Taylor Swift is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. She is known for her confessional songwriting and narrative storytelling. She is also a philanthropist who supports many causes including education, disaster relief, and LGBTQ rights. She has a wide range of interests, including fashion and cooking, and loves to try new restaurants and recipes. She also likes to travel and spend time with her friends.
The daughter of Scott Kingsley Swift, a stockbroker, and Andrea Gardner Swift, Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in West Reading, Pennsylvania. She spent her early years on a Christmas tree farm with her parents and attended preschool and elementary school at the Alvernia Montessori School, followed by the Wyomissing Area Junior-Senior High School. She took vocal and acting lessons in New York City and later decided to focus on country music, inspired by the careers of Shania Twain and Faith Hill.
In 2004, Swift began writing songs and recording demos. After attending a music industry showcase at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, she caught the attention of record executive Scott Borchetta, who was in the process of forming Big Machine Records. Borchetta signed Swift, who became one of the label’s first artists.
The singer released her debut album, Speak Now, in 2008 and it peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200. The album received critical acclaim and earned her numerous awards, such as Best Country Album at the Grammys and BMI Awards and Entertainer of the Year at the CMAs and ACMs. The Speak Now World Tour, which lasted from 2011 to 2012, grossed over $123 million.
Her next studio album, Fearless, was released in 2013 and it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of over a million copies. The album was a huge commercial success and gave Swift her fourth consecutive number one on the chart. The album was critically acclaimed and spawned three singles, with the highest being the title track. The album topped the Billboard 200 charts for over a month and was certified Diamond by the RIAA.
In 2021, Swift made her directorial debut with the short film All Too Well, which accompanied the 10-minute re-recording of her 2012 album Red. The same year, she contributed the original song Eyes Open and Safe & Sound to the soundtrack for The Hunger Games, earning her another Grammy nomination.
She has been a regular guest on the talk show circuit and has participated in several charitable events. She has been an advocate for mental health awareness and has spoken out against sexual assault. In late 2018, she donated $100,000 to help the victims of the Las Vegas shooting and was named an ambassador for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
