a short film to accompany the song. She performed this version of the song live for the first time on SNL on 13th November. Taylor also released her 'I Bet You Think About Me' music video directed by Blake Lively on 15th November.

2022: Taylor Swift receives an honorary doctorate

Taylor Swift received an honorary doctorate in fine arts at New York University. She also gave the commencement speech at the ceremony which was held at the Yankee Stadium.

2022: Taylor Swift confirms 'Midnights' tour

In October, the official Taylor Swift website confirmed that fans who pre-ordered her 'Midnights' album would get pre-sale access to 'forthcoming and yet to be announced Taylor Swift UK show dates '. Fans were surprised and thrilled by the news and jumped at the chance to see her perform live, resulting in the website crashing hours after the announcement.

2022: Taylor stars in film Amsterdam

In June 2021 it was announced that Taylor was set to star in film Amsterdam alongside the likes of Margot Robbie, Christian Bale, Robert De Niro, Rami Malek and Mike Myers. It was released in October 2022 to rave reviews!

2022: Taylor has written a film script

In December 2022, it was announced that Taylor has actually penned a film script which is being put into production! Presidents of Searchlight Pictures David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield said: "Taylor is a once in a generation artist and storyteller. It is a genuine joy and privilege to collaborate with her as she embarks on this exciting and new creative journey."

2023: Grammy Award win

Taylor won a Grammy Award in February 2023, taking home the Best Music Video gong for 'All Too Well: The Short Film'!

2023: Taylor Swift announces UK dates for her 'Eras' tour

Taylor Swift announced UK dates for her 'Eras' tour in June 2023. The singer will be performing in Liverpool, Edinburgh, Cardiff and London in June 2024.

July 2023 - 'Anti-Hero' hits a billion streams

In July 2023, Taylor's song 'Anti-Hero' surpassed a billion streams on Spotify. Taylor also has three other tracks in the Billions Club - 'Shake It Off' and 'Blank Space' from the album 1989, and her collab with Zayn Malik, 'I Don't Wanna Live Forever'.

September 2023: Taylor wins nine awards at the MTV Video Music Awards

Taylor won an incredible nine awards at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, winning an award in every category she was nominated in. The win took Taylor to an astonishing 18 VMA Awards in total, just two behind the overall record held by Madonna.

October 2023: Taylor releases '1989' (Taylor's Version)

In August 2023, Taylor confirmed the highly-anticipated release date for '1989' (Taylor's Version). The re-recording of her 2014 album was then released on 27th October, featuring five previously unreleased tracks.

February 2024: Historic Grammy win

Taylor Swift picked up two Grammy Awards at the prestigious ceremony in 2024, following a whopping six nominations. The singer won awards for Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year - making history at the event as this is the first time an artist has won the Album of the Year award four times.

February 2024: 'The Tortured Poets Department' album announcement

Not only did Taylor make history at the Grammy Awards 2024, but she announced the huge news that her 11th studio album was on the way. In her acceptance speech for Best Pop Vocal Album, she revealed she had been keeping a 'secret' for two years, going on to announce her 11th studio album 'The Tortured Poets Department' was on the way and was set for release on 19th April 2024.

13 things you probably didn't know about Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift: All your questions answered on the 'All Too Well' singer 🎶

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• Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift Height, Age, Boyfriend, Family, Biography

Some Lesser Known Facts About Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift in a Party

Childhood Picture of Taylor Swift

Childhood Picture of Taylor Swift Riding on Her Horse

A Childhood Picture of Taylor Swift with Her Grandmother

• At the age of nine, she developed an interest in musical theatre and performed for Berks Youth Theatre Academy Productions. She used to travel regularly to New York for her acting classes from Pennsylvania.
• Later, she got inspired by Shania Twain’s songs and shifted her focus towards country music.
• She used to perform at local festivals and events on weekends.
• She decided to move to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue her music career after watching a documentary on Faith Hill.
• When she was eleven, she submitted a karaoke CD of various songs of Dolly Parton, Dixie Chicks, and LeAnn Rimes at Nashville record labels. In an interview, she shared this incident, she said,

It was on spring break, and I was 11 and I had this little demo CD — a karaoke CD of me singing songs by Dolly Parton and the Dixie Chicks and LeAnn Rimes. And I marched up and down Music Row with these demo CDs, and I’d walk in and hand them to the receptionist while my mom and my little brother were parked outside in a rental car.”

• At the age of 12, she started her training in playing the guitar under a computer repairman and local musician, Ronnie Cremer. With his help, Taylor wrote her first song ‘Lucky You.’
• In 2003, with the help of Dan Dymtrow, Taylor worked as a model for ‘Abercrombie & Fitch’ as part of their “Rising Stars” campaign.
• She performed her original songs at RCA Records and received an artist development deal. Later, Taylor was enrolled in ‘Aron Academy’ while continued her education through home-schooling.
• She later worked with the experienced songwriters like Troy Verges, Brett Beavers, Brett James, Mac McAnally, the Warren Brothers, and Liz Rose. Liz Rose said in an interview,

The sessions were some of the easiest I’ve ever done. Basically, I was just her editor. She’d write about what happened in school that day. She had such a clear vision of what she was trying to say. And she’d come in with the most incredible hooks.”

• Taylor left RCA Records at the age of 14, later, she was signed by the Sony/ATV publishing house.
• In 2005, she was performing at Nashville’s Bluebird Café where she grabbed the attention of Borchetta, a DreamWorks Records executive. At that time, Borchetta was planning to form an independent record label with the name, Big Machine Records. Taylor’s father purchased three per cent shares in Borchetta’s company.
• Taylor started working on her first album and released her first album ‘Taylor Swift’ on 24 October 2006 under the music label, Big Machine Records. The album was a great hit and had sold over 7.75 million copies worldwide.
• Later, she released many other chartbuster songs including, ‘Love Story,’ ‘Tim McGraw’,‘Our Song,’ and ‘Teardrops on My Guitar.’

• She was hired as a brand ambassador by many ace brands including Cover Girl, Sony Electronics, and Diet Coke.
• Interestingly, some of her songs are dedicated to her ex-boyfriends, some of such songs are “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “Style,” “Mine,” and “Back To December.”
• She has also performed live at musical tours like Fearless Tour (2009–2010), Speak Now World Tour (2011–2012), The Red Tour (2013–2014), The 1989 World Tour (2015), Reputation Stadium Tour (2018), and Lover Fest (2020).
• Apart from singing, she is also a social activist. On 21 September 2007, she launched a campaign to protect children from online predators. She has worked for social welfare organisations like PETA, Red Cross, UNICEF, and Cancer Research Institute.

Taylor Swift at the Launch Event of Her Perfume Line

• In an interview with David Letterman, Taylor said that she learns some phrases in the language of every nation she visits.

Taylor Swift Education Centre

• On 24 November 2019, she won six American Music Awards (AMA) including Artist of the Decade Award. She has won a total of 29 AMAs; beating the record of the legendary singer Michael Jackson .

Taylor Swift (on the left) and April Gloria (on the right)

• Taylor was named after another singer-songwriter: James Taylor.
• Taylor swift is well versed in playing various instruments like guitars (acoustic, electric, banjo), piano, and ukulele.
• Swift is one of the youngest songwriters that Sony/ATV Music publishing house has ever signed.
• Taylor has more than 600 nominations under her name.
• Taylor sends gifts to her fans and calls it “Swiftmas.”
• Swift single-handedly brought down the iPhone and MacBook giant Apple for paying her the fair amount of royalties within a day.

Taylor Swift with Her Pet Cat

• She considers ’13’ as her lucky number.

Taylor Swift on the Vogue Magazine’s Cover

• In January 2020, she booked a gym for her workout session and asked everybody to leave the gym including Justin Bieber , who was already working out in the gym when Taylor arrived there.

Taylor Swift wore bangles from the Indian Jewellery brand Misho Designs for the tune Karma

• In February 2024, a baker named Lara Mason from the United Kingdom baked a life-size Taylor Swift cake holding an NFL trophy, which went viral on the internet. It took her 38 hours to bake this red velvet vanilla-flavoured cake.

I made a Lifesize cake of @taylorswift13 in a @Chiefs sweater holding up the @NFL Super Bowl trophy. What do you think?! pic.twitter.com/QQbvNKQC6M — Lara Cakes (@lara_cakes) February 9, 2024

References/Sources: [ + ]

The Rise of Taylor Swift A Captivating Biography

By Sam Edwards

August 6, 2023

Taylor Swift, a name that echoes through the halls of music history, is an American singer-songwriter whose meteoric rise to fame has captivated the world. With her enchanting voice, profound songwriting, and magnetic stage presence, Swift has become a global icon and an inspiration to millions. In this captivating biography, we explore the journey of Taylor Swift from a young girl with big dreams to a trailblazing artist who continues to redefine the music industry.

Early Life: The Seed of Stardom

Born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania, Taylor Alison Swift showed early promise as a musical prodigy. Growing up on a Christmas tree farm, she found solace in writing poetry and playing the guitar. Recognizing their daughter’s talent, Taylor’s parents, Scott and Andrea Swift, nurtured her passion for music. At just 11 years old, she sang the national anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers basketball game, marking her first public performance and igniting her desire for the spotlight.

Country Music Career: The Beginning

In pursuit of her dreams, Taylor Swift and her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, the heart of country music. The move proved to be a pivotal moment in her career as she signed with Big Machine Records at the age of 14. In 2006, her self-titled debut album, “Taylor Swift,” was released, showcasing her authentic storytelling and distinctive vocals. The album featured hit singles like “Tim McGraw,” “Teardrops on My Guitar,” and “Our Song,” which catapulted Swift to country music stardom.

Fearless: A Giant Leap Forward

Taylor Swift’s second studio album, “Fearless,” released in 2008, was a breakthrough moment in her career. The album incorporated elements of pop and showcased her growth as both an artist and a songwriter. With tracks like “Love Story,” “You Belong with Me,” and “Fifteen,” Swift cemented her place as a music sensation transcending country music boundaries.

2009 VMAs and Kanye West Incident

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards marked a turning point in Taylor Swift’s career, albeit not in the way she anticipated. During her acceptance speech for Best Female Video, Kanye West famously interrupted, asserting that Beyoncé deserved the award. The incident sparked outrage and sympathy towards Swift, solidifying her position as a respected and sympathetic figure in the industry.

‘Speak Now’ and ‘Red’: Evolution as an Artist

In 2010, Taylor Swift released “Speak Now,” an album entirely written by herself, further demonstrating her songwriting prowess. The album included hits like “Mine,” “Back to December,” and “Mean,” and showcased her emotional depth and ability to connect with listeners. In 2012, she released “Red,” a genre-blending album that marked her transition from country to pop, yielding chart-toppers like “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.”

Philanthropic Efforts and More Accolades

Beyond her musical achievements, Taylor Swift is known for her philanthropy. She has supported various causes, including education, disaster relief, and LGBTQ+ rights. Additionally, she has been recognized with numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and American Music Awards.

‘1989’: The Pop Sensation

In 2014, Taylor Swift released “1989,” an album that solidified her place as a pop superstar. With hits like “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “Bad Blood,” the album topped charts worldwide and earned Swift seven Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, of which she won three.

Feud With Katy Perry: A Public Clash

Taylor Swift’s feud with fellow pop star Katy Perry became a highly publicized event. The origins of the conflict remain unclear, but it garnered significant media attention, sparking rumors and speculation from fans and the press alike. The two artists have since reconciled, symbolized by Perry’s cameo appearance in Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” music video.

Sexual Assault Trial and Copyright Lawsuit

In 2017, Swift found herself embroiled in a high-profile sexual assault trial against former radio DJ David Mueller. Swift accused Mueller of groping her during a meet-and-greet event, and she won the case, earning a symbolic $1 in damages. The same year, she also faced a copyright lawsuit over the song “Shake It Off,” which was eventually dismissed.

‘Reputation’: Embracing the Dark Side

In 2017, Taylor Swift released “Reputation,” an album that delved into themes of fame, media scrutiny, and personal growth. The album featured hits like “Look What You Made Me Do” and “Delicate,” and while it received mixed critical reviews, it was commercially successful and showcased Swift’s ability to reinvent herself.

‘Lover’: An Ode to Love

In 2019, Taylor Swift released “Lover,” an album that celebrated love, relationships, and personal growth. The album’s title track and singles like “ME!” and “You Need to Calm Down” resonated with fans worldwide, further solidifying Swift’s status as a beloved and influential artist.

Scooter Braun and Album Ownership

In 2019, Taylor Swift made headlines when her former record label, Big Machine Label Group, sold her back catalog, including her master recordings, to music manager Scooter Braun. Swift expressed her frustration and disappointment over the sale, as she had sought to gain control of her own music.

‘Cats’ and ‘Miss Americana’: Exploring New Avenues

In 2019, Swift made her acting debut in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Cats.” While the film received mixed reviews, Swift’s performance was praised. The same year, she also released the documentary “Miss Americana,” which provided an intimate look into her life and the challenges she faced as an artist.

‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’: Pandemic-Inspired Creativity

During the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Taylor Swift surprised fans with the release of “Folklore,” an alternative and indie-inspired album written and recorded during quarantine. The album was met with critical acclaim and showcased Swift’s versatility as an artist. Later that year, she released “Evermore,” a sister album to “Folklore,” further highlighting her prolific creativity.

‘Midnights’: Reimagining Her Past

In November 2021, Taylor Swift released her re-recorded album “Midnights,” a reimagining of her 2008 album “Fearless.” The move came as an effort to regain control of her music after the controversy with Scooter Braun. Fans celebrated the re-recorded tracks and praised Swift’s determination to assert ownership over her art.

Quick Facts: Taylor Swift

• Full Name: Taylor Alison Swift
• Birthdate: December 13, 1989
• Birthplace: Reading, Pennsylvania, USA
• Parents: Scott and Andrea Swift
• Siblings: Austin Swift
• Height: 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 meters)
• Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
• Education: High School Diploma (Home-schooled)
• Instruments: Guitar, Piano, Banjo
• Influences: Shania Twain, Dixie Chicks, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor

Fact Check: Separating Fiction from Reality

With fame comes a fair share of rumors and misinformation. It’s essential to distinguish between fact and fiction when discussing Taylor Swift’s life and career. She has faced various rumors, including fabricated feuds, false scandals, and inaccurate stories. It’s always best to rely on credible sources and official statements.

Citation Information: Supporting Authenticity

In crafting this biography, we have drawn information from various credible sources, including interviews, official statements, biographies, and reputable news outlets. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, we encourage readers to explore these sources.

Quotes: Taylor Swift’s Words of Wisdom

Throughout her career, Taylor Swift has shared many inspiring and thought-provoking quotes. Her insights into love, life, and self-empowerment have resonated with fans worldwide, inspiring them to embrace their true selves and pursue their dreams.

Is Taylor Swift still making music?

Yes, Taylor Swift continues to create music and explore new artistic directions.

How many Grammy Awards has Taylor Swift won?

As of my last update in September 2021, Taylor Swift has won 11 Grammy Awards.

What is Taylor Swift’s net worth?

Taylor Swift’s net worth is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions, making her one of the wealthiest musicians worldwide.

Does Taylor Swift write her own songs?

Yes, Taylor Swift is known for writing her own songs, drawing inspiration from her personal experiences.

How many albums has Taylor Swift released?

As of my last update, Taylor Swift has released a total of nine studio albums.

Conclusion: Taylor Swift – An Ever-Evolving Icon

Taylor Swift’s captivating biography is a testament to her unyielding passion for music, her dedication to her craft, and her determination to remain authentic in the face of fame and scrutiny. From her early beginnings in country music to her groundbreaking success as a pop sensation, Swift has continuously pushed the boundaries of her artistry, touching the hearts of millions worldwide. Her journey has been filled with moments of triumph, challenges, and self-discovery, shaping her into an artist admired not only for her musical talent but also for her resilience and philanthropic efforts. As she continues to evolve and explore new creative territories, one thing remains certain – Taylor Swift’s influence on the music industry and the world at large is boundless and ever-inspiring.

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20 Taylor Swift songs with literary references you may have missed

• Taylor Swift is renowned for her storytelling prowess and poetic sensibility.
• Her lyrics reference famous novels by Daphne du Maurier, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Kurt Vonnegut, and more.
• BI's senior music reporter analyzed 20 of Swift's songs from a literary perspective.

Taylor Swift may be a pop star and businesswoman , but she's best known by fans as a lyricist.

"Everybody has their own sort of niche or specialty thing that they do that, you know, sets them apart from everybody else," Swift said in the 2020 Netflix documentary "Miss Americana." "And my storytelling is what is for me. I know that without me writing my own songs , I wouldn't be here." 

This week, Swift is promoting the release of her 11th album, " The Tortured Poets Department, " with a library installation in Los Angeles.

For three days, The Grove will display a selection of poems and books, curated by Swift, teasing the direction of her new music — and underscoring her lifelong commitment to the written word.

Indeed, Swift has repeatedly referenced famous poets, novelists, and even biographers in her work. Below, Business Insider's senior music reporter analyzed 20 of Swift's songs from a literary perspective.

Note: This article was originally published in 2023.

"The Outside" contains a clear allusion to Robert Frost.

"The Outside" is one of the oldest songs in Swift's catalog. She wrote the track for her debut album when she was just 12 years old , inspired by her experience of being "a complete outcast at school."

"I tried to take the road less traveled by / But nothing seems to work the first few times," she sings in the pre-chorus.

Anyone with a cursory poetry education will recognize the reference to Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken," thanks to its popularity in elementary-school curricula. (I was personally introduced to Frost in fifth grade.)

The poem's conclusion is often read as a celebration of originality and self-determination, teasing the reward that may come with great risk: "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference."

In 12-year-old terms, "the road less traveled by" represents the life of an "outcast," someone who marches to the beat of their own drum. Frost's final line makes it sound like a brave and noble choice.

This reference reappears much later in Swift's discography, in both "Illicit Affairs" ("Take the road less traveled by / Tell yourself you can always stop") and "'Tis the Damn Season" ("The road not taken looks real good now"). In the latter, Swift's character takes the road more frequently traveled and later comes to regret it.

"All Too Well" is thematically connected to Pablo Neruda's "Tonight I Can Write."

In the liner notes for "Red," Swift included a quote from the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda: "Love is so short, forgetting is so long."

The line is translated from "Puedo Escribir Los Versos,"  widely known as "Tonight I Can Write."  

Neruda was just 19 years old when "Tonight I Can Write" was published in 1924. It was included in a collection titled "Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada," or, "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair," which is now known as his most celebrated work.

Similarly, Swift wrote "Red" when she was between the ages of 20 and 22. The album is a collection of passionate ballads and breakup anthems, spanning the full emotional range that comes with an intense, ill-fated love affair.

The Neruda quote also opens the "All Too Well" short film , which shows Swift's proxy character falling madly in love, then spending years grappling with the aftermath.

Both "Tonight I Can Write" and "All Too Well" speak to the weaponization of memory , illustrating how sweet experiences with a loved one can become sharp and painful in retrospect — that even "the endless sky" (Neruda) or "the first fall of snow" (Swift) can feel sinister in their absence.

"Wonderland" is a "twisted" take on Lewis Caroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

As Swift recently told a crowd at the Eras Tour, her 2014 breakup song "Wonderland" was inspired by Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel. Swift uses "falling down the rabbit hole," which transports Alice to Wonderland, as an extended metaphor for falling in love — and losing her mind in the process.

"Haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds?" Swift sings in the pre-chorus, a reference to Alice's observation that "curiosity often leads to trouble."

Swift aligns herself with the book's band of outsiders with lyrics like "too in love to think straight" and "we both went mad." She also compares her ex-lover to the deceitful Cheshire Cat character ("Didn't you calm my fears with a Cheshire Cat smile?").

Swift revisited the concept of "falling down the rabbit hole" in her 2020 song "Long Story Short," doubling down on its negative implications ("And I fell from the pedestal / Right down the rabbit hole / Long story short, it was a bad time").

"New Romantics" kicks off with an explicit reference to "The Scarlet Letter."

In broad terms, "New Romantics" is a song about rising above the noise and standing by your choices, even if others malign them.

"There is a lesson in knowing that you can live your life in a way that you're proud of and people are still gonna take shots," she told Vanity Fair one year before the song's release.

In the first verse, Swift sings, "We show off our different scarlet letters / Trust me, mine is better."

Nathaniel Hawthorne's iconic novel "The Scarlet Letter" is set in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1600s. It tells the story of Hester Prynne, who dares to have a daughter out of wedlock. She is shunned by her community and forced to wear a red "A" (for "adultery") to symbolize her shame. Her male lover, however, shares no blame for most of the book.

From a modern perspective, the community's reaction is overblown and indefensible.

Swift's cheeky brag about her scarlet letter reflects this understanding; she draws a parallel between her own treatment by society and the misogynistic, puritanical mob mentality that Hester is subjected to.

By this time in Swift's career, her dating life had become a source of gossip, speculation, and oft-unsavory media coverage. Many tabloids branded her a "player" or "maneater," while in other corners of the internet, rumors about her relationship with Karlie Kloss had recently begun to pick up steam .

Swift's flippant response in "New Romantics" recalls "Blank Space," the second single from "1989," in which she pokes fun at her own headlines and satirically embraces her reputation ("Got a long list of ex-lovers / They'll tell you I'm insane").

She doubles down in the second verse of "New Romantics" ("The rumors are terrible and cruel / But honey, most of them are true").

Throughout the song, Swift expresses a distrust of society and enduring faith in her own ideals, echoing the main theme of "The Scarlet Letter," which ends with Hester's redemption and the death of her lead tormentor.

Bonus: Swift originally aligned herself with Hester in her 2008 single "Love Story" ("You were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter"), another song about fighting social convention in order to live and love authentically.

Of course, "Love Story" is also Swift's best-known literary reference: an optimistic retelling of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

"...Ready For It?" name-drops Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, whose relationship was immortalized in "Furious Love."

In the opening track of "Reputation," Swift sings, "He can be my jailer, Burton to this Taylor / Every love I've known in comparison is a failure."

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor's love story was chronicled in "Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century" by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger.

Swift confirmed she read the joint biography in a 2018 interview . The book can also be spotted in Swift's Instagram highlight titled "ladies & benji."

Interestingly, the tone of "Furious Love" doesn't seem to compliment Swift's lyrics, since Burton and Taylor's relationship would be considered a failure by most standards. They shared a torrid and obsessive connection, characterized by "delightful screaming matches," in Taylor's own words.

"I don't want to be that much in love ever again.… I gave everything away…my soul, my being, everything," Taylor told a friend after their second divorce, according to "Furious Love."

By including this reference, Swift may have been signaling a deeper, more sinister level to the "...Ready For It?" romance, lurking beneath her initial attraction.

Throughout their tumultuous relationship, Burton and Taylor made 11 movies together, including classics like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (1966) and "Antony and Cleopatra" (1972).

They also costarred in "The Taming of the Shrew," based on Shakespeare's play of the same name, which could be another point of reference for Swift's lyrics ("I'm so very tame now / Never be the same now").

Burton plays Petruchio and Taylor plays Katherina, aka Kate, the titular "shrew."

In both the original and the film adaptation, Taylor's character is headstrong and independent — until Burton's character "tames" her with psychological and physical torture, forcing her into the role of an obedient bride.

"Don't Blame Me" may contain a subtle nod to Daisy Buchanan.

In the second verse of "Don't Blame Me," Swift sings, "I once was poison ivy, but now I'm your daisy."

Sure, this could be intended as a simple comparison between a dangerous plant and an innocent flower. But Swift is a noted fan of "The Great Gatsby," F. Scott Fitzgerald's seminal novel; she name-drops the titular character later on this very same album.

Thus, the lyric in "Don't Blame Me" could be another name-drop.

Gatsby's love interest, Daisy Buchanan, is dubbed by the narrator as "the golden girl." Gatsby also describes Daisy's voice as "full of money." She is heavily associated with the colors gold and yellow throughout the book.

Swift also uses gold to represent love and beauty throughout the latter half of her discography, in songs like "End Game" ("It's like your eyes are liquor, it's like your body is gold"), "Dancing With Our Hands Tied" ("Deep blue but you painted me golden"), "Dress" ("Made your mark on me, a golden tattoo"), "Daylight" ("I once believed love would be burning red, but it's golden"), "Invisible String" ("One single thread of gold tied me to you"), and "Gold Rush" ("Everybody wants you / But I don't like a gold rush").

"Delicate" contains another subtle Fitzgerald parallel.

The fragility of love is a common theme in Swift's music, especially when it's placed in contrast to the harshness of reality (as in "Treacherous," "Out of the Woods," "I Know Places," and "The Archer," to name just a few).

"Delicate" is a particularly notable example. Swift sings about falling in love with someone new, all while wrestling with the knowledge that either of their hearts could break.

The song echoes a memorable passage from Fitzgerald's "This Side of Paradise," which Swift read (and liked) in 2013, long before starting work on "Reputation."

The novel follows a promising young college student named Amory Blaine and his three failed attempts to make a relationship last.

In the book's first section, titled "The Romantic Egotist," Amory overhears his mother talking about him: "'This son of mine,' he heard her tell a room full of awestruck, admiring women one day, 'is entirely sophisticated and quite charming — but delicate — we're all delicate; here , you know."

"So It Goes..." shares a striking similarity with "Slaughterhouse-Five."

"So It Goes..." shares its name with the most famous phrase from Kurt Vonnegut's celebrated novel "Slaughterhouse-Five."

The book's protagonist Billy Pilgrim is a World War II veteran, whose trauma breaks his ability to form a cohesive narrative. He constantly finds himself back in Germany, presumably due to PTSD-induced flashbacks; he refers to this as becoming "unstuck in time."

Vonnegut explores this theme through the Tralfamadorians, a race of aliens who do not see time as linear, but rather "as you might see a stretch of the Rocky Mountains."

To them, all moments in the past, present, and future are happening simultaneously.

After his abduction, Billy adopts the Tralfamadorian idiom "so it goes," which is used 106 times  in the book — usually when someone has died.

The phrase evokes a feeling of inevitability and powerlessness, but it's not purely nihilistic. The Tralfamadorians don't recognize death as tragic and final, because in their understanding of time, that person is still alive in many other moments.

Throughout "Slaughterhouse-Five," Billy is characterized as very lonely. His family and friends don't understand the intensity of what he's been through, so his coping mechanisms are widely misunderstood.

Similarly, Swift described the "Reputation" era as "a very isolating experience," following an online cancellation campaign that spun wildly out of her control.

"I don't think there are that many people who can actually understand what it's like to have millions of people hate you very loudly," she told Vogue .

"So It Goes..." is ostensibly a love song, but it also has hints of fear and danger. Swift presents herself as trapped, powerless against a greater force: "Cut me into pieces / Gold cage, hostage to my feelings."

Perhaps Swift, like Billy, found comfort in the Tralfamadorian way, a kind of radical acceptance in the face of upheaval. The phrase "so it goes" is not about rebirth — it's about embracing every phase of a person's life in equal measure.

Notably, "So It Goes..." is placed on the tracklist immediately after "Look What You Made Me Do," a song that satirizes Swift's own demise ("The old Taylor can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, 'cause she's dead!").

"Getaway Car" opens with an allusion to "A Tale of Two Cities."

"A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens contains one of the most famous opening phrases in all of literature: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

In the first line of "Getaway Car," Swift swaps the last word for "crimes."

Swift uses the getaway-car metaphor to tell the story of a doomed relationship, which she used selfishly as a vehicle for escape.

The song gestures at infidelity, painting Swift as a liar ("I didn't mean it") and a criminal ("Put the money in a bag and I stole the keys / That was the last time you ever saw me"). 

However, it also plays with the idea of morality, painting Swift's actions as justified in the face of a much bleaker fate ("I wanted to leave him, I needed a reason").

This ambiguity speaks to the full version of Dickens' opening line, in which he presents a list of opposites and dueling ideas: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way."

Like Swift, Dickens suggests that everything exists as a push and pull; nothing is simply good or bad, black or white.

"This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things" explicitly references "The Great Gatsby."

"This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things" opens with a scene of opulence and hedonism: big parties, champagne seas, rattling chandeliers, no rules.

Swift sums up the scene with an explicit Fitzgerald reference: "Feeling so Gatsby for that whole year."

"The Great Gatsby" is set in New York City in the 1920s, commonly known as the Jazz Age. It was a time characterized by excess — of wealth, alcohol, and self-indulgence — that partially led to the stock-market crash of 1929.

In the book, Gatsby is a key player in the city's party scene, known for hosting blowouts at his mansion and allowing guests to act however they please.

However, he's also a man of deception. It's heavily implied that he made his fortune illegally, most likely by smuggling alcohol during prohibition. He doesn't drink; his extravagant parties are actually a scheme to seduce Daisy. His real name isn't even Gatsby.

So the Gatsby reference pairs nicely with the theme of Swift's song: deception. Swift goes on to describe how she was stabbed in the back, lulled into a false sense of security by the glittering artifice of celebrity and friendship.

"Cardigan" mentions Peter Pan.

Peter Pan, a character created by novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie, appears in the third chorus of Swift's single "Cardigan."

"I knew you / Tried to change the ending / Peter losing Wendy," she sings.

Barrie's original 1911 novel, "Peter and Wendy," follows a mischievous boy who can fly and never wants to become a man. He meets Wendy Darling, a young girl from London, and takes her back to Neverland for a series of wild adventures.

However, she eventually decides to return home.

In the final chapter , Peter returns for Wendy years later, but is horrified to find she grew up and had a daughter of her own. ("She was not a little girl heart-broken about him; she was a grown woman smiling at it all, but they were wet eyed smiles.")

Swift has said "Cardigan" is told from the perspective of a teenager named Betty . She yearns for her high-school sweetheart, James, who betrayed her by chasing after another girl.

The reference to "Peter losing Wendy" evokes Betty's loss of innocence and reflects her maturity ("I knew everything when I was young"), which stands in contrast to James' naivety.

"Mirrorball" recalls Sylvia Plath's acclaimed poem "Lady Lazarus."

In the bridge of "Mirrorball," Swift paints a picture of destruction and finality — but she continues to perform in the midst of it all.

"And they called off the circus, burned the disco down / When they sent home the horses and the rodeo clowns / I'm still on that tightrope / I'm still trying everything to get you laughing at me," she sings.

Swift's circus imagery recalls "Lady Lazarus," one of Sylvia Plath's most famous poems, published in 1965.

Plath evokes a similar sense of performativity, casting herself as a kind of circus performer who dies all the time, only to be resurrected in front of a "peanut-crunching crowd." She describes this skill as "the big strip tease."

"It's the theatrical / Comeback in broad day / To the same place, the same face, the same brute / Amused shout: / 'A miracle!' / That knocks me out," Plath writes.

The poem's tone is morbid yet empowering, much like "Mirrorball." Swift compares herself to a disco ball, only to reveal they "burned the disco down."

However, she rises from the ash over and over, just as Plath describes: "Dying / Is an art, like everything else. / I do it exceptionally well."

Bonus: This stanza from "Lady Lazarus" is also echoed in Swift's 2018 single "Look What You Made Me Do" ("Honey, I rose up from the dead / I do it all the time").

"Invisible String" could be tied to "Jane Eyre" or "The Sun Also Rises."

Many fans have noted a parallel between "Invisible String" and Charlotte Brontë's Victorian-era novel "Jane Eyre," when Mr. Rochester finally professes his love for the titular heroine.

"I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you — especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame," Rochester says.

However, the chorus of "Invisible String" also resembles the closing dialogue of "The Sun Also Rises," Ernest Hemingway's wartime novel that draws a tragic line between wanting and having.

Throughout the story, the narrator Jake pines for his friend Brett, even though both characters understand they can't meet each other's needs. 

In the last scene, Brett tells Jake wistfully, "We could have had such a damned good time together."

Jake replies: "Isn't it pretty to think so?" 

Because Jake loves Brett but they can never be together, Jake means it's "pretty" because it's merely a fantasy. Brett's comment doesn't reflect the harsh reality of their situation.

Similarly, Swift sings, "Isn't it just so pretty to think / All along there was some / Invisible string tying you to me?"

She seems to suggest it's "pretty" to think fate brought her true love because the reality is less attractive — that she's been "scheming like a criminal" to get what she wants, as she admits in "Mastermind."

Swift's word choice could also suggest that she sensed the relationship was doomed from the start, even if it looked good from the outside.

This ambivalent interpretation is echoed in Swift's prologue to "Folklore," in which she describes the song's imagery as "a single thread that, for better or worse, ties you to your fate."

"Mad Woman" thematically resembles "Wide Sargasso Sea" by Jean Rhys, a prequel to "Jane Eyre."

The premise of "Mad Woman" can be easily connected to the famous proverb from "The Mourning Bride" by William Congreve: "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

However, Swift's use of the word "mad," an adjective that can mean both "angry" and "crazy," feels very intentional. Once again, it calls to mind "Jane Eyre." (Spoilers ahead!)

When Jane finally agrees to marry Mr. Rochester in Brontë's novel, it's revealed that he already has a wife named Bertha Antoinette Mason, who's been locked away in his attic.

"Bertha Mason is mad; and she came of a mad family — idiot and maniacs through three generations! Her mother, the Creole, was both a mad woman and a drunkard!" Rochester tells Jane. "Bertha, like a dutiful child, copied her parent in both points."

Rochester claims he imprisoned Bertha because she lost her mind, painting it as a genetic illness — passed down from her mother, specifically.

Jean Rhys gives Bertha a more sympathetic backstory in her 1966 novel "Wide Sargasso Sea." The prequel reimagines how Antoinette Cosway, a Creole heiress, became "Bertha" in her unhappy marriage to Rochester. In short, she was driven to madness by his patriarchal cruelty.

At one point in the novel, Antoinette scolds her new husband for believing lies about her family.

"I know what he told you. That my mother was mad and an infamous woman and that my little brother who died was born a cretin, an idiot, and that I am a mad girl too," she says.

She adds: "There is always another side, always."

Antoinette's old nurse Christophine also denounces these rumors, accusing Rochester of greed and betrayal: "You want her money but you don't want her. It is in your mind to pretend she is mad."

The themes of "Wide Sargasso Sea" are reflected in "Mad Woman," which fans believe was inspired by the sale of Swift's master recordings without her consent .

"Every time you call me crazy, I get more crazy, what about that? And when you say I seem angry, I get more angry," she sings. "And there's nothing like a mad woman / What a shame she went mad / No one likes a mad woman / You made her like that."

"The Lakes" pays tribute to William Wordsworth and the Romantic poets of the 18th century.

Swift references poetry throughout "The Lakes," specifically Romanticism, which was an 18th-century movement that valued emotional expression over logic and reason.

Romantic poets were empathetic rather than judgmental; instinctive rather than self-conscious. They believed in embracing "the bliss of solitude,"  writing as a way of understanding one's own mind, and cultivating the correlation between joy and imagination.

Indeed, one could argue that "Folklore" is a modern revival of Romanticism, and Swift herself seems to make that argument in "The Lakes."

"Is it romantic how all my elegies eulogize me?" Swift sings to open the song.

In the second verse, she adds: "I've come too far to watch some namedropping sleaze / Tell me what are my words worth."

In addition to praising the value of her own work, Swift draws a semantic connection to William Wordsworth, who is known as one of the founders of the Romantic movement .

In the preface to his collection "Lyrical Ballads," Wordsworth famously wrote, "Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility."

At age 29, Wordsworth relocated to the village of Grasmere in the county of Cumbria, located in the heart of England's Lake District . He was inspired by the natural landscape and wrote many of his best-known poems in the following years at Dove Cottage, which has now been enshrined as a museum .

During this time, Wordsworth's brother died in a shipwreck . The loss inspired him to write three elegies: "I only look'd for pain and grief," "Distressful gift! this Book receives," and "To the Daisy."

According to Professor Sir Jonathan Bate , an expert in English literature and Romanticism, Wordsworth was "the first poet to write elegies that eulogized himself."

Later in the song, Swift begs for "auroras and sad prose" while she frets and cries amidst the lakes and Windermere peaks.

Wordsworth made a similar reference in a 1791 letter : "Such an excursion would have served like an Aurora Borealis to gild your long Lapland night of melancholy."

He also uses the imagery of a "Lapland night" in a poem titled "To a Young Lady, Who had been Reproached for Taking Long Walks in the Country." 

Wordsworth addresses a woman who can feel herself growing older, who is inspired by isolation to reflect on the "heart-stirring days" in her life.

Wordsworth's muse closely resembles Swift during the "Folklore" era. The pensive album, born during quarantine, was the first she released after turning 30 years old.

Swift had previously expressed her fear of aging as a female entertainer, describing the industry as an "elephant graveyard" full of older women: "As I'm reaching 30, I want to work really hard while society is still tolerating me being successful," she said in her Netflix documentary "Miss Americana."

However, Wordsworth's poem offers an alternative vision of aging as "serene and bright," painting his muse as "a light to young and old." (Additionally, Wordsworth himself penned most of his best poems after turning 30).

"Thy thoughts and feelings shall not die, / Nor leave thee, when grey hairs are nigh," he writes. 

"Tolerate It" was partially inspired by "Rebecca."

"Rebecca," Daphne du Maurier's 1938 Gothic novel, follows a shy young woman who is never given a first name.

She marries a wealthy widower named Maxim de Winter after a brief courtship. Early on, she describes herself as "a little scrubby schoolboy" and her new husband as "kinder, and far more inaccessible."

The relationship Swift describes in "Tolerate It" mirrors this dynamic: "You're so much older and wiser and I / Wait by the door like I'm just a kid."

Maxim remains haunted by the death of his first wife, Rebecca, which makes him distant and unaffectionate towards the narrator.

"I was thinking, 'Wow, her husband just tolerates her. She's doing all these things and she's trying so hard and she's trying to impress him, and he's just tolerating her the whole time,'" Swift told Apple Music's Zane Lowe . "There was a part of me that was relating to that, because at some point in my life, I felt that way."

The final line of "Tolerate It" is submissive and ambiguous ("I sit and watch you"), leaving the listener to wonder if Swift's heroine will ever have the strength to speak up for herself.

However, "Rebecca" is recounted as a flashback, so the reader knows the narrator has survived her painful ordeal. 

"Happiness" also seems to reference Gatsby, Daisy, and the infamous green light.

"Happiness" tells the story of a longtime relationship that turned sour. Swift  said  it's about "the realization that maybe the only path to healing is to wish happiness on the one who took it away from you."

The song is sprinkled with symbols of longing and regret that appear in "The Great Gatsby."

"Tell me, when did your winning smile / Begin to look like a smirk?" she sings in verse two.

Alone, this would not seem like a literary reference. But in context, this is reminiscent of how Nick, the book's narrator, describes his early impression of Gatsby.

"He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life," Nick explains. "It faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor."

This smile is the essence of Gatsby's charm. But his "irresistible prejudice in your favor" could be interpreted as manipulative, or at least performative.

Also in verse two, Swift sings pointedly, "I hope she'll be a beautiful fool / Who takes my spot next to you."

The term "beautiful fool" is taken from Gatsby's muse, Daisy, who's in a loveless marriage with an unfaithful man.

"I hope she'll be a fool," Daisy says of their young daughter. "That's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."

Swift has said that "Evermore" contains an "'unhappily ever after' anthology of marriages gone bad," so her reference to Daisy's quote is very telling. It points to a distinctly feminine anger, a sense of helplessness — and ties "Happiness" to her songs about infidelity, like "No Body, No Crime" and "Illicit Affairs."

Finally, Swift makes Gatsby's influence clear by using the book's most famous symbol.

"After giving you the best I had / Tell me what to give after that / All you want from me now is the green light of forgiveness," she sings in the third verse.

In "The Great Gatsby," the green light at the end of Daisy's dock represents Gatsby's undying love (or obsession, depending on how you look at it). Nick refers to the light as an "enchanted object," because its only significance is what Gatsby pours into it.

Perhaps Swift is suggesting that the concept of "forgiveness" isn't as powerful as it seems, especially if you believe that it could magically absolve many years of pain. 

"You know, people go on and on about, like, you have to forgive and forget to move past something. No, you don't," Swift previously said in 2019 . "You don't have to forgive and you don't have to forget to move on."

Many fans believe "Ivy" was inspired by Emily Dickinson and Sue Gilbert.

"Ivy," the 10th track on "Evermore," is written from the perspective of a married woman who is falling in love with someone else ("So tell me to run / Or dare to sit and watch what we'll become / And drink my husband's wine").

Swift's narrator says she's "grieving for the living," which could mean she's incapable of being with the person she loves in public. She serenades her illicit lover throughout the song ("My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand"), but never provides a name or a gendered pronoun. So "Ivy" could tell the story of a sapphic affair .

Indeed, many fans have theorized that "Ivy" was inspired by Emily Dickinson. Scholars believe  the poet was a lesbian  and  in love with her childhood best friend , Sue Gilbert, who ended up marrying Dickinson's brother.

The Apple TV+ series "Dickinson"  celebrates the poet's queerness  and focuses largely on her clandestine romance with Gilbert. At the end of a 2021 episode titled "Grief Is a Mouse," the women reunite for a passionate sex scene that leads into the credits, soundtracked by "Ivy."

Swift herself approved the song's usage in the show,  according to showrunner Alena Smith .

"I really wanted to use that song — I mean I love that song and also the fans have sort of developed a mythology around it as being a song that relates to Emily and Sue on some emotional level," Smith told  The Hollywood Reporter , adding, "We were lucky that Taylor said yes."

"Evermore" contains possible references to Dickinson and Brontë.

"Evermore" is, of course, the titular track of Swift's album "Evermore," which was announced on Dickinson's birthday (December 10).

One of Dickinson's most famous poems , known as "One Sister have I in our house," ends with the line, "Sue - forevermore!" 

The poem shows Dickinson grappling with the loss of innocence, which is made more bearable by the love and support of her muse: "Today is far from Childhood / But up and down the hills / I held her hand the tighter / Which shortened all the miles."

Swift echoes this theme in "Evermore," in which she describes feeling lost and "unmoored." As in Dickinson's poem, her pain is eased by her muse: "And when I was shipwrecked / I thought of you / In the cracks of light / I dreamed of you / It was real enough / To get me through."

Additionally, as Bate noted in a piece for The Times , lyrics like "the cracks of light" and "floors of a cabin creaking under my step" seem to evoke Dickinson's work and "the claustrophobia of the 19th-century New England genius."

"Evermore" also contains another "Jane Eyre" parallel in the first verse: "Writing letters addressed to the fire."

After Rochester's marriage to Bertha is revealed, Jane flees. She sends letters back to his estate, only to return months later and discover it has burned down.

In "Evermore," this image seems to represent misunderstanding and regret, all the words Swift left unsaid — but for Jane, the fire is a cleansing force. In killing Bertha, it allows Jane to marry Rochester and gives her a second chance at love.

The title of "Dear Reader" evokes the most iconic line from "Jane Eyre."

The title of "Dear Reader" is another likely reference to "Jane Eyre," which features one of the most beloved lines in English literature: "Reader, I married him."

Like Brontë's protagonist, Swift breaks the fourth wall and addresses her audience directly throughout the song.

However, Swift flips the script with "Dear Reader," the final track on "Midnights (3am Edition)."

Even though Jane Eyre is considered by many readers to be a feminist figure, especially by 19th-century standards, she still follows the common path of women in literature . Much like her contemporaries Elizabeth Bennett and Jo March, all known as independent and headstrong characters, Jane's story still culminates in marriage.

Even today, female leads are expected to land a man by the end of the story.

However, Swift stands alone at the end of her latest album. Instead of treating a man as the prize, she keeps the spotlight trained on her own accomplishments, regrets, and lessons learned along the way.

While it's not exactly a triumphant conclusion ("No one sees when you lose when you're playing solitaire"), Swift creates a fascinating tension by evoking Brontë's famous line, only to undermine its implications.

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Screen Rant

There is only 1 thing missing from taylor swift’s career after the eras tour movie’s success.

Now that Taylor Swift has dominated the box office and streaming with The Eras Tour concert movie, there's one career move she has yet to pursue.

• Although she's directed several music videos and the Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions concert documentary, Taylor Swift has yet to direct a feature film.
• Swift also wrote and directed the highly-praised All Too Well: The Short Film, proving she could pull off directing a feature film.
• The commercial success of The Eras Tour movie shows that Swift is a major force in the entertainment industry and would be a bankable film director to invest in.

Following the enormous success of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert movie , there's still one feat the multi-faceted artist has yet to accomplish in her long-spanning career. Although Swift had previously released concert films before The Eras Tour movie , none came close to its acclaim, popularity or success, nor were they given theatrical runs. Like the record-breaking world tour itself, The Eras Tour movie marked a huge new milestone in Swift's career.

Alongside the theatrical release of The Eras Tour movie in October 2023, Swift has continued to dominate the music industry with impressive album sales, high streaming numbers, and consistent wins at major award shows, including the Grammys. In addition to music, Swift has also had acting roles in films like Valentine's Day (2010), Cats (2019), and Amsterdam (2022) and TV shows like CSI and New Girl. There's no doubt that Swift is an accomplished and well-rounded artist, but there's one hat in the entertainment industry that she has yet to try on.

Taylor Swift's 8 Documentaries & Concert Movies, Ranked (Including Eras Tour)

Taylor swift has yet to direct a feature film (& we hope she will), swift has directed several music videos, a short film, & a concert documentary.

Although she has directed several of her own music-related projects, Swift has yet to direct a (nondocumentary) feature film. Swift first took a seat in the director's chair for the music video for "Mine," the lead single off her third studio album Speak Now in 2010, which she co-directed with Roman White. Swift's first solo directorial venture was nine years later with the music video for "ME!," the lead single off her seventh studio album Lover. Swift has directed nearly all her music videos since then, as well as the 2020 Disney+ concert documentary Folklore: The Long Pond Sessions .

13 Taylor Swift Music Videos That Point To A Great Feature Film Directorial Debut

Given her experience with directing her own music videos and concert documentary, Swift is well-suited to direct a feature film.

Given her vast experience directing her own music videos and concert documentary, Swift is well-suited to direct a feature film. It was actually announced back in December 2022 that Swift would write and direct her first full-length movie in collaboration with Searchlight Pictures , but there have been no further updates since then. Hopefully, after the release of Swift's next album The Tortured Poets Department on April 19, 2024, and the conclusion of The Eras Tour on December 8, 2024, her next move will be starting production on this untitled Searchlight film.

Swift is technically credited as the director of the music videos for "I'm Only Me When I'm With You" from her 2006 self-titled debut album and "The Best Day" from her 2008 album Fearless, but since these are both comprised of archive/concert footage, neither are considered her directorial debuts.

1 Taylor Swift Song Is The Perfect Inspiration For Her Directorial Debut (& Has The Actress To Prove It)

Taylor swift’s all too well short film suggests she’s ready to helm a feature, swift wrote & directed the 15-minute short film for the 10-minute vault track from red (taylor's version).

Every music video directed by Swift has demonstrated her keen eye and knack for visual storytelling, but All Too Well: The Short Film proves that she truly has what it takes to helm a feature film. As part of the release of her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version) , on November 12, 2021, Swift wrote and directed a 15-minute short film adaptation of the vault track " All Too Well (10 Minute Version) ," the unabridged version of the 5-minute Red track of the same name.

Starring Sadie Sink as the song's narrator and Dylan O'Brien as her older boyfriend, All Too Well: The Short Film brings the titular song's story to life onscreen , exploring the different phases of the whirlwind relationship and where it all went wrong. The song serves as a musical backdrop for the short, broken up only by a three-minute verbal dispute between the central couple. At the end of the film, Swift appears as an older version of Sink's character (who is a self-insert for a younger Swift) thirteen years later.

Why Taylor Swift Fans Think All Too Well Is About Jake Gyllenhaal

The renowned work Swift did on All Too Well: The Short Film and the project's positive reception prove that a feature film would be in good hands with Swift at the helm.

All Too Well: The Short Film received high praise and won several major awards, including the Grammy for Best Music Video. The short film also had a limited theatrical run and was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11, 2022, and the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022. The renowned work Swift did on All Too Well: The Short Film and the project's positive reception prove that a feature film would be in good hands with Swift at the helm.

All Too Well Film: Every Taylor Swift Easter Egg & Reference

The eras tour movie’s success proves taylor swift’s box office power, the eras tour movie broke several box office records.

All Too Well: The Short Film proves that Swift could pull off directing a feature film on a craft level, and the commercial success of The Eras Tour movie shows that Swift is a major force to be reckoned with at the box office. During its three-month theatrical run, The Eras Tour movie earned $261.7 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo ), surpassing Justin Bieber: Never Say Never as the highest-grossing concert film of all time. The Eras Tour movie broke several other box office records and was even nominated for the first-ever Golden Globe for Best Box Office Achievement.

The Eras Tour movie's success continued to reach new heights when an extended cut called Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor's Version) hit streaming on March 14, 2024. Garnering 4.6 million views and 16.2 million hours viewed on Disney+ during its opening weekend, The Eras Tour movie broke a Disney+ streaming record and became the most streamed concert film on the platform.

With these stats, it's clear that Swift can attract audiences no matter the viewing medium. Her star power alone would be enough to sell tickets out the door and rack up views via streaming for her feature directorial debut, making her a bankable film director to invest in. If Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour has taught the world anything, it's that Swift's pull should not be underestimated.

Source: Box Office Mojo

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

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Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is a film rendition of the colossal worldwide event that sees the legendary pop star hit the stage in a specially curated film event. Performing the hits of her over seventeen-year career in music, The Eras Tour highlights Taylor Swift and her team as they put on a show of a lifetime.

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The Best Biography

Taylor Swift (American Singer-Songwriter) Biography

December 14, 2023 by Sophia Leave a Comment

Taylor Swift is an American singer-songwriter who was born on December 13, 1989. The music industry and popular culture have been impacted by her songwriting, artistic ability, and business acumen. Her life has also received much media coverage.

Swift signed with Big Machine Records in 2005 to start a career as a country singer, having started writing songs professionally at the age of 14. Under the label, she put out six studio albums, the first four of which, Taylor Swift (2006), were played on country radio. With the help of the country pop hits “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me” from her second album, Fearless (2008), she shot to mainstream success. The rock inspirations of Speak Now (2010) were combined with electronic elements in Red (2012), which also featured Swift’s first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”. With the synth-pop album 1989 (2014), which was backed by the number-one hits “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “Bad Blood,” she broke away from her country image. The hip-hop-flavored Reputation (2017) and its #1 position were inspired by media scrutiny.

Table of Contents

Taylor Swift Info

In 2018, Taylor Alison Swift joined Republic Records. In addition to the eclectic pop album Lover (2019) and the autobiographical documentary Miss Americana (2020), she also released four re-recorded albums with the title Taylor’s Version following an issue with Big Machine. In 2020, she embraced indie folk and alternative rock with the releases of Folklore and Evermore, and in 2022, she explored subtle pop styles with Midnights. The number-one hits “Cruel Summer,” “Cardigan,” “Willow,” “Anti-Hero,” “All Too Well,” and “Is It Over Now?” came from these albums. Her 2023–2024 concert tour, The Eras Tour, holds the record for highest grossing performance ever. Swift directed movies like All Too Well: The Short Film (2021) and music videos.

Taylor Swift Life and Career:

On December 13, 1989,  in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Taylor Alison Swift was born. The singer-songwriter James Taylor inspired her name. Her mother, Andrea Gardner Swift (née Finlay), is a former homemaker who previously worked as a mutual fund marketing executive. Her father, Scott Kingsley Swift, is a former stockbroker for Merrill Lynch. Taylor is of Scottish, German, and Italian ancestry. Her younger brother is the actor Austin Swift. Marjorie Finlay, their maternal grandmother, sang opera.

Taylor Swift was raised on a Christmas tree farm that her father had acquired from a customer. Her faith is in Christ. Before moving to the Wyndcroft School, she attended the Bernadine Franciscan sisters’ Alvernia Montessori School for preschool and kindergarten. The family relocated to a rented home in the Pennsylvanian suburb of Wyomissing, where Swift enrolled in Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School . She performed in a neighborhood coffee shop during the summers in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, until she was fourteen years old. Swift participated in four plays at the Berks Youth Theatre Academy when she was nine years old and developed a passion in musical theater.In addition, she routinely flew to New York City for acting and singing instruction Later, Swift turned her attention to country music, saying that Shania Twain’s songs made her “want to just run around the block four times and daydream about everything”. She performed at local festivals and events on the weekends. Swift believed she had to relocate to Nashville, Tennessee, in order to pursue a career in music after viewing a documentary about Faith Hill. At the age of eleven, she went there with her mother to see record labels and brought demo cassettes of Dixie Chicks and Dolly Parton karaoke covers. Nevertheless, she was turned down since “everyone in that town. wanted to carry out my desires. I therefore kept telling myself that I needed to find a way to stand out.

Taylor Swift learned to play the guitar from local musician and computer repairman Ronnie Cremer when she was about twelve years old. She wrote “Lucky You” as a result of Cremer’s assistance with her initial songwriting attempts. Talent agent Dan Dymtrow, headquartered in New York, began working with Swift and her parents in 2003. With his assistance, Swift met with big musical labels, had an original song included on a Maybelline compilation CD, and modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch as part of their “Rising Stars” campaign. Swift, who was 13 at the time, won an artist development agreement after singing original songs at an RCA Records showcase. She subsequently started traveling to Nashville often with her mother. In order to facilitate Swift’s entry into the country music industry, her father moved to Merrill Lynch’s. When she was fourteen, her family moved to Hendersonville, Tennessee, and she started working at a Nashville office. After two years at Hendersonville High School, Swift transferred to Aaron Academy, which better fit her homeschooling schedule for touring. She received her diploma a year ahead of schedule.

Taylor Swift Career Beginnings And First Album :

Taylor Swift performed in Nashville with seasoned Music Row musicians including the Warren Brothers, Troy Verges, Brett Beavers, Brett James, and Mac McAnally. And established a long-lasting collaboration with Liz Rose.38 They started getting together every Tuesday afternoon after school for two-hour writing sessions. “Some of the easiest I’ve ever done,” Rose said of the sessions. I was essentially simply her editor. She would write about her day’s events at school. What she was attempting to communicate was so obvious to her. And she would enter with the most amazing hooks.” Swift was the youngest performer to be signed by the Sony/ATV Tree publishing house . However, she left the company at the age of 14 because of RCA Records’ lack of success, which was eventually acquired by Sony Music.

In 2005, while attending an industry presentation at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, DreamWorks Records executive Scott Borchetta became interested in Taylor Alison Swift. At the time, Borchetta was preparing to launch Big Machine Records, an independent record label. 2004 was when she had first encountered Borchetta. Her father paid an estimated $120,000 for a three-percent interest in the company. She was one of Big Machine’s first signings. Feeling she had the appropriate “chemistry” with producer Nathan Chapman, she started working on her self-titled debut album. Swift co-authored eight of the album’s songs alongside Rose, Robert Ellis Orrall, Brian Maher, and Angelo Petraglia, and penned three of the songs by herself. October 24, 2006 saw the release of Taylor Swift. Chris Neal, a critic at Country Weekly, thought Swift was superior to earlier aspirant Her “honesty, intelligence and idealism” made her a favorite among teenage country artists. The album lasted 157 weeks at number five on the U.S. Billboard 200, making it the album with the longest chart stay of any U.S. release of the 2000s. Swift made history by being the first female country music performer to create or co-write every song on a debut album certified platinum in the US.

Taylor Swift Net Worth

According to Bloomberg, Taylor Swift net worth in  2023 is $1.1 billion  which is  INR 91,587 crore  approx in rupees. The 33-year-old has recently broke all records after her Eras tour concert making her the  first pop star to join the billionaire’s club . The self-made woman has made the world cheer up for her ever since she first released her debut album and is a real inspiration for all. By  creating relatable songs inspired by her own heartbreak stories, Taylor Swift has been continuously touching the hearts of her audiences!  Her massive fan following speaks for the music she has been creating for 17 years.

Taylor Swift Albums

Taylor swift fast fact.

• Taylor Swift is a Grammy Award-winning artist. …
• She was born on December 13, 1989. …
• Taylor Swift’s debut album was released in 2006. …
• She has successfully transitioned to pop music. …
• Taylor Swift is known for writing her own songs. …
• She has a dedicated fan base called the “Swifties.” …
• Taylor Swift has acted in several films.

Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez’s Friendship

Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift are still friends for a long time. The pop singers became good friends as a result of their initial encounter in 2008 when they were both seeing a Jonas brother—Swift was seeing Joe Jonas, while Gomez was connected to Nick Jonas.

The two have shown us numerous hints of their close relationship over the years, including when they support one another at award events, celebrate significant life events together, and occasionally collaborate. Gomez previously appeared in Swift’s “Bad Blood” music video and has performed behind the singer on a number of her tours. See some of the cutest times that Gomez and Swift have ever shared as friends.

August 2008: The Jonas Brothers introduces Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift. When Taylor Alison Swift and Gomez went out to dinner with Joe and Nick Jonas, who they were each dating at the time, in August 2008, everyone noticed that they were hanging out.

Actually, the Jonas Brothers and I dated together! In 2017, Gomez said to KISS FM UK, “It was hilarious.” “Because Taylor was the girl with the large curly hair, all the bracelets, and the cowboy boots, it was incredible.” We just clicked, and I was obviously on the rise as well,” Gomez remarked, before humorously stating, “That was the best thing we got out of those connections.

October 20, 2009: Selena Gomez says she turns to Taylor Swift for love advice

During an interview with  Seventeen , Gomez named the “Love Story” singer as the friend she goes to for love advice. “Every single problem I ever have is healable by Taylor Swift!” she told the publication.

“If I ever I have an issue, Taylor Swift has gone through it, because she’s older than me, and she gives the most thought-out answers. And what I love about Taylor is that she does believe in the whole love story and Prince Charming and soul mates. Because of her, I haven’t lost faith. We literally talk every day. Swift and Gomez channeled Hollywood glamour as they attended the  Vanity Fair  Oscar Party in February 2011.

As Gomez rang in her 21st birthday, Swift shared a sweet note for her pal on Twitter. Alongside a photo of the pair posing alongside a mermaid statue, Swift wrote, “Happy 21st birthday to my friend, and the closest thing I’ve ever had to a sister, selenagomez”!

December 8, 2023: Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez attend Ramy Youssef’s comedy show

After Gomez confirmed her romance with producer Benny Blanco, the “Single Soon” singer stepped out with Taylor Alison Swift in New York City as they attended Ramy Youssef’s comedy show. The show, which also included Cara Delevingne, Anya Taylor-Joy and Zoë Kravitz, gave 100% of its proceeds to support the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East through the American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA).

Achievements of Taylor Alison Swift :

In the vast landscape of the music industry, few names shine as brightly as Taylor Alison Swift. From the tender age of 14, she embarked on a journey that would weave a tapestry of achievements and milestones. This blog celebrates the remarkable career of Taylor Swift, highlighting the myriad accomplishments that have solidified her status as a global icon. Taylor Swift’s trophy cabinet boasts an impressive collection of Grammy Awards. With a staggering total of 10 wins (as of the last knowledge update in 2022), including prestigious categories like Album of the Year and Song of the Year, she stands as one of the most decorated artists in Grammy history.

Beyond her musical prowess, Taylor Swift has demonstrated a keen entrepreneurial spirit. From fragrance lines to partnerships with major brands, she has successfully expanded her brand beyond the realms of music. This venture into business showcases her versatility and strategic acumen.

Taylor Swift’s gift for songwriting has been a cornerstone of her success. In recognition of her exceptional contributions to the craft, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, solidifying her status as a maestro of lyricism and storytelling. Taylor Swift’s reign on the Billboard charts is nothing short of regal. With multiple albums debuting at number one and a litany of chart-topping singles, she has etched her name in the annals of music history. Her ability to consistently break records and set new milestones speaks volumes about her enduring appeal.

Taylor Swift Career Achievements

• Grammy Awards:  Taylor Swift has secured 12 Grammy wins, with notable victories for albums like “Fearless” (2009), “1989” (2015), and “Folklore” (2020), including Album of the Year awards.
• American Music Awards:  She holds a remarkable record with 40 American Music Awards wins, surpassing all other artists.
• Billboard Music Awards:  Taylor Swift, as a female artist, has clinched 29 Billboard Music Awards, making her the most awarded in this category.
• MTV Video Music Awards:  Her impressive collection includes 14 MTV Video Music Awards, highlighted by Video of the Year titles for songs like “Bad Blood,” “You Need To Calm Down,” and “All Too Well: The Short Film.”
• Country Music Association Awards:  Taylor Swift’s tally stands at 12 Country Music Association Awards, including the prestigious Entertainer of the Year in both 2011 and 2020.
• Academy of Country Music Awards:  She has won 8 Academy of Country Music Awards during her illustrious career.
• Brit Awards:  Taylor Swift boasts 2 Brit Awards to her name.
• Primetime Emmy Award:  She earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for “Beautiful Ghosts” from the film “Cats.”
• Guinness World Records:  Taylor Swift holds an astonishing 98 Guinness World Records, including distinctions like the most albums sold by a female artist in the 21st century and the most certified albums by a female artist in the US.
• Time 100:  She has been recognized as one of the most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2010, 2015, and 2019.

Taylor Swift Car Collection

Taylor Swift’s car collection includes a variety of vehicles, ranging from practical to high-end which add to Taylor Swift net worth 2023:

• Pink Chevy Silverado
• Mercedes-Benz Viano
• Black Toyota Sequoia
• Porsche 911 Turbo
• Nissan Qashqai

With an estimated net worth exceeding $740 million, she has the means to indulge in a diverse range of automotive choices.

Taylor Swift Real Estate Portfolio

Taylor Swift’s real estate empire significantly contributes to her overall net worth. Here’s a list of her known properties:

• Primrose Hill townhouse: $8.3 million
• Tribeca Penthouse: $18 million
• New York expansion: $9.75 million
• Watch Hill seaside estate: $17 million
• Beverly Hills estate: $25 million

Taylor Swift’s real estate holdings include:

• Luxurious bungalow in New York City
• Properties in Nashville and Forest Island, Tennessee
• Seven-bedroom beachfront mansion in Watch Hill, Rhode Island
• Goldwyn Mansion in Beverly Hills, California

Taylor Swift has rerecorded three of her albums, namely:

• “Red (Taylor’s Version)”  released in 2021.
• “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”  released in 2023.
• “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”  released in 2021.
• She is also in the process of rerecording her most popular album,  “1989,”  which has not yet been released. “1989,” the album she’s rerecording, holds the record as the highest-grossing album of all time, having sold 14,748,116 copies.

Taylor Swift Boyfriend

Taylor Swift ended her headline-making year with her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. On Dec. 31, Time magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year cheered on the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium as they took on the Cincinnati Bengals and emerged victorious, winning 25-17.

Taylor Swift gets a lot of extremely unfair shit for dating celebrities and then writing songs about them. But without Taylor’s openness and honesty about her romantic life and exes, we wouldn’t have some of her best lyrical work—including her collaboration with a certain someone who goes by the name William Bowery or an entire rerelease of  Speak Now  (come for the extended track list, stay for the John Mayer shade!). And, of course, we wouldn’t have the Swiftian magnum opus that is “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)(Taylor’s Version)[From the Vault]” if it weren’t for the twin flame bruise that painted her blue. Moving right along!

Taylor Swift Quotes !

Here are some of the famous Taylor Swift Quotes that is evergreen:

• “People haven’t always been there for me, but music always has.”
• “I think fearless is having fears but jumping anyway.”
• “In life and love, you learn that there comes a time to let go and move on.”
• “The lesson I’ve learned the most often in life is that you’re always going to know more in the future than you know now.”
• “I’ll never change, but I’ll never stay the same either.”
• “I’m the girl who still believes prince charming exists somewhere out there.”
• “Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear.”
• “The only way to deal with pain in this life is to find a way to use it to connect with other people.”
• “The idea of happily ever after is in movies and books. But in real life, it takes a lot of work.”
• “You are not the opinion of someone who doesn’t know you.”
• “Silence speaks so much louder than screaming tantrums. Never give anyone an excuse to say that you’re crazy.”
• “People are going to judge you anyway, so you might as well do what you want.”

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce sharing a kiss at a New Year Party 2024 !

Taylor Swift brought in New Year with a perfect kiss from boyfriend Travis Kelce. The lovebirds were spotted dancing with arms wrapped around each other at a party, as per a video posted by a fan on X (Formerly Twitter). Taylor went to party after attending the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cincinnati Bengals game. (Also read: Overjoyed Taylor Swift spotted cheering on Travis Kelce during game with Bengals on New Year’s Eve in Kansas City).

Taylor and Travis were seen dancing with each other on the dance floor. Taylor had her hands around Travis’s shoulders whereas Travis held her close. The two, who have been public with their relationship for a while now, did not seem to mind the other people around. Taylor opted for a light blue gown with her hair tied up in a neat bun. Travis opted for a black coat and trousers. The short video, which seems to be taken at the post-game party in Kansas City, was captured by a fan and shared by the singer’s fan account on X. The caption read: “Taylor and Travis ringing in the New Year’s with a kiss in KC!”

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Amazon's Bestselling Taylor Swift Biography Is On Sale for $5 & Makes the Perfect Gift for Swifties

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

As Swifties wait for Taylor Swift's upcoming 11th studio album , a new book has climbed to the top of the charts and promises to provide a deep-dive into the "August" singer's life.

Who Is Taylor Swift? joins the growing list of WhoHQ's biographies about artists and notable figures, including Travis Kelce , Bad Bunny and Dolly Parton . The illustrated book was released on April 2 and has earned the label of No. 1 bestseller on Amazon for children's musical biographies.

Compared to the rest of the Swift books on the market, this one is also kid-friendly, making it the perfect gift for parents looking to teach their children about the Grammy-winning artist at a young age.

Keep reading to to shop the book deal now.

"Who Is Taylor Swift?" by Kristen Anderson

Throughout 112 pages, Who Is Taylor Swift? details the Billboard Hot 100 chart topper's life from growing up on a tree farm in Pennsylvania to her music reinvention and multiple award wins. You'll also be able to look at illustrations of the singer by artist Gregory Copeland.

Fans new and seasoned can enjoy flipping through its pages; even verified Amazon reviewers can't get enough of the book with one Swiftie commenting that they "still learned a few things [they] didn't know."

And, if you're looking to further expand your merch collection, you can pick up a copy of Taylor Swift Mad Libs and a popular fashion book that details some of her most notable style moments. If you want to infuse some of her style into your closet, then you can also snag the exact Aupen purse she's sported and more of her best outfits if you need some costume ideas to wear if you plan on getting tickets to the Eras tour .

For more product recommendations , check out our roundups of the best female musician memoirs , music books and Taylor Swift recommended books .

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Kelce bros bring 'New Heights' live show to Fifth Third Arena

Some of uc’s most well-known alumni today return to uc for special event, podcast recording.

Event Information (passed)

New venue update : Due to extreme weather forecasted, the show will now take place in  Fifth Third Arena.

University of Cincinnati alumni and NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce are returning to campus for one night only.

The Bearcat brothers are bringing their popular "New Heights" podcast to Fifth Third Arena on Thursday, April 11, for a live recording with special guests, student games and some surprises.

The evening kicks off at 7 p.m. with the Great “Lombaby” Games, in which UC students will face off in a number of fun challenges.

The show, “New Heights Live: We Gotta Talk About It,” begins at 9 p.m. and will be recorded and released on the podcast next week. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was recently announced as a special guest , with more surprises still under wraps. It’s promised to be an unforgettable night in the heart of UC’s campus.

Tickets are now sold out.

Travis Kelce in his Bearcat days. Photo courtesy of UC Althetics

Everything you need to know about ‘New Heights Live’

Who are jason and travis kelce, and why are they coming to uc.

Brothers, Bearcats, Super Bowl champions and future Hall of Famers Jason and Travis Kelce may hail from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, but they always rep Cincy. 

Older brother Jason attended UC from 2006-2010 before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011. Just last month, Jason announced his retirement from the NFL after 13 years as the center and team leader for the team.

Travis attended UC from 2008-2012, playing alongside Jason during their overlapping years. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013, and he’s played there for his entire career. The superstar tight end is on the heels of his third Super Bowl win. Oh, and he’s Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.

Read more about the Kelce brothers.

What better place to host a live show than their alma mater?

@newheightshow INTRODUCING THE LOMBABY GAMES 👀🏆 Our live show on April 11th will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Tickets on sale at noon ET. Full details in today’s new episode premiering NOW! Link in bio ♬ original sound - New Heights

What is ‘New Heights?’

“New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” is a top-ranked sports podcast launched by the brothers in September 2022. In the weekly show they dissect NFL games and news, including their own performances each week, talk shop with special guests and, as the Kelces have become increasingly popular outside of football — cough, cough, Taylor Swift — share a peek into their personal lives.

What to expect from the live show

Organizers liken it to a concert. Doors open at 5 p.m. The “first act” begins at 7 p.m. with the first-ever Great “Lombaby” Games, a series of Olympic-style challenges in which 10 Bearcat athletes will take on 10 fellow students, with the Kelces serving as commentators/referees. (The name is a nod to the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which is awarded to the winning Super Bowl team. If you know, you know.)

After a brief intermission, the live podcast show is set to begin around 9 p.m. Besides the announcement of special guest Joe Burrow , details on the night have been sparse. The guys have teased everything from Skyline Chili to Adriatico’s Pizza, cannons to live animals, while promising more tangible elements like trivia and Q&As. The mystery is part of the fun.

Jason Kelce playing for the Bearcats. Photo courtesy of UC Athletics

Where to park

Event parking is available at Campus Green and Woodside garages starting at 3 p.m. and can be purchased online in advance for $13 or $15 day-of.

Will Taylor Swift be there?

While there is a promise of surprise guests (and Swift is on a break from her international tour until May), don’t count on it.

How do I get tickets?

Students can register for a chance to receive free tickets to a dedicated student section at gobearcats.com/newheights . Proceeds benefit Cincy Reigns.

What is Cincy Reigns?

Cincy Reigns is UC’s official Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) collective, which helps recruit and retain top UC student-athletes.

Read about NIL at UC.

@newheightshow first stop: Pizza 🍕 next stop: NIPPERT STADIUM BABY Get your tix to NEW HEIGHTS LIVE! Link in bio ♬ original sound - New Heights

What else do I need to know?

Concessions and New Heights merch will be available for purchase.

Fifth Third Arena has a clear bag policy. See full rules online.

Find more info and tips at GoBearcats.com .

Featured image at top: Travis (left) and Jason Kelce share a moment on the field after facing off in Super Bowl LVII. Travis led his Kansas City Chiefs to victory. Photo courtesy of UC Athletics.

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Taylor Swift Mural in Chicago Contains a Secret ‘Tortured Poets Department’ Message

The countdown to Taylor Swift ’s The Tortured Poets Department is on, but what does the number “321” mean?

That was the question facing Swifties in Chicago on Monday, April 15, after a mural went up on a building at 33 W. Grand Avenue, according to the Chicago Sun-Times . Painters put up a black-and-white piece on the side of the Windy City building, and when done, onlookers saw a QR code amid a mass of messy lettering.

Upon closer look, both the type and the QR code itself were made up of lowercase “ttpd” letters and the number “13.” The text was painted as if it came straight from the typewriter Swift, 34, has used in the promotional material for the album arriving Friday, April 19.

Those who scanned the QR code with their phones discovered a secret, unlisted Short on Swift’s official YouTube page . The video shows an ink-smudged piece of paper, the words “ERROR 321” being typed out slowly. There seems to be a faded “13” in the paper, which scrolls down once “ERROR 321” is typed out.

Related: Everything to Know About 'The Tortured Poets Department'

This is not the first time Swifties have been graced by “Error 321.” Hours before Swift announced TTPD after winning Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2024 Grammys, her official website went down. Fans who attempted to access it were greeted with what looked like a bunch of code, along with a message: “Error 321 Backend fetch failed / Backend fetch failed / hneriergrd / DPT: 321 / Vanish Cache Server.”

🚨| The QR code in Chicago for Taylor Swift’s “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT” is near completion #TSTTPD pic.twitter.com/Iun2Ca3krK — The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) April 15, 2024

Fans quickly decoded the jumble of letters to read “red herring” and “DPT” as the reverse initials for the Tortured Poets Department .

Swift, 34, has dropped many clues ahead of TTPD ’s release, including words hidden within the Apple Music lyric pages for her music. After the platform’s X account changed its bio to read “a word a day till the [Swift] album drops,” fans began a frantic search. Soon, they discovered capitalized letters within the lyric page for “Glitch,” a song off Midnights . The letters spelled out the word “Hereby.”

Since then, the other words uncovered were “Conduct” and “This.” Some fans theorize that the message with the Apple Music easter eggs will be “I Hereby Conduct This,” with others theorizing the next word is “ POST .”

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The rollout of TTPD has led some fans to reevaluate Swift’s relationship with actor Joe Alwyn. Swift and Alwyn, 33, broke up in April 2023 after six years of dating. Although their breakup seemed amicable, insiders told Us Weekly that Alwyn wasn’t prepared to deal with the fame and scrutiny that came with dating one of the most famous artists on the planet.

Related: News of Taylor Swift, Joe Alwyn's Split Broke 1 Year Ago: What Happened Next

Yet, fans’ perception of Alwyn seemingly shifted after Swift released a series of Apple Music playlists, each one dealing with the stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). Fans noticed that many of the tracks on the “Denial” playlist were believed to be about Alwyn or cowritten by him under his William Bowery pen name. The title track of Lover , her 2019 album, was also included.

When releasing the playlist, Swift said these were songs about ”getting so caught up in the idea of something that you have a hard time seeing the red flags possibly resulting in moments of denial and maybe a little bit of delusion.”

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