With her name being a constant staple in the media since the release of her self-titled debut album in 2006, you may think you already know everything about international superstar Taylor Swift. However, there is a lot more to the singer than meets the eye. This past October marked the tenth anniversary Swift strutted onto the music scene, and it’s time for the world to get to know the world renowned recording artist.
Here are the 13 things you didn’t know about music icon, Taylor Swift.
1. Swift Is Credited As A Writer For Every Song She’s Released
Known for her powerful lyrics, the popstar has made it a point to be a part of every aspect of songwriting. Swift is credited as a writer for every single song she has released and the sole writer for over half of them. She also wrote “Better Man” for Little Big Town as well as Calvin Harris’ “This is What You Came For” under the name “Nils Sjoberg.”
2. She Wrote “Our Song” For Her Ninth Grade Talent Show
Going on to become her first No.1 single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, Swift originally wrote “Our Song” for her high school talent show and decided to release it off her debut album after receiving positive reviews from her peers.
“I played it at the talent show at the end of the year. And months later, people would come up to me, and they’re like, “I loved that song that you played,” said Swift according to The Boot. “And then they’d start singing lines of it back to me. And they’d only heard it once, so I thought, “There must be something here!”
The song went on to be certified triple-platinum and crossed over to Billboard’s all genre Hot 100 peaking at No.20.
3. She’s Still Close With Her Childhood Best Friend
Abigail Anderson, the girl who inspired Swift’s heartbreaking hit single “Fifteen”, has remained close friends with Swift throughout the years and is a regular fixture at the songstress’ star-studded parties.
4. She Regularly Gives Her Young Fans Lengthy Pep Talks
Swift has been known on many occasions to reach out to her fans via social media offering advice to her heartbroken fans, even making a break-up playlist for one especially devastated fan.
5. Her Decision To Transition To Pop Came After The 2014 Grammys
After losing the award of “Album of the Year” for her career changing album Red to Daft Punk’s Random, Access, Memories, Swift realized she needed to pick a genre. The songstress shared in a session with The Recording Academy that a major factor Red lost was because the album wasn’t “sonically cohesive.”
“I was attached to being a country artist at that point,” she shared. “We labeled Red a country album and it came out and it was universally agreed on that the songwriting was great but it was also noted that it was little bit multiple personality.”
She went on to say that while you don’t get into the music industry simply to earn a lot of awards, but that she took the loss as a cue she needed to make more consistent music.
6. She Says The Bravest Thing She’s Ever Done Was Her Letter To Apple
After Apple released their decision to not pay the artists during the free 3-month trial for their music streaming service, Apple Music, Swift made the last minute decision to write an open letter to the company titled, “To Apple, Love Taylor.” In an interview with Vogue, she shared that her decision to write the letter is both the bravest and most spontaneous thing she’s ever done.
7. She Is A Massive Philanthropist
Swift donated $1 million to relief efforts following the Louisiana flood that devastated the state in August 2016 as well as $100,000 to the Dollywood Foundation set up by Dolly Parton in efforts to raise money for those affected by the Gatlinburg wildfires in East Tennessee. She also regularly donates to the LGBT community, public schools, and released a heartbreaking charity single for the “Stand Up to Cancer” telethon.
8. She Wrote Her First Song “Lucky You” At 12
While the song didn’t make it on to her self-titled debut album, the second song she wrote, “The Outside,” did.
9. She Has Horrible Eyesight
When she’s not wearing glasses or contacts, the singer is almost blind. While the iconic oversized glasses in her award-winning music video for “You Belong With Me” aren’t hers, she shared with Just Jared she owns a pair just like them.
10. She Worked As An Intern For CMA Music Fest At 14
Before anyone knew her name, the young singer was a clipboard slinging intern at CMA Music Fest.
“I remember when I was 14-years-old and was holding a clipboard interning at the CMA Music Fest,” shared Swift with Marie Claire back in 2009.“Feeling like if there was ever a chance that one day people would line up to have me sign something of theirs, then that would be a really, really good day for me.
11. Her First Job Was Taking Praying Mantis Pods Off Christmas Trees
Growing up on a Christmas tree farm, it was up to Swift to knock the bugs off the trees to prevent them from hatching and infecting the rest of the crops.
12. She wrote “The Best Day” As A Christmas Present To Her Mom
However, she stopped performing the song on tour because she could hear her mother crying backstage every time she performed it.
13. She Is Her Own Manager
With more awards than she can count and a net worth of $250 million, she is a good one at that.
Here’s to another incredible ten years of music, Taylor Swift.