Taylor Swift is one of the biggest names in the music industry. This Pennsylvania-born gal has been making music since 2006, and she’s already sold over 200 million albums! Talk about impressive!
She started off as a young girl-next-door, singing about teen heartbreak and love gone wrong. Her sweet voice and catchy tunes quickly won over the hearts of millions of fans all over the world. And let’s not forget her signature blonde hair and blue eyes – she’s definitely got the looks to match her talent!
Believe it or not, Taylor was discovered by music mogul Scott Borchetta at a Nashville cafe when she was just 15 years old. Borchetta saw something special in her and signed her to his newly-formed Big Machine Records label as their first artist. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Fast forward to today, and Taylor Swift is still going strong. She’s one of the most successful entertainers on the planet, and her touring earnings can easily reach over $150 million in some years. It’s safe to say that this girl is definitely living her best life!
So, whether you’re a die-hard Taylor Swift fan or just someone who appreciates good music, there’s no denying that this blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
You may also read some inspiring quotes from Taylor Swift.
Early Life
Taylor Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in West Reading, Pennsylvania, and her parents named her after musician James Taylor. Growing up, Taylor and her family lived on a Christmas tree farm, where she spent her early years with her parents, Scott and Andrea, and her brother, Austin.
When Taylor was nine, she discovered her love for musical theatre and started taking vocal and acting lessons in New York City. She was a huge fan of Shania Twain and got into country music because of her. As a tween and teen, Taylor performed at local events and festivals, but her big break wasn’t as easy to come by.
Taylor was convinced that she needed to go to Nashville to make it in the music industry. So, she and her mom packed their bags and headed there. They submitted Taylor’s early demo of Dolly Parton and The Chicks covers, but record labels didn’t think she was original enough, so Taylor left Nashville without a record deal.
But that didn’t stop her. When she was 12, Taylor learned how to play the guitar and wrote her first song, “Lucky You.” Her family moved to Nashville when she was 14 to give her a better chance of breaking into music. She started working with music manager Dan Dymtrow in 2003, and he helped her get a modeling gig for the “Rising Stars” campaign by Abercrombie & Fitch.
Dymtrow also got one of Taylor’s original songs included on a compilation CD from Maybelline. After performing her original songs at a showcase for RCA Records, Taylor was signed to an artist development deal. And the rest, as they say, is history.
From a Christmas tree farm to country music stardom, Taylor Swift has come a long way. Her talent, hard work, and determination have made her one of the biggest names in the music industry today.
Career
Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and talk about Taylor Swift’s rise to fame. It all started a year after she signed with Big Machine Records when she released her first single, “Tim McGraw.” This preceded her self-titled studio album, which reached the number five position on the U.S. Billboard 200 but snagged the number one spot on the U.S. Country Music chart. Pretty impressive for a debut, right?
Her first album also gave us two number one hit singles: “Our Song” and “Should’ve Said No.” It’s been a while since then, but to date, her first album has been certified platinum more than four times by the RIAA. Not too shabby!
Then came Fearless, her second album, which peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard, U.S. Country, New Zealand, and Canadian music charts. Talk about taking over the world! Fearless has been certified platinum in four countries and six times in the USA alone. The album produced two number-one singles: “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me.”
Taylor Swift has also performed with some of the biggest names in the music industry, such as John Mayer, Justin Bieber, and Faith Hill. No wonder she has won 23 American Music Awards, ten Grammy Awards, and 23 Billboard Music Awards. As of now, she has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide and 150 million singles. Wow, just wow!
Let’s not forget about her world tours. Between 2009 and 2018, Taylor embarked on five world tours that grossed a total of $943 million. That’s insane!
Apart from her music career, Swift has also made several television and film appearances. She has appeared on shows like “Saturday Night Live” and “Dateline NBC,” and in movies like “Valentine’s Day,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” and “Hannah Montana: The Movie.” She has also graced the covers of many popular publications, including Seventeen, Teen Vogue, and Rolling Stone.
And finally, in August 2020, Swift dropped her latest album, “Folklore,” which debuted at the top of the charts. It’s safe to say that Taylor Swift is a force to be reckoned with, and we can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!
Republic Records Deal and Departure from Big Machine
Taylor Swift produced six albums for Big Machine Records between 2006 and 2017. When it was time to renew her contract with the label in 2018, things got a bit complicated. Her relationship with the company and its founder, Scott Borchetta, had become strained, and she had one major goal in mind: to gain control of her first six albums.
Borchetta reportedly offered her a deal in which she would gain control of her old albums one at a time, as long as she released new albums for many years to come. However, Taylor knew that Borchetta was looking to sell his company, and she didn’t want to be sold off to a new company. So, she ultimately decided to walk away from Big Machine and her back catalog, signing a new long-term deal with Republic Records, an imprint of Universal Music.
Now, you might be wondering what’s so special about this new deal. Well, there are two notable stipulations that make it unique. First, Taylor Swift owns all of her master recordings from here on out, which means that she has full control over her music. Second, she gets a larger cut of profits from her music sales. Plus, if Universal ever sells its $1 billion stake in Spotify, Taylor will receive a big cut.
In a nutshell, Taylor Swift’s move to Universal Music is a big deal because it gives her more control over her music and a greater share of the profits. It also shows that she’s not afraid to stand up for herself and her artistic vision. We can’t wait to see what she does next!
Personal Life
Taylor Swift is one of the most popular singers of our time, but her love life has always been in the public eye. She’s been dating actor Joe Alwyn since 2017, and they seem to be going strong. But before Joe, Taylor had her fair share of high-profile relationships.
In 2015, Taylor was dating DJ Calvin Harris, and that same year she started a whirlwind romance with actor Tom Hiddleston. However, these relationships were short-lived.
Taylor’s dating life also includes a relationship with Harry Styles, whom she dated from November 2012 to early 2013. The duo went on a romantic holiday to the British Virgin Islands but ended things shortly after they returned home.
In 2010, Taylor dated actor Jake Gyllenhaal for three months. She also had a brief fling with John Mayer, which inspired her to write the song “Dear John”.
During the filming of “Valentine’s Day,” Taylor met actor Taylor Lautner, and the two hit it off. Unfortunately, their relationship was also short-lived, but it did inspire Taylor’s hit song “Back to December.”
Going back to her early days, Taylor dated Joe Jonas for three months in 2008.
As of August 2020, Taylor is still happily dating Joe Alwyn, and they were even spotted hiking together in Utah while Taylor was dropping her surprise album “Folklore”.
It seems like Taylor has had quite the dating history, but we’re happy to see her happy with Joe Alwyn!