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Biography
Born in 1989.
As the defining artist of the 21st century, Taylor Swift is more than a global superstar—she is a cultural force shaping the music industry and beyond. A masterful songwriter and storyteller, she has built an empire on deeply personal, self-penned songs that transcend genres and generations. From country roots to pop dominance and indie experimentation, her evolution has been fearless. But Taylor is more than the sum of her record-breaking achievements—her influence is seismic. With her work spanning music, film, business, and philanthropy, she has redefined what it means to be an artist in the modern era. Her ability to turn personal narratives into universal anthems has not only rewritten the history books but also solidified her as a beacon of authenticity and power. Yet Taylor proves time and time again that record-setting success has not changed her inherent nature.
Taylor is a 14-time Grammy winner and a powerhouse in the music industry—not just as a singer and songwriter, but also as a musician, producer, director, and businesswoman. She made history as the first musician to be named TIME’s “Person of the Year” and the first solo artist to win the Grammy for “Album of the Year” four times.
She has also been recognized as Billboard’s first-ever “Woman of the Decade” and remains the only artist to been named its “Woman of the Year” twice. At the American Music Awards, she was honored as “Artist of the Decade,” and she holds a record unmatched by any artist—seven of her albums sold over one million copies in the US in their first week of release: Speak Now, RED, 1989, reputation, Midnights, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), and THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT.
Beyond music, Taylor has earned also earned an Emmy Award and has become the first musician in history to reach billionaire status primarily through music, thanks to her unparalleled success in album sales, streaming, and touring.
She has also been recognized as Billboard’s first-ever “Woman of the Decade” and remains the only artist to been named its “Woman of the Year” twice. At the American Music Awards, she was honored as “Artist of the Decade,” and she holds a record unmatched by any artist—seven of her albums sold over one million copies in the US in their first week of release: Speak Now, RED, 1989, reputation, Midnights, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), and THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT.
Beyond music, Taylor has earned also earned an Emmy Award and has become the first musician in history to reach billionaire status primarily through music, thanks to her unparalleled success in album sales, streaming, and touring.
Table of Contents
Early Life
Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania. The daughter of two bankers – her father, Scott Kingsley Swift, worked at Merrill Lynch; her mother Andrea spent time as a mutual fund marketing executive — Taylor was raised on a Christmas Tree Farm in suburban Wyomissing together with her younger brother Austin. She began to show interest in music at the age of nine, and Shania Twain wound up as her biggest formative influence. Soon, she learned how to play guitar and began writing songs, signing a music management deal with Dan Dymtrow. Taylor started to work regularly at local talent contests, eventually winning a chance to open for Charlie Daniels. When she was eleven, she took her homemade demo tapes to Nashville and continued traveling back and forth to Music City for the next three years. At fourteen, Taylor and her family permanently moved to the Nashville suburb of Hendersonville, Tennessee, with the intent of furthering her music career. At the time she was already on the radar of the music industry, signing a development deal with RCA Records in 2004. Taylor sharpened her skills with a variety of professional songwriters, forming the strongest connections with Liz Rose. Taylor’s original songs earned her a deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, but not long after that 2004 deal she parted ways with Dymtrow and RCA, all with the intent of launching her recording career now, not later.
Things started moving swiftly once Taylor came to the attention of Scott Borchetta, a former DreamWorks Records exec about to launch Big Machine Records. Borchetta saw Taylor perform at a songwriters showcase at the Bluebird Cafe and he signed her to Big Machine in 2005; shortly afterward, she started work on her debut album with producer Nathan Chapman, who’d previously helmed demos for Taylor.
Things started moving swiftly once Taylor came to the attention of Scott Borchetta, a former DreamWorks Records exec about to launch Big Machine Records. Borchetta saw Taylor perform at a songwriters showcase at the Bluebird Cafe and he signed her to Big Machine in 2005; shortly afterward, she started work on her debut album with producer Nathan Chapman, who’d previously helmed demos for Taylor.
Taylor Swift – Country Prodigy
Taylor Swift appeared in October 2006 to strong reviews, boasting Taylor’s original song credits on every one of the record’s 11 songs (she penned three on her own), which touched upon topics like heartbreak and bullying she faced at school. Taylor made sure to work the album hard, appearing at every radio or television event offered and marshaling a burgeoning fan base through use of MySpace. “Tim McGraw,” the first song released from the album, did well but “Teardrops On My Guitar” and “Our Song” did even better on both the pop and country charts, where she racked up five consecutive Top Ten singles. Taylor’s honesty and relatability appealed to fans from all walks of life, and went on to become the longest-charting album of the 2000s, spending 227 weeks on the Billboard 200. Other successes followed in the wake of the debut — including a Grammy nomination for “Best New Artist” (she lost to Amy Winehouse) — but Taylor concentrated on delivering her sophomore set.
Fearless – The Breakthrough
Fearless, came in November 2008 and cemented her status as a country superstar, while tracks like “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me” also garnered mainstream attention. Not only did the record become her first No. 1 on the Billboard 200, but it also became the most-awarded country album of all time, winning accolades such as the Grammy Award for “Album of the Year“, the highest honor in the music industry. At the time, then-20-year-old Taylor was the youngest person to have ever received the award. In the process, Taylor found a mass audience. However, along with the success also came some headlines, first in the form of an infamous appearance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards where her acceptance speech was interrupted by Kanye West, who burst on-stage to declare that Beyoncé deserved the award more, but her romances also started gaining attention, notably a liaison with Twilight star Taylor Lautner, who appeared with the singer in the 2009 film Valentine’s Day.
Speak Now – Songwriting Masterclass
Following the success of Fearless, some had doubts about Taylor’s songwriting abilities. So she decided to write her third album, Speak Now, alone to prove herself. Released in October 2010, the album was another massive first-week smash that refused to lose momentum. Hit singles like “Mine” and “Mean,” which won two Grammys, played a big factor in its success not just on the country charts but on pop radio as well. It became the fastest-selling digital album by a female artist in the U.S., selling over 278,000 digital downloads in its first week and saw great success at fan-influenced shows like the Billboard Music Awards. By this point, Taylor had moved into the stratosphere of superstardom.
RED – A Signal Flare
Taylor turned toward following a pop path on her fourth album, hiring such mainstream musicians as Dan Wilson, Butch Walker, and Britney Spears producer Max Martin. This mainstream pulse was evident on “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” the first single from RED. Upon its October 2012 release, the album shattered expectations by selling over a million copies in its first week, a notable achievement that was doubly impressive in an era of declining sales. Once again, Taylor’s album had legs: it was certified platinum seven times in the U.S. and its international sales outstripped those of Speak Now by far. She supported RED with an international tour in 2013 and 2014 and more hits came, including “I Knew You Were Trouble.” and “22.” Despite being a cult-classic, RED eventually infamously lost the Grammy for “Album of the Year”, pushing Taylor to change her sound and approach to music entirely.
1989 – The Pop Album of the 2010s
As Taylor geared up for the release of her fifth album in 2014, she made it clear that 1989 was designed as her first “documented, official” pop album and that there would be no country marketing push for the record. 1989 cemented her status as a musical titan, becoming her third straight album to sell over one million copies in its first week (a new record for any artist). The record has spent eleven non-consecutive weeks at No. 1. Lead single “Shake It Off” became one of her biggest hits, earning Taylor her first diamond single by March 2020. Taylor gathered many awards during the subsequent year, including Billboard’s “Woman of the Year”, the “Award for Excellence” at the American Music Awards, and a special 50th Anniversary “Milestone Award” from the ACMs. Her “1989 World Tour” crossed Asia, North America, and Europe during the last half of 2015 and earned over 250 million dollars in revenue. At the end of the album cycle, Taylor won the coveted Grammy for “Album of the Year“ again (along with two other Grammys for the album), using her acceptance speech to applaud hard-working women and becoming the first woman to win “Album of the Year” twice, and for different genres.
reputation – The Comeback
Around the time of her triumphant Grammy win, Taylor became entangled in a highly-publicized feud with rapper Kanye West, who claimed that his interrupting her speech at the 2009 Video Music Awards was what “made [her] famous” on his track “Famous.” After standing up for herself and claiming West never told her he would call her a “bitch” on the song, the public turned against Taylor and began calling her things like a “snake” and a liar on social media. Following the backlash, Taylor took a hiatus from the spotlight, breaking her typical cycle of releasing an album every two years. During this time, she worked on songs like “This Is What You Came For,” which she wrote for then-boyfriend Calvin Harris under a pseudonym, “Better Man,” which she wrote for country group Little Big Town, and “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever,” a collaboration with ZAYN that appeared in the film Fifty Shades Darker became an international hit.
In August 2017, Taylor took a DJ who groped her to court, after he tried to sue her for defamation. She counter-sued for a symbolic $1 and the jury decided in her favor. Taylor told TIME that she went through with the trial to stand in solidarity with other survivors of sexual assault, which was especially poignant in the face of the #MeToo Movement that was rising at the time.
Just days after the case concluded, Taylor wiped her social media accounts to tease the release of “Look What You Made Me Do” and her sixth studio album, November 2017’s reputation. Despite the previous summer’s conflict, the record had her second biggest sales week to date, debuting at No. 1 and selling 1.21 million copies in the U.S. in its first week, more than all the other 199 albums on the Billboard chart combined. It also went on to become the best-selling U.S. album of 2018, despite its 2017 release, and won accolades like the American Music Award for “Favorite Pop/Rock Album”. Her 2018 “reputation Stadium Tour” also became the highest-grossing tour in US history.
In August 2017, Taylor took a DJ who groped her to court, after he tried to sue her for defamation. She counter-sued for a symbolic $1 and the jury decided in her favor. Taylor told TIME that she went through with the trial to stand in solidarity with other survivors of sexual assault, which was especially poignant in the face of the #MeToo Movement that was rising at the time.
Just days after the case concluded, Taylor wiped her social media accounts to tease the release of “Look What You Made Me Do” and her sixth studio album, November 2017’s reputation. Despite the previous summer’s conflict, the record had her second biggest sales week to date, debuting at No. 1 and selling 1.21 million copies in the U.S. in its first week, more than all the other 199 albums on the Billboard chart combined. It also went on to become the best-selling U.S. album of 2018, despite its 2017 release, and won accolades like the American Music Award for “Favorite Pop/Rock Album”. Her 2018 “reputation Stadium Tour” also became the highest-grossing tour in US history.
Lover – Artist of the Decade
reputation was Taylor’s last album with Big Machine Records before signing with Republic Records. Following her new contract, Scott Borchetta sold Big Machine Records to entertainment mogul and Taylor’s biggest enemy, Scooter Braun. Taylor took to social media to describe her hurt and disappointment, but vowed to re-record the albums Braun purchased so she could be the full owner.
Taylor’s dedication to artistic ownership became a large focus of the Lover era — she co-produced most tracks on the album, as well as directing or co-directing each music video, including “ME!”, “You Need To Calm Down“, “Lover” and “The Man“. She also became politically vocal, starting with an October 2018 Instagram post about the U.S. midterm elections and continuing with acts like her support of the LGBT community on “You Need to Calm Down.”
In November 2019, the American Music Awards named Taylor as the “Artist of the Decade”, and she performed a medley of some of her biggest hits at the ceremony. That night, she also beat Michael Jackson’s record to become the artist with the most AMA wins in history, earning her 29th award. The next month, Billboard named Taylor their “Woman of the Decade”. In January 2020, she released Miss Americana, a documentary directed by Lana Wilson that offered fans an unprecedented glimpse into Taylor’s everyday life and decision to speak up about politics, alongside “Only The Young”, a political track she wrote while recording Lover.
Taylor’s dedication to artistic ownership became a large focus of the Lover era — she co-produced most tracks on the album, as well as directing or co-directing each music video, including “ME!”, “You Need To Calm Down“, “Lover” and “The Man“. She also became politically vocal, starting with an October 2018 Instagram post about the U.S. midterm elections and continuing with acts like her support of the LGBT community on “You Need to Calm Down.”
In November 2019, the American Music Awards named Taylor as the “Artist of the Decade”, and she performed a medley of some of her biggest hits at the ceremony. That night, she also beat Michael Jackson’s record to become the artist with the most AMA wins in history, earning her 29th award. The next month, Billboard named Taylor their “Woman of the Decade”. In January 2020, she released Miss Americana, a documentary directed by Lana Wilson that offered fans an unprecedented glimpse into Taylor’s everyday life and decision to speak up about politics, alongside “Only The Young”, a political track she wrote while recording Lover.
folklore & evermore – The Definite Quarantine Albums
In July 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Taylor released her eighth studio album, folklore, after announcing it only a day before, making it her first “surprise” release. While most of her work is autobiographical, she notably focused on telling other people’s stories throughout the record. She went on to release folklore: the long pond studio sessions on the streaming service, Disney+, where she performed the entire album live for the first time. She released the follow-up project evermore in December 2020, expanding the stories she told on folklore, making history as both her second surprise release of the year, as well as her entire career. In March 2021, folklore won the Grammy Award for “Album of the Year”, making Taylor the only woman to have won this achievement thrice – she’s tied with Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon.
Re-Recordings – Taylor's Version
In April 2021, with little fanfare, Taylor released Fearless (Taylor’s Version), her first re-recorded album—a fresh take on her second studio record. This version not only included re-recordings of the original tracks but also featured six never-before-heard “From The Vault” songs that she had written between 2007 and 2009. The album’s success far exceeded Taylor’s expectations, and it was this overwhelming reception that led her to treat subsequent re-recordings as major events, each one carefully crafted and highly anticipated.
In November of the same year, she followed up with RED (Taylor’s Version), which included a stunning 30 tracks, including the long-awaited “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)“, a song that became a cultural phenomenon. Shortly after, in January 2022, New York University’s Clive Davis Institute introduced its first-ever course on Taylor, exploring her evolution as a creative music entrepreneur, the legacy of pop and country songwriters, and broader cultural themes like youth, girlhood, and race in contemporary popular music. Several other universities around the world introduced courses dedicated to analyzing Taylor’s career and impact as well. In May 2022, she served as the commencement speaker for NYU’s graduating Class of 2022 and received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree in recognition of her groundbreaking achievements as “one of the most prolific and celebrated artists of her generation.”
After years of anticipation, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) finally arrived on July 7, 2023, a moment that felt like both a homecoming and a powerful declaration of ownership. This was no ordinary re-recording—it was a return to a pivotal moment in Taylor’s career. Originally released in 2010, Speak Now was her entirely self-written album, marking a bold leap into artistic independence at just 20 years old. Now, over a decade later, the re-release not only showcased her lyrical mastery but was also a powerful statement about creative control and the relentless pursuit of artistic freedom—a mission that has defined her career.
Only three months later, on October 27, 2023, she gifted the world 1989 (Taylor’s Version), breathing new life into the pop masterpiece that had forever changed the musical landscape. Originally released exactly ten years earlier in 2014, 1989 marked Taylor’s bold leap from country star to global pop icon, and this re-recording felt like the soundtrack of her new career peak. The album wasn’t just a revival—it was a celebration of the sound and spirit that defined a generation and the re-recording sold even more copies in its debut week than the original did a decade earlier.
By reclaiming her masters, Taylor not only safeguarded her artistic legacy but also redefined what it means for artists to have control over their work. Each re-recorded album became an event, uniting fans worldwide and proving, once again, that Taylor’s music is timeless.
In November of the same year, she followed up with RED (Taylor’s Version), which included a stunning 30 tracks, including the long-awaited “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)“, a song that became a cultural phenomenon. Shortly after, in January 2022, New York University’s Clive Davis Institute introduced its first-ever course on Taylor, exploring her evolution as a creative music entrepreneur, the legacy of pop and country songwriters, and broader cultural themes like youth, girlhood, and race in contemporary popular music. Several other universities around the world introduced courses dedicated to analyzing Taylor’s career and impact as well. In May 2022, she served as the commencement speaker for NYU’s graduating Class of 2022 and received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree in recognition of her groundbreaking achievements as “one of the most prolific and celebrated artists of her generation.”
After years of anticipation, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) finally arrived on July 7, 2023, a moment that felt like both a homecoming and a powerful declaration of ownership. This was no ordinary re-recording—it was a return to a pivotal moment in Taylor’s career. Originally released in 2010, Speak Now was her entirely self-written album, marking a bold leap into artistic independence at just 20 years old. Now, over a decade later, the re-release not only showcased her lyrical mastery but was also a powerful statement about creative control and the relentless pursuit of artistic freedom—a mission that has defined her career.
Only three months later, on October 27, 2023, she gifted the world 1989 (Taylor’s Version), breathing new life into the pop masterpiece that had forever changed the musical landscape. Originally released exactly ten years earlier in 2014, 1989 marked Taylor’s bold leap from country star to global pop icon, and this re-recording felt like the soundtrack of her new career peak. The album wasn’t just a revival—it was a celebration of the sound and spirit that defined a generation and the re-recording sold even more copies in its debut week than the original did a decade earlier.
By reclaiming her masters, Taylor not only safeguarded her artistic legacy but also redefined what it means for artists to have control over their work. Each re-recorded album became an event, uniting fans worldwide and proving, once again, that Taylor’s music is timeless.
Midnights – Meet Taylormania
On October 21, 2022, Taylor released Midnights, an album that marked her return to the center of pop and the beginning of an era unlike any other. It wasn’t just about the music anymore; it was the start of Taylormania. As fans absorbed the introspective, synth-driven tracks of Midnights, the excitement surrounding Taylor exploded, marking the launch of a cultural movement that felt unstoppable.
The Midnights era quickly grew into something far beyond the music. It became the foundation for “The Eras Tour” (2023-2024), a monumental event that was as much a celebration of Taylor’s entire journey as it was a showcase of her unparalleled live performance abilities. Fans from every corner of the world flocked to see the 3,5 hour show, as it became a sweeping global cultural phenomenon. Each night felt like a love letter to her evolution, with Taylor not just revisiting her past eras, but making them feel as vital as ever. The sheer scale of the tour and the energy surrounding it marked a new chapter in her career—an era where Taylor wasn’t just an artist, but a cultural force that unified millions.
Taylormania was now in full swing, reaching new heights with every sold-out show and viral moment. Social media buzzed with every little detail, from surprise song choices to behind-the-scenes moments. It wasn’t just about the music anymore—it was about witnessing the power of a cultural icon who had turned her entire career into a living, breathing narrative. The Midnights era marked a cultural reset, with Taylor at the center, redefining what it meant to be an artist in the modern age.
The Midnights era quickly grew into something far beyond the music. It became the foundation for “The Eras Tour” (2023-2024), a monumental event that was as much a celebration of Taylor’s entire journey as it was a showcase of her unparalleled live performance abilities. Fans from every corner of the world flocked to see the 3,5 hour show, as it became a sweeping global cultural phenomenon. Each night felt like a love letter to her evolution, with Taylor not just revisiting her past eras, but making them feel as vital as ever. The sheer scale of the tour and the energy surrounding it marked a new chapter in her career—an era where Taylor wasn’t just an artist, but a cultural force that unified millions.
Taylormania was now in full swing, reaching new heights with every sold-out show and viral moment. Social media buzzed with every little detail, from surprise song choices to behind-the-scenes moments. It wasn’t just about the music anymore—it was about witnessing the power of a cultural icon who had turned her entire career into a living, breathing narrative. The Midnights era marked a cultural reset, with Taylor at the center, redefining what it meant to be an artist in the modern age.
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT – The Peak
Taylor announced her eleventh studio album, THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT, unexpectedly while receiving a Grammy for Midnights. Released on April 19, 2024, this album reflects on a conflicting chapter that took place in her life a year prior, blending darker, more experimental sounds with her signature storytelling. It was another triumph, but it was the inclusion of the TTPD set in the already perfect “Ther Eras Tour” show that truly brought its message to life.
In 2024, Taylor’s influence somehow again reached new heights in the public eye. Every moment was seemingly steeped in significance, blending her musical evolution with her personal milestones and public persona. Her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce especially became the talk of the world, most notably after his team won the Superbowl, sparking countless headlines and social media debates. It was a time when the worlds of music, pop culture, and sports collided in a way that felt uniquely Taylor, reaffirming her status as an artist whose influence stretches far beyond the stage. She also reached the pinnacle of business success during this time, securing her place as the first billionaire musician in history. It is a testament to everything Taylor had become: a cultural phenomenon, a business mogul, and an icon for the ages.
In 2024, Taylor’s influence somehow again reached new heights in the public eye. Every moment was seemingly steeped in significance, blending her musical evolution with her personal milestones and public persona. Her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce especially became the talk of the world, most notably after his team won the Superbowl, sparking countless headlines and social media debates. It was a time when the worlds of music, pop culture, and sports collided in a way that felt uniquely Taylor, reaffirming her status as an artist whose influence stretches far beyond the stage. She also reached the pinnacle of business success during this time, securing her place as the first billionaire musician in history. It is a testament to everything Taylor had become: a cultural phenomenon, a business mogul, and an icon for the ages.
General Information
| Name | Taylor Alison Swift |
|---|---|
| Born | December 13, 1989 West Reading, Pennsylvania (USA) |
| Other names | Nils Sjöberg |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter Record producer Director Actress Businesswoman |
| Family | Andrea Swift (mother) Scott Swift (father) Austin Swift (brother) Marjorie Finlay (grandmother) Robert Finlay (grandfather) Rose Baldi Swift (grandmother) Archie Dean Swift (grandfather) |
Taylor's Eras
Taylor Swift
Fearless
Speak Now
RED
1989
reputation
Lover
folklore & evermore
Taylor's Version
Midnights
The Tortured Poets Department
Taylor's Discography
![RED (Taylor's Version) [Republic Records, 2021]](https://taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/8k-RED-Taylors-Version-1024x1024.jpg)
![Speak Now (Taylor's Version) [Republic Records, 2023]](https://taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/speak-now-taylors-version-2023-cover-1024x1024.jpg)
![Fearless (Taylor's Version) [Republic Records, 2021]](https://taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Et8qlsWXMAQ80VC-1024x1024.jpg)
![1989 (Taylor's Version): Crystal Skies Blue Standard Edition [Republic Records, 2023]](https://taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1989-taylors-version-taylor-swift-2023-1024x1024.jpg)