Taylor Swift facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taylor Swift
Swift in 2023
Born	Taylor Alison Swift (1989-12-13) December 13, 1989 (age 35) West Reading, Pennsylvania, US
Occupation	Singer-songwriter Record producer Actress Director
Years active	2003–present
Organization	Taylor Swift Productions
Works	Albums Singles Songs Videos Performances
Relatives	Austin Swift (brother) Marjorie Finlay (grandmother)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Nashville, Tennessee, US
Genres	Pop Country Folk Rock Alternative
Instruments	Vocals Guitar Piano Banjo Ukulele
Labels	Republic Big Machine
Signature

Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is a famous American singer and songwriter. Many people see her as a very important person in today's culture. She has sold over 200 million records around the world. This makes her one of the best-selling musicians ever. She is also the most streamed female artist on Spotify. Taylor Swift is the only artist to have five albums sell over one million copies in the US when they first came out. She supports artists' rights and women's empowerment. She has also inspired many other musicians.

In 2024, Billboard magazine named her number 2 on their list of the "Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century."

Taylor Swift's Early Life

Swift's childhood home in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania

Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989. Her birthplace was West Reading, Pennsylvania. Her father, Scott Kingsley Swift, used to be a stockbroker. Her mother, Andrea Gardner Swift, was a homemaker. She had also worked in marketing for investments.

Taylor spent her first few years on a Christmas tree farm. Her father had bought the farm. She went to preschool and kindergarten at Alvernia Montessori School. Later, she moved to The Wyndcroft School. Her family then moved to Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. There, Taylor went to Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School. She spent her summers at the beach in Stone Harbor, New Jersey. She would perform at a local coffee shop there.

When Taylor was nine, she became interested in musical theater. She performed in four shows for the Berks Youth Theatre Academy. She also traveled to New York City often for singing and acting lessons. Later, Taylor became more interested in country music. She was inspired by Shania Twain's songs. These songs made her "want to just run around the block four times and daydream about everything."

She spent weekends performing at local events and festivals. After watching a documentary about Faith Hill, Taylor knew she needed to move. She felt sure she had to go to Nashville, Tennessee, to start a music career. At age eleven, she traveled with her mother to Nashville. They visited record labels and gave them demo tapes. These tapes had her singing Dolly Parton and The Chicks karaoke songs. However, she was not accepted. She realized that "everyone in that town wanted to do what I wanted to do. So, I kept thinking to myself, I need to figure out a way to be different."

When Taylor was about 12, a local musician named Ronnie Cremer taught her guitar. He helped her write her first song, "Lucky You." In 2003, Taylor and her parents started working with a manager, Dan Dymtrow. With his help, Taylor modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch. She also had an original song on a Maybelline CD. She attended meetings with big record labels.

After singing her own songs at an RCA Records event, Taylor, then 13, got a development deal. She started going to Nashville often with her mother. To help Taylor get into the country music scene, her father moved his job. He transferred to Merrill Lynch's Nashville office when she was 14. Her family then moved to Hendersonville, Tennessee. Taylor first went to Hendersonville High School. After two years, she switched to Aaron Academy. This school allowed her to study at home, which fit her touring schedule better. She finished high school one year early.

Taylor Swift's Music Career

Taylor Swift signed a songwriting deal in 2004 with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. In 2005, she signed a recording contract with Big Machine Records. Her first album, Taylor Swift (2006), was a big success. It made her the first female country artist to have a debut album sell over one million copies in the U.S.

Her next two albums were Fearless (2008) and Speak Now (2010). These albums explored country pop music. Songs like "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me" from Fearless were very popular. They were the first country songs to reach the top of the U.S. pop and all-genre airplay charts.

On her album Red (2012), she tried out rock and electronic styles. This album included her first song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together."

In 2018, Taylor moved to Republic Records. She released her seventh album, Lover (2019). She also released a documentary about her life called Miss Americana (2020). Her songs "Cardigan" and "Willow" both topped the Hot 100 chart.

Starting in 2021, Taylor began re-recording her first six albums. This was so she could own her music masters. Her re-recorded song "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" became the longest song ever to reach number one on the Hot 100. Her 2022 album Midnights and its song "Anti-Hero" broke many records. Taylor has also directed music videos and films, like All Too Well: The Short Film (2021). She has also acted in supporting roles in other projects.

Many people say Taylor Swift is one of the greatest songwriters of all time. They also say she is the best of her generation.

In 2023, Taylor started the Eras Tour. This tour broke the record for the most concert tickets sold in one day.

Speak Now (Taylor's Version) was released on July 7, 2023. This album made Taylor the woman with the most number-one albums (12) in Billboard 200 history. She passed Barbra Streisand with this achievement.

1989 (Taylor's Version) came out on October 27, 2023. It was Taylor's sixth album to sell one million copies in a single week in the U.S. This set a new record for her. It was the best-selling album of 2023. It also had the most U.S. first-week vinyl sales of the 21st century. Its song "Is It Over Now?" debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

Her eleventh album, The Tortured Poets Department (2024), was released as a double album.

Outside of music, Taylor had a role in the 2022 film Amsterdam. She also signed a deal to direct a feature film for Searchlight Pictures.

Taylor Swift's Influences

One of Taylor's first memories of music is hearing her grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, sing in church. As a child, she loved Disney movie soundtracks. She said her parents noticed that "once I had run out of words, I would just make up my own." Taylor credits her mother for her confidence. Her mother helped her get ready for school presentations. She also says her mother gave her a "fascination with writing and storytelling."

Taylor has also been influenced by many pop and rock artists. She looks up to Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, the Rolling Stones, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, and Carly Simon. Her synth-pop album 1989 was inspired by 1980s pop artists. These included Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, Phil Collins, and Madonna. She has also mentioned Keith Urban's music style and Fall Out Boy's lyrics as big influences.

Taylor Swift's Voice

Taylor Swift has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. This means her voice is in the middle range. Her voice is usually soft but can be used in many ways.

In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine put her at number 102 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. A critic from The New Yorker praised how clear and good Taylor's live singing was during the Eras Tour. A musicologist named Alyssa Barna said Taylor's voice sounds "breathy and bright" in her higher notes. She said it sounds "full and dark" in her lower notes.

Taylor Swift's Songwriting

Taylor's interest in writing songs started when she was a child. She said her mother helped her feel confident and encouraged her early songwriting. Her mother helped her prepare for class presentations. She loved Disney movie soundtracks. She would make up her own lyrics when she ran out of words to sing. Her lyrics are influenced by female country songwriters. These include Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, and Dolly Parton. She also learned from 1990s songwriters like Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlan, and Alanis Morissette. Other influences are Joni Mitchell and Fall Out Boy. She named Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Emmylou Harris, and Kris Kristofferson as role models for their songwriting. Her literary influences include writers like William Shakespeare, Nathaniel Hawthorne, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and poets William Wordsworth, Robert Frost, and Emily Dickinson. Emily Dickinson was even a distant cousin of Taylor!

In The New Yorker in 2011, Taylor said she sees herself as a songwriter first. She said, "I write songs, and my voice is just a way to get those lyrics across." Her own life experiences were a common source of inspiration for her early songs. Writing helped her understand her life.

Many publications have called Taylor Swift one of the greatest songwriters ever.

Taylor Swift's Cultural Status

Swift at the 2010 Time 100 Gala

Taylor Swift is known for having a huge impact on the music industry, popular culture, and even the economy. She has influenced many other music artists. Her albums have inspired a whole generation of singer-songwriters. Because of her big cultural impact, Billboard gave her the title Woman of the Decade (for the 2010s). She also received Artist of the Decade (for the 2010s) at the American Music Awards. She was named Global Icon at the Brit Awards.

In 2013, a writer for New York magazine called Taylor Swift the "world's biggest pop star."

Taylor Swift is also studied in schools and universities. Her art and fame are popular topics for media research. Different schools offer courses about Taylor Swift. These courses look at her work in literature, culture, and society. Her songs are studied by psychologists and cultural experts.

Her fans are known as Swifties.

Taylor Swift's Business Ventures

News outlets often say Taylor Swift is a smart businesswoman. She is very active on social media. She also has a close relationship with her fans. Many journalists believe this is a big reason for her success.

Taylor Swift has worked with many brands and businesses. In 2009, she launched a line of sundresses at Walmart. She also designed American Greetings cards and Jakks Pacific dolls. That same year, she became a spokesperson for the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators and Sony Cyber-shot cameras. Taylor launched two perfumes with Elizabeth Arden. These were "Wonderstruck" and "Wonderstruck Enchanted." Later, she released "Taylor" and "Made of Starlight" in 2013, and "Incredible Things" in 2014.

In 2016, she signed a deal with AT&T. In 2019, she partnered with the bank Capital One. Taylor released a sustainable clothing line with Stella McCartney in 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped independent record stores. Because of this, Record Store Day named her their first-ever global ambassador. Taylor has chosen not to invest in cryptocurrency.

Taylor Swift's Fashion

Swift on Good Morning America in 2012. Red lips are generally regarded as one of her signature looks.

Taylor Swift's style has been featured in magazines like People, Elle, and Vogue. Her everyday street style has also received praise. Vogue Australia sees her as an important person in sustainable fashion. She helped lead the 2016 Met Gala.

Taylor Swift's Philanthropy

Taylor Swift is well known for her charity work. In 2008, she gave $100,000 to the Red Cross. This was to help people affected by the Iowa flood. Taylor has performed at charity events, like Sydney's Sound Relief concert. After the May 2010 Tennessee floods, Taylor donated $500,000 during a TV fundraiser. In 2011, she used a dress rehearsal for her Speak Now tour as a benefit concert. This raised over $750,000 for victims of recent tornadoes in the U.S. In 2016, she donated $1 million for Louisiana flood relief. She also gave $100,000 to the Dolly Parton Fire Fund. Taylor donated to food banks after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017. She also donated to various cities during the Eras Tour in 2023. In 2020, she gave $1 million for Tennessee tornado relief.

Taylor Swift also supports the arts. She is a supporter of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. She has donated $75,000 to Nashville's Hendersonville High School to help fix up their auditorium. She gave $4 million to help build a new education center at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. She also donated $60,000 to the music departments of six U.S. colleges. She gave $100,000 to the Nashville Symphony. Taylor also promotes children's literacy. She has donated money and books to schools across the country to improve education. In 2007, Taylor worked with the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police. They launched a campaign to protect children from online dangers. She has donated items for auction to several charities. These include the UNICEF Tap Project and MusiCares. In 2011, when she received the Entertainer of the Year award, Taylor donated $25,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Tennessee. In 2012, Taylor took part in the Stand Up to Cancer telethon. She performed the song "Ronan," which she wrote for a four-year-old boy who died of cancer. She has also donated $100,000 to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. She gave $50,000 to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Taylor has encouraged young people to volunteer in their local communities. This was part of Global Youth Service Day.

Taylor Swift donated to fellow singer-songwriter Kesha to help with her legal issues. She also donated to actress Mariska Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Taylor donated to the World Health Organization and Feeding America. She also offered one of her signed guitars for an auction to raise money for the National Health Service. Taylor performed "Soon You'll Get Better" during the One World: Together At Home TV special. This was a benefit concert organized by Lady Gaga for Global Citizen. It raised money for the World Health Organization's COVID-19 fund.

Besides charities, she has also given money to her fans several times. This was to help them with medical or school expenses.

Taylor Swift's Awards and Achievements

In 2009, Swift became the first country singer in history to win an MTV Video Music Award.

Taylor Swift has been included in many important lists. These include Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. She was also on Billboard's Greatest of All Time Artists, the Time 100, and Forbes Celebrity 100.

She has won many awards, including:

• 14 Grammy Awards (She has won four for Album of the Year. This ties the record for the most by an artist.)
• An Emmy Award
• 40 American Music Awards (the most won by any artist)
• 49 Billboard Music Awards
• 92 Guinness World Records
• 30 MTV Video Music Awards
• 12 Country Music Association Awards (including the Pinnacle Award)
• 8 Academy of Country Music Awards
• Two Brit Awards

As a songwriter, she has been honored by the Nashville Songwriters Association. She is also in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The National Music Publishers' Association has also recognized her. In 2015, she was the youngest person on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.

At the 64th BMI Awards in 2016, Taylor was the first woman to receive an award named after her.

Taylor Swift is the most streamed female artist on Spotify. She is also the only artist to get over 200 million streams in one day. This happened on October 21, 2022, with 228 million streams.

Her Reputation Stadium Tour (2018) made the most money of any North American tour ever. She was the highest-earning female touring artist of the 2010s.

In 2015, Taylor became the youngest woman to be on Forbes' list of the 100 most powerful women. She was ranked at number 64.

She was the most Googled musician in 2022.

Taylor Swift's Wealth

Taylor Swift became a billionaire in October 2023. She is the first musician in the world to reach this status only from her songs and performances. Forbes magazine estimates her net worth to be $1.6 billion as of October 2024. This makes her the richest female musician in the world.

She was the highest-paid celebrity in 2016, earning $170 million. Guinness World Records recognized this as the highest annual earnings ever for a female musician. She broke her own record in 2019 with $185 million.

Taylor Swift's Personal Life

Taylor Swift began dating American football player Travis Kelce in 2023.

Taylor Swift Quotes

• "No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind."
• "Anytime someone tells me that I can't do something, I want to do it more."
• "We don't need to share the same opinions as others, but we need to be respectful."
• "I love making new friends and I respect people for a lot of different reasons."

Interesting Facts About Taylor Swift

• Taylor Swift was named after the singer-songwriter James Taylor.
• She has Scottish and German family roots.
• Her grandmother on her mother's side, Marjorie Finlay, was an opera singer.
• Her younger brother, Austin, is an actor.
• Swift is a Christian.
• Shania Twain was Taylor Swift's biggest musical influence.
• Faith Hill was Taylor's role model when she was a child. Taylor would often pretend to be her.
• "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer was the first song Taylor learned on the guitar.
• In 2009, she acted for the first time on TV. She played a rebellious teenager in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
• She hosted and performed on Saturday Night Live. She was the first host to write her own opening speech.
• Taylor Swift is known for trying different music styles. She has been called a "music chameleon" because she changes her artistic style.
• She is the first living artist to have five albums in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 at the same time.
• Scientists who study insects named a millipede species Nannaria swiftae after her.
• YouGov surveys ranked her as the world's most admired female musician from 2019 to 2021.
• Taylor Swift loves cats. Her pet cats have been in her music videos. One of her cats is the third richest pet animal in the world!
• Taylor Swift received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from New York University. She also gave the graduation speech on May 18, 2022.

Images for kids

• 

  Swift opening for Brad Paisley in 2007. To promote her first album, she opened tours for other country musicians in 2007 and 2008.

• 

  Swift at the 2009 premiere of Hannah Montana: The Movie. She had a cameo appearance in the film and wrote two songs for its soundtrack.

• 

  Swift performing at the Speak Now World Tour in 2012

• 

  Swift on the Red Tour (2013)

• 

  Swift at the 1989 World Tour, the highest-grossing tour of 2015

• 

  Swift on her Reputation Stadium Tour (2018), the highest-grossing North American tour of all time

• 

  Swift at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards

• 

  Swift at the One More Haim Tour (2022) as a surprise guest

Taylor Swift's Music Albums

Taylor Swift's Film and TV Work

Taylor Swift's Concert Tours

• Fearless Tour (2009–2010)
• Speak Now World Tour (2011–2012)
• The Red Tour (2013–2014)
• The 1989 World Tour (2015)
• Reputation Stadium Tour (2018)
• The Eras Tour (2023–2024)

See Also

In Spanish: Taylor Swift para niños