Taylor Swift is one of the most talked about people in the music industry right now. Whether you love her or hate her (how could anyone hate her?) you can’t deny she’s everywhere at the moment.
Humble beginnings
Taylor first made her name as a fresh-faced 14-year-old carving out a career for herself with her heartfelt lyrics, pop-country vibe, distinctive vocals, and trademark curly blonde hair. Her debut self-titled album was released in 2006, firmly establishing her as a country star in her own right. The third single from the album, ‘Our Song,’ made her the youngest person ever to have single-handedly written and performed a number 1 song in the Hot Country Songs chart. But that was just the beginning for the rising star.
Two years later Taylor released her second album, Fearless. My personal favourite of her albums to date, Fearless went on to become the best-selling album of 2009 in the United States. It also won her 4 Grammy’s, including making her the youngest ever Album of the Year winner.
Rise to fame
From there it was only onwards and upwards for Taylor. Her third and fourth albums, Speak Now and Red respectively, won her more Grammy Awards and fast became global hits. Her fifth album, 1989 (named after the year she was born), was released in 2014 and is much more pop-oriented than her previous output. Yet it only proved to increase her success, as the album provided 3 number 1 singles as well as selling more copies in its opening week than any other album in the last 12 years.
Taylor has been inducted into the prestigious Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, is one of the bestselling artists of all time, and this year she became the youngest woman ever to appear on Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women list, coming in at number 64.
All that is pretty impressive for a 25-year-old.
Relatable
Ever since I’ve been into music, Taylor Swift’s songs have been among my favourites. I’ve always been able to relate to her songs, like so many other teenagers around the world. Taylor is one of those songwriters who manages to take exactly how you’re feeling and translate it perfectly into music, and because of that there’s been a Swift song for every stage of my life so far.
It started with the wishes and dreams of fairytales and happy endings prevalent in her earlier work, which acted as the perfect soundtrack for teenaged me’s Disneyfied outlook on life and love. Then as I grew up, songs like ‘Mean’ just seemed to relate to events happening in my own life. Going to university was hands-down the most challenging part of my life to date, and there was a time when I couldn’t listen to ‘Never Grow Up’ without tears. Without even meaning to, Taylor’s music has unintentionally accompanied a big chunk of my life.
Although I don’t listen to Taylor as much as I once did I still enjoy her songs, and hearing certain songs can instantly take me back to a time from the past. And that’s why Taylor Swift is my favourite woman in music – because so much of my life is wrapped up in her music.
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