Taylor Swift, born on December 13, 1989, is a singer-songwriter who’s known for her unique brand of pop music. A magician on stage and a pacifier for broken hearts, she has been writing and performing since she was 12. Her first song, “Lucky You,” was written after her ex-boyfriend broke up with her in 2007 and became an instant hit. The song, along with her subsequent albums, brought her international fame and a slew of awards. In the years since, Swift has racked up many accolades, including BMI Songwriter of the Year and multiple Grammy nominations.
During her early career, Taylor performed at local talent competitions and amphitheaters. She gained a reputation for her performances, eventually winning a spot on the national tour of LeAnn Rimes’s Big Deal in 2004. While on the tour, she met producer Scott Borchetta and signed a development deal with his Big Machine Records. She would go on to release three studio albums and a handful of singles in her early years with the label.
With her fourth album, Red (2012), Taylor worked with producers Max Martin and Shellback and songwriters Nathan Chapman and Liz Rose. The album took a more experimental approach to country music and introduced new genres to her repertoire, such as heartland rock and dubstep. It was the highest-selling country album of all time, and the Red Tour grossed over $150 million.
On her sixth album, reputation (2014), she wrote about more nuanced relationship issues and created a larger narrative to accompany the record. It was one of the most successful comebacks in music history, and its lead single, Look What You Made Me Do, was a massive hit.
The next year, she surprised fans by releasing the re-recording of her fourth album, Red (Taylor’s Version), which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 charts and earned the title of the longest-running #1 for a single record in chart history.
For her eighth studio album, folklore (2019), Taylor worked with several producers and songwriters, including Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner of The National, and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon. The album also includes a collaboration with HAIM, who appeared on the singles for the project.
In addition to her work as a musician, Swift has also had success in the film industry. She starred as Bombalurina in the movie adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Cats and co-wrote and produced the documentary Miss Americana, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Festival and was released on Netflix in 2021.
In the past few years, Swift has expanded her career to include acting, directing, and fashion design. In addition to her own clothing line, she’s collaborated with brands like Gucci and Adidas on limited edition collections. She has also been seen on the runways of the world’s top designers and in ads for brands such as Prada and Chanel. Taylor has even taken on the role of costume designer for various films and television shows, including The CW’s Riverdale.
