Taylor Swift is the best-selling artist in music history with a catalogue that spans over 13 albums. The songwriter is also one of the most influential female figures in modern pop culture and is a major player in Hollywood. She has an unparalleled ability to communicate the intricacies of love, loss and the nuances of the human experience. From the country romance of her teens to the imperial pop of her twenties and ambivalent ruminations of her thirties, she’s been a constant companion to generations of fans.
Born and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania, she started singing and performing from an early age. She was exposed to musical theatre through her parents and took part in Berks Youth Theatre Academy productions of shows like Grease and Bye Bye Birdie. Her love of writing and singing would eventually lead her to Nashville, Tennessee. Here, she met her first producer and secured an artist development deal with Big Machine Records.
It was around this time that she began writing songs of her own and began to perform in local venues and talent shows. She quickly garnered a following and gained the attention of record executive Scott Borchetta, who signed her to his label. This was the beginning of her meteoric rise to fame.
Swift’s first single from her self-titled debut album was the eponymous track, which reached number five on the US Billboard chart and won her the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 2007. The song is a tribute to her childhood memories growing up in the small town and her feelings of isolation as she made her way into the adult world.
While this may seem like a lighthearted tune, the song is actually quite sad and deals with the pains of heartbreak. It has become a anthem for anyone who has ever been through a breakup. The lyrics are haunting and the piano chords are powerful and beautiful. The song has since been covered by several other artists and remains one of the most popular songs by Taylor Swift.
With a slow, sweeping melody and acoustic guitar, this is another heartbreaking song from Taylor Swift. It’s about the end of a relationship, and Taylor sings about the ways that love can disappear through a series of little paper cuts instead of a big explosion. This is an important and underrated song from Swift’s discography.
Although Swift has a penchant for addressing topics that are both universal and personal, she’s also not afraid to take risks. This is especially apparent in the song “Evermore” featuring Bon Iver. It’s a hypnotic track that reflects on the aftermath of a broken heart and how it can feel as if winter never ends. The collaboration between the two artists is flawless, and Taylor’s vocal range pushes her past comfort zone on this song. It’s a must listen for Swift fans.
