TAYLOR SWIFT
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an
American singer-songwriter, record producer, actress, director,
philanthropist, businesswoman, and cultural icon. Her discography spans
multiple genres and her narrative songwriting, which is often inspired
by her personal life, has received widespread media coverage and
critical praise.
Born in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift
relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 14 to pursue a career
in country music. She signed a songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Music
Publishing in 2004 and a recording deal with Big Machine Records in 2005
and released her eponymous debut studio album in 2006. She explored
country pop on her second and third studio albums, Fearless (2008) and
Speak Now (2010). The success of the former's singles "Love Story" and
"You Belong With Me" on both country and pop radio established Swift as
a leading crossover artist. She experimented further with pop, rock, and
electronic genres on her fourth studio album, Red (2012). Her fifth, the
synth-pop album 1989 (2014), effectively transformed her status from
country songstress to pop star, supported by the Billboard Hot 100
number-one singles "Shake It Off", "Blank Space", and "Bad Blood". The
media scrutiny on her personal life that followed largely inspired
Swift's sixth studio album, Reputation (2017), which delved into urban
sounds.
Parting ways with Big Machine Records to sign with Republic
Records in 2018, Swift released her seventh studio album, Lover, in
2019. After consistent commercial success in the 2010s, she ventured
into indie folk and alternative rock on her eighth and ninth studio
albums, Folklore and Evermore (2020). Her lyricism on the two albums,
inspired by escapism during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, was
commended for its nuanced storytelling. To gain ownership over the
masters of her back catalog, Swift released two re-recorded albums in
2021, Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version), earning
acclaim for their enhanced musicality and stronger vocals. In 2022, she
released her tenth studio album, Midnights in 2023, she released Speak
Now (Taylor's Version) and 1989 (Taylor's Version). Later in 2024, she
announced her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department at the
66th Annual Grammys. Besides music, Swift has starred in various
supporting acting roles in films such as Valentine's Day (2010) and Cats
(2019). She has released the autobiographical documentary Miss Americana
(2020), and the self-directed musical films Folklore: The Long Pond
Studio Sessions (2020) and All Too Well (The Short Film) (2021), amongst
other specials.
Having sold over 200 million records globally,
Swift is one of the best-selling musicians in history, the most streamed
woman on Spotify and the only act to have five albums open with over one
million copies sold in the US, and 2023 Time Person of the Year. She has
also received critical acclaim, featuring in listicles such as Rolling
Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time, Billboard's Greatest of
All Time Artists, the Time 100 and Forbes Celebrity 100. Among her
accolades are 14 Grammy Awards, including 4 Album of the Year wins; a
Primetime Emmy Award; 40 American Music Awards; 29 Billboard Music
Awards; 4 IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year awards; and 92
Guinness World Records. Honored with titles such as Artist of the Decade
and Woman of the Decade, Swift is an advocate for artists' rights and
women's empowerment, and has inspired numerous music artists.