Influential enemies, bad PR and excess weight: why Taylor Swift is rapidly falling from the star Olympus. Impeccable Taylor Swift: how to make an excellent career in show business

What can you achieve in the world of music if you start your career at a very young age? The answer to this question is given by the biography of Taylor Swift, which the American public has captivated. At the age of 14 she signed her first contract, and at 16 she had already released a successful debut disc. The owner of a pleasant timbre surprises fans with new singles, and makes her ill-wishers tormented by guesses about her success. We invite you to learn more about this singer and evaluate her work.

short biography

Taylor Alison Swift's story is a simple story American girl who lives next door and wishes you every morning good day. She was born on December 13, 1989 in Pennsylvania in the family of a financier and marketer. After the birth of her daughter Andrei, the mother of the future star changed her strict office style to a home one and devoted her life to raising children - Taylor has a younger brother, Austin.

Swift spent her childhood on a spruce farm, where she and her brother enjoyed freedom and natural idyll. But not everything was so rosy. The girl admits that she was an outsider at school and kept aloof. This did not interfere with the realization of her creative ambitions. First there was the theater, then endless auditions and music competitions, where luck did not always favor the young talent. Taylor didn't give up. The character and endless support of my parents did not allow it.

At 12 years old blonde girl picked it up guitar. One computer repairman showed her how to play a couple of chords—that was enough to inspire Taylor to write her own song, “Lucky You.” Two years after this event, the Swift family moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Here, the young singer's demo recordings attract the attention of the record label RCA Records. The contract was signed, but Taylor's talent was used for other purposes. She was offered to become a full-time writer for the studio and write lyrics for various performers. According to the conditions, the girl could release her own album only after her 18th birthday.

Swift felt she was ready to appear before the public as solo artist, so she broke off relations with RCA Records. She understood that the end of the contract could threaten unfulfilled dreams, but her courage paid off.

The girl began performing her songs near the cafe to make herself known. It was here that Scott Barchetta, the singer’s future manager, noticed her. Preparations began for the recording of the debut album, which was called “Taylor Swift”. It went on sale in 2006, when Tay was only 16 years old. How did the critics rate it? Positively. Five singles from this disc received platinum status in the United States - this says a lot.

A natural continuation of success was tours and performances at concerts of other artists in support of their own album. A charming girl with blond curls could be seen opening for Brad Paisley, George Strait or Tim McGraw - famous American country singers. During the tour, Tey did not forget about the next album, writing down all her thoughts and feelings on paper. It took two years to record a new collection of hits, which surpassed the debut disc.

The end of 2008 was marked by the release of “Fearless”. The album literally immediately reached number one on the charts and sold more than half a million copies. Commercial success exceeded all expectations. It is noteworthy that Taylor herself wrote about half of the songs presented on the disc. All of them are dedicated to love themes, which is what the singer likes to talk about in her compositions.

Subsequent albums were released two years apart. Everyone expected success and popularity among listeners. No sooner had the disc appeared on sale than it immediately took an honorable first place in the hit parade. But success in musical career went against the personal life of the young star. Each subsequent romance ended in a quick breakup and the appearance of headlines in the press “Taylor Swift started a relationship with...”. Despite personal failures, the singer always has emotional and sincere material in stock for writing songs.

Currently, Tey continues to occupy a leading position and delight fans with new compositions. The girl invests the money she earns in real estate, buying houses all over America for herself and her family, which brought her fame and popularity.

Interesting Facts

• The name Taylor was not chosen for the girl by chance. The singer's mother, a former marketing specialist, wanted her daughter to follow in her father's footsteps and make a dizzying career on Wall Street. A name that was too girly might get in the way, so Taylor came up as an option that makes you wonder: is this a man or a woman? The girl inherited the second part of the name - Alison - from her aunt.
• The famous American woman does not like to talk about her personal life. She answers every question regarding her other half in the same way: “I express all my experiences in songs.” Excessive secrecy is associated with a reluctance to see articles in the press about one’s own relationships turned upside down.
• At the age of 9, Taylor had a passion for theater and participated in various productions.
• The shocked, amazed expression on the singer's face during awards periodically becomes a reason for laughter and ridicule. Colleagues on stage don’t mind making faces to the delight of the audience, feigning Swift’s surprise.
• Taylor is rightfully called the very best. She has numerous awards in her collection, her albums sell multi-million copies, and in 2017 Forbes magazine awarded the singer 3rd place in the ranking of the highest paid stars under 30.
• New Year 2015 turned into real magic for Rebekah, one of Taylor's fans. The singer not only sent her a letter of wishes, but also sent her a check for almost $2,000 to pay for her studies. Why was Rebeca chosen? For the devotion and support that she provided to her idol.
• Speaking on the topic of “who would you be if it weren’t for music,” Taylor answers that she would connect her life with advertising or writing novels.
• Taylor's letter regarding Apple's policies was widely publicized. The fact is that in 2015 a well-known American company planned to launch a new service for listening to music. The conditions for users stated that they could enjoy the work of their favorite performers for free for 3 months. The authors of “free content” were not entitled to any dividends during this period. This angered Taylor. She was supported by other artists - Apple revised the terms in their favor. Ordinary users were not harmed.
• Taylor's most memorable gift was an olive tree on Christmas Eve. It was planted by her young man, which made a huge impression on the singer.

• The girl likes to start her morning with coffee. However, she doesn’t mind enjoying the taste of roasted coffee beans throughout the day. If there was no need to keep her figure in shape, Taylor would happily eat chicken fillet, cheeseburgers and french fries.
• In 2007, Tay became the youngest artist to receive the Composer/Performer of the Year award from the National Musicians Association in Nashville. In 2013, she received it for the sixth time in a row, setting a new record.
• In 2009, at the MTV Musuc Awards ceremony, an incident occurred, which, according to fans and critics of the pop star, has echoes in the present. The jury recognized Taylor's work "You Belong with Me" as the best female video and invited her to the stage to receive the award and give a speech. But rapper Kanye West did not let the girl finish. He stated that Beyoncé should have received the award, not Taylor. Of course, Kanye had to apologize, but the offense remained. In the 2017 album “Reputation,” fans heard that the events of past years still haunt the singer.
• Taylor participates in charity events. She donated $50,000 to New York schools, helped the Red Cross and one girl who was unable to attend her concert due to treatment for leukemia.
• During her Grammy performance in 2010, Taylor performed poorly due to extreme stress and anxiety. The public instantly doubted her vocal abilities, which forced the singer to take up vocals again.

How Taylor Swift's image changed

Celebrities who began their star journey from a young age sooner or later undergo metamorphosis. As the artist matures, his image and musical direction change. This also affected the heroine of our article.

If Tay was initially the embodiment of the American idyll, an ordinary farm girl, then her latest album “Reputation” and videos introduce us to another side of the singer. Before us appears a daring, bold and sexy woman who is not afraid to attract criticism from others. The musical style is no longer reminiscent of country. This is real pop music that uses trendy techniques. In some compositions, Taylor switches to recitative, which adds novelty to her work.

Best songs

Taylor Swift has 6 studio albums and more than 80 compositions in total. We invite you to get acquainted with the most striking tracks of this singer.

• "Love Story". This beautiful and romantic song was born in 2008. Tay wrote it entirely herself, entrusting the production to Nathan Chapman, a famous country musician. The lyrics and visuals in the video send us to Romeo and Juliet, which is in the spirit of the performer. It was with this single that she discovered the top of the Canadian chart.

“Love Story” (listen)

• "Blank Space" The track helped its owner become the first singer whose hits succeed each other in the first position of the American chart. What else is he remembered for? With a clear rhythm, beautiful vocals and lyrics, in which Swift appears to the public as a liberated and jealous person. The video was shot in the same spirit, in an atmosphere of luxury and glamor.

"Blank Space" (listen)

• "Shake It Off" The dance rhythm of this single charges with energy and positivity, as does the video clip, where Taylor is not afraid to look funny. But accusations of plagiarism cover up the good points. After the presentation of the song, Swift and the authors of the composition were sued - according to Sean Hall and Nathan Butler, about 20% of the text was borrowed from the single “Playas Gon" Play, which they wrote in the early 2000s. But the singer’s representatives only laughed at the lawsuit.

"Shake It Off" (listen)

• "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." This is the singer's first single to reach number one on the American charts. It was written under the influence of rumors. An acquaintance told Tay that everyone was talking about her reunion with ex-boyfriend. This is how the song turned out about two lovers who come together and then separate.
• “Look What You Make Me Do” - Taylor's bold experiment with change musical genre. The single anticipated the release of the new album “Reputation” and caused mixed opinions from critics. Electronic sound, the theme of retribution in the lyrics, and a liberated image are little associated with the tender and touching Swift - this caused a wave of misunderstanding. But this did not prevent the song from taking a leading position in the American, British and Canadian charts.

Films about and with Taylor Swift

The young and talented American managed to star in several feature films of different genres. We suggest evaluating her acting performance in the following films:

• "Dedicated" (2014). In this fantastic story, Taylor played the role of Rosemary, who, according to the script, never managed to become the Memory Keeper. The singer owes her appearance on the screen to one of the top managers of the film company involved in filming the film. He was very impressed with the artist’s performance, which influenced her acting career. At the same time, the directors and producers note: Swift organically fit into her role, although the image of Rosemary was written long before the girl appeared in the project.
• "Valentine's Day" (2010). In the light comedy about the most romantic day of the year, Taylor got the role of the school player's girlfriend sports team. Did she cope with the task? Some will say yes, some will say no.

The list of projects in which the popular country singer starred also includes TV series. She can be seen in one of the episodes of CSI. Crime Scene" and "New Girl", where the girl got a 40-second role. Also in 2012, Taylor voiced the main character of the animated film “The Lorax” - Audrey.

Taylor Swift's music in films

She writes the lyrics herself, composes the music herself, which is liked by millions of fans and directors. Swift's work has become part of more than a dozen different films.

A separate list can be compiled if we take into account television series and TV shows. “ER,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “CSI.” Crime scene" - also sounds here lyric soprano talented Taylor.

Taylor Swift's secret to success

The popularity of this American singer is truly amazing. Her albums debut at the top of the charts, her singles sell millions of copies, she tours around the world and wins numerous awards. Tey’s list of achievements includes more than 200 awards, including Grammy, American Music Awards, BRIT Awards, etc. The performer’s fortune also does not stand aside and is constantly being calculated - she is no stranger to holding the title of the highest paid star. How did she manage to achieve this?

Some critics believe that she appeared on the scene at the right time and in the right place. Nashville, where young Tay moved with her parents, is the center of country music in the United States. There are recording studios at every step here, which makes the task easier for newly-minted stars. It is not surprising that Swift chose the country direction for herself and began to actively develop in it.

The second moment of popularity is associated with the absence on stage of a singer whose image would seem familiar and recognizable to Americans. Britney Spears, who was prominently associated with the US pop industry in the early 2000s, began to lose her reputation due to indecent behavior and divorce proceedings. Now is the time to appear nova: pure, innocent and sincere. Taylor Swift became her.

A charming girl with long blond hair conquered America with her songs. Her image fully corresponded to the chosen direction. Tey invariably performed with a guitar in her hands and wearing cowboy boots, which looked impressive against the backdrop of light dresses in a rustic style. The performer’s work was filled with personal experiences and feelings, which again resonated with fans.

It is noteworthy that Swift primarily writes both the music and lyrics for her songs. At the same time, she does not refuse to collaborate with other poets and musicians. Thus, poetess Liz Rose helped Tey create many of her compositions.

But music critics and detractors aren't convinced that Taylor's success is based solely on her talent. They see equally talented marketing in the release of singles, albums and the maintained innocent image of the singer. It consists of stirring up interest in songs that are awaiting release, various promotions aimed at increasing sales, and abandoning streaming services. In any case, Swift does not want to give up her position and is ready to conquer new heights.

Taylor Alison Swift. Born December 13, 1989. American country pop singer, songwriter and actress.

Swift's second album, Fearless, was released in 2008 and became an international breakthrough. The popularity of the singles "Love Story" and "You Belong With Me" helped Fearless reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart and become the best-selling album of 2009 in the United States. Fearless has won four Grammy Awards, including the top Album of the Year category, where Swift became the youngest winner of all time.

Released in 2010, Swift's third album, Speak Now, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling more than one million copies in its first week. The single “Mean” won a Grammy in two categories.

In 2012, the fourth studio album Red was released, which debuted in first place in Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, and New Zealand.

Red also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with weekly sales of 1.2 million copies, marking the highest rate over the past ten years. The singles “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You Were Trouble” became worldwide hits.

In January 2010, Nielsen SoundScan named her the most successful digital artist in music history (34.3 million digital sales).

Taylor Swift is the winner of more than a hundred awards, including seven Grammys, fifteen American Music Awards and twelve Billboard Music Awards.

In June 2011, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood became the only two country artists to be named to Rolling Stone's "Queens of Pop" list, with 26 million albums sold and 75 million singles worldwide.

As of 2015, she has sold 40 million albums worldwide (27.1 million in the US) and 130 million singles.

Taylor Swift was born on December 13, 1989 in Reading. She grew up in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, USA.

She was greatly influenced by Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes and her grandmother. At age 10, Taylor had already become a local celebrity in her hometown of Wyomissing, performing at fairs, festivals and competitions. She sang the national anthem at the opening of the 76th Philadelphia Games at the age of 12, and her performance was a crowd pleaser. Taylor picked up the guitar at the age of 10 and began writing songs at that time. By that time, she realized that her overwhelming feelings could be expressed through music.

Having moved to one of the suburbs of Nashville, Taylor performed in cafe windows with her compositions, and one day caught the eye of one of the music industry veterans, Scott Borchetta, who had recently created the independent label Big Machine Records.

In August 2006, her debut single Tim McGraw was released. Taylor Swift's album, released on October 4, 2006, brought her fame and became an undoubted success for her. In October 2007, she was recognized by the International Nashville Songwriters Association as the best performer and songwriter of the year, becoming the youngest singer to receive this award.

Swift's Christmas album Sounds of the Season: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection was released on October 16, 2007.

In 2008, the mini-album Beautiful Eyes was released. Taylor received a 2008 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, but lost the award to Amy Winehouse.

The next studio album, Fearless, appeared in the United States on November 11, 2008. The album reached number one on the chart music albums Billboard 200 and sold 592,000 copies in its first week, outselling all other albums released that year.

In 2008, she received the Young Hollywood Awards in the Future Superstar category. In 2009, Taylor received the Best Female Video award at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards for her video for "You Belong With Me".

During the awards ceremony, rapper Kanye West came on stage and took the microphone from Taylor as she was giving her acceptance speech for the award in the Best Female Video category for the video "You Belong with Me", and said that the video "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It," nominated in the same category, is "one of the best videos of all time."

Video: Kanye West takes the microphone from Taylor Swift

This trick was negatively received by the audience. West then handed the microphone back to a disheartened and completely upset Taylor, who did not complete her speech. West was escorted out for his actions for the remainder of the ceremony. Later during the ceremony, when Beyoncé accepted the Best Video of the Year award for her video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," she called Taylor on stage to finish her speech.

West subsequently apologized for his actions on his blog (the post was later removed). Many celebrities criticized West for his outburst, including US President Barack Obama in his off-the-record comments. Kanye later published a second apology on his blog and made a public apology on The Jay Leno Show.

On January 6, 2010, Taylor Swift was awarded Female Singer of the Year at the 2010 People Choice Awards.

In 2011, at the 2011 American Music Awards, she received an award in the category “Best Performer of the Year”.

At the 52nd Grammy Awards, she received awards for “Best Country Artist”, “Best Country Song” for the single “White Horse” and “Album of the Year”, “Best Country Album” for the album Fearless. On the 54th, the singer again became a nominee for “Best Country Album”, but did not win the nomination. But at the same award she won the nominations for best country song and best country video for “Mean”, and again became best country performer.

At the 55th, Taylor won in the category “Best Song for a Motion Picture.”

Taylor Swift released her third studio album, Speak Now, in October 2010. She wrote all twelve songs alone. Speak Now is a major commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200. Its sales of 1,047,000 copies made it the sixteenth album in United States history to sell a million copies in one week.

Taylor Swift toured throughout 2011 and early 2012 in support of Speak Now. During the thirteen-month, 111-date world tour, Taylor played seven dates in Asia, twelve dates in Europe, 80 dates in North America, and twelve dates in Australia. The tour attracted more than 1.6 million fans and grossed more than $123 million, becoming one of the highest-grossing tours of all time.

In 2011, Taylor Swift was ranked 20th on the list of the most sexy women world according to MAXIM magazine.

Taylor wrote 9 of the album's 16 songs herself, while the rest were co-written by Rose, Max Martin, Dan Wilson, Ed Sheeran and Gary Lightbody. The main producer was Chapman, with individual tracks produced by Jeff Bhasker, Butch Walker, Jackknife Lee, Dann Huff and Shellback. Despite musical experiments with heartland rock, dubstep and dance-pop, Taylor's style remained recognizable.

The album's lead single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," became Swift's first chart-topper on the US Billboard Hot 100. Six more singles were released from the album: "Begin Again" (for country radio), "I Knew You Were Trouble", "22", "Everything Has Changed", "The Last Time" and "Red" (for country radio). Her singles "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and "I Knew You Were Trouble" became hits all over the world.

Red debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with the album selling over 1.2 million copies, its highest sales in over a decade. Swift then became the first woman to have two million-selling albums in their debut week.

By May 2013, Red had sold more than 6 million copies worldwide.

The tour in support of the Red album began in March 2013 and included 86 dates in North America, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Asia.

Ed Sheeran participated in the North American tour, singing "Everything Has Changed" with Swift. Among the invited guests (who sang a duet with Taylor on various concerts) were Carly Simon, Tegan and Sara, Luke Bryan, Patrick Stump (of Fall Out Boy), Ellie Goulding, Nelly, Sara Bareilles, Cher Lloyd, B.o.B, Lightbody, Train, Neon Trees, Flatts, Hunter Hayes, Emeli Sande and Sam Smith. The tour attracted over 1.7 million fans and grossed over $150 million.

During this period (the Red era), Swift collaborated with many musicians. She performed "As Tears Go By" with The Rolling Stones in Chicago during their 50 & Counting tour.

On October 21, 2013, Taylor Swift released a new song, “Sweeter Than Fiction” (co-written by Jack Antonoff). The song was recorded for the soundtrack to the film One Chance and received a Golden Globe nomination for best song at the 71st ceremony (and for Taylor this was the second nomination in a row here after the song “Safe & Sound”). She also sang "Highway Don't Care" with Tim McGraw, with Keith Urban playing guitar. And although the performers recorded their parts for the single separately, they still performed it together three times as a trio, including at the 2013 ACM Awards. Swift performed an acoustic version of her song "Red" alongside Vince Gill and Alison Krauss at the 2013 CMA Awards. She also sang their song "Cruise" with Florida Georgia Line during the 2013 Country Radio Seminar.

In October 2014, the singer's fifth studio album, 1989, was released. Work on it took place in 2013-2014 in collaboration with Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback.

Swift described her upcoming record as her "first official pop album" that would introduce a new style of music, different from the singer's earlier country work, and so they parted ways with some members of her long-running band. Swift wrote one song herself, and co-wrote the remaining 12 with several authors (Antonoff, Martin, Shellback, Imogen Heap, Ryan Tedder and Ali Payami). Martin and Swift served as co-executive producers, with Chapman, Antonoff, Imogen Heap, Tedder, Payami and Greg Karstin producing individual tracks on the disc.

The disc was received positively music criticism(e.g. Rolling Stone) and in its first week of release, 1989 sold 1,287,000 copies in the US, more than any other album in the last 12 years. This made Swift the only artist to have three albums debut in the millions. The disc became a bestseller in 2014 with a total annual circulation of 3.66 million copies.

By February 2015, the album 1989 had sold more than 8.6 million copies worldwide.

During this period (1989 era), Swift performed several times with other famous musicians. She sang "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Shake It Off" with Paul McCartney on the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special and performed his song "Big Star" with Kenny Chesney during Chesney's Big Revival Tour in Nashville. She also provided guitar accompaniment for the acoustic performance of "Ghosttown" at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

In 2015, Swift became the youngest woman ever to be included in Forbes magazine's list of the most significant and influential people of the fair sex (No. 64 in the "100 Most Powerful Women." Taylor also took first place in the list of the sexiest women according to magazine MAXIM.

I started writing songs. And since the girl was not loved and bullied at school, she decided to become famous. This will be revenge on her classmates, Taylor decided. The revenge was a great success: already at the age of 17, Swift became one of the most popular singers in the world.

They laughed at her passion for writing songs, and even when the girl spent weekends and holidays She began to travel to all fairs, karaoke, sports and other events where she could get access to a microphone - she was left completely without friends. Good that loving parents They supported my daughter in everything. Dad is the soul of society, a financial analyst of a large company (Scott Swift has three bank presidents in his family - father, grandfather and great-grandfather), mother is also a financier. But after the birth of her children (Taylor has a younger brother, Austin, a successful and fashion photographer), Andrea Swift devoted herself entirely to her family. Unlike her husband, the pragmatic lady, who does not have her head in the clouds, but stands firmly on the ground, nevertheless did not resist her daughter’s requests for long to take her to Nashville, Tennessee, where the largest music companies country style.

Eleven-year-old Taylor went with her mother to this musical mecca and handed out her records to everyone. They told her: “Darling, grow up a little, and when you’re eighteen, we’ll be happy to listen to you again.” In the meantime, we'll keep an eye on you. But the girl in cowboy boots and sundresses of cheerful and cheerful colors was not satisfied with such answers. Wasting time was not part of her plans. Eventually a major record and production company took Taylor on. temporary work when she was thirteen years old. And now Taylor began to do the same thing she had done before for herself - write songs, but for money and together with adult professionals. And when she was 14 years old, the prosperous Swift family moved from their small town in Pennsylvania to the suburbs of Nashville, where only the opportunities that their stubborn daughter wanted to realize awaited them. But by that time, the parents themselves had already believed in Taylor’s genius, and her motto “Never, never, never give up” became their life compass. Moreover, the parents eased their daughter’s conscience by assuring her that they were moving only because they really liked Nashville. Yes, I had to part with my beloved Christmas tree farm - the children lived on this farm, inherited by their father, until they went to school. And dad, who adored the orderly rows of beautiful Christmas trees, took care of them with his own hands. Just like the future star, her duties included shaking the branches of trees in order to throw off insects and small animals that had found refuge there.

And under the pressure of the “iron” Taylor, the music bosses broke down. For the first time in the history of show business, a famous music brand signed a contract with a singer and songwriter who was only 16 years old. After the success of her first album (2007), Taylor reconsidered her relationship with producers and became the full owner of her own name and her music, securing the final say. For example, when the studio began to put pressure on her, fearing that the shift towards pop music would not bring the same success to the album “1989” as the previous one, the young singer insisted on her own. And true miracles began. Albums and songs about relationships with boys, the romance of first love and other, not at all rock and roll nonsense, sold like hot cakes. Five albums - and Taylor has won every conceivable award, including getting into the Guinness Book of Records with a record number of sales for the most a short time! And this despite the fact that the music industry has long since stopped placing serious emphasis on CD sales.

But Swift is not one of those who believes in other people's theories. She creates her own world and her own rules of the game, and what’s most amazing is that everything always works out for her. But we are talking about a country singer, and not at all about a rock and roll heroine or a pop princess! Who else could give the famous Apple company a hard time when they decided to release a music application that gives you the opportunity to listen to artists for three months for free? Taylor didn't think the idea was fair. After all, this means that for three months both she and other musicians will not be paid! And what do you think? Taylor receives a response to her message, sent at night to the company's management, the very next morning - the super empire publicly admits that Swift is right and sends her a letter of gratitude!

Of course, the star’s colleagues cannot always cope with jealousy and envy. Taylor is accused of having a weak voice, being a bad dancer, and the like. But at the same time it attracts 50,000-seat stadiums! The most striking and symbolic manifestation of the attitude of Taylor towards her colleagues was the world-famous incident that happened in 2009 at the awards ceremony for the best female video of the year (“MTV Video Music Awards”). Rapper Kanye West, current husband Kim Kardashian jumped on stage right during the touching speech given by the winner Taylor Swift, snatched the microphone from the girl and screamed that Beyoncé should have received this award. Taylor had probably never looked so confused. She ran off the stage, unable to continue her speech. But every cloud has a silver lining. In her case, this incident only played into the singer’s hands. Everyone, including the president of the country, criticized Kanye for his scandalous outburst, and Taylor gained more admirers and admirers. Not to mention the fact that from that moment on she truly became the most popular show business star in the whole world. Including on social networks, where the number of her subscribers is already off the charts. Only her ex-girlfriend Katy Perry has more. By the way, the singer made peace with Kanye West. He publicly apologized, and a couple of years later they ran into each other on the red carpet of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where an annual charity ball is held. He extended his hand to her and she shook it.

From the very beginning of Swift's stunning career, many were struck by the lack of scandalous incidents in her life. The girl was never caught having any nervous breakdowns, no trips to rehabilitation clinics, and even in a very drunk state. But Taylor is so popular that both fans and paparazzi are literally on her heels. She has long been accompanied by serious security: the police have a whole list of characters who dream of shooting her, stabbing her, handcuffing her to a pipe in the basement - in a word, carrying out all sorts of manic ideas. One way or another, despite world fame, which befell her at the most psychologically unstable age, Taylor avoided all the dangers that her colleagues could not avoid. And to compensate for the lack of juicy details about alcohol or drug breakdowns and crazy orgies, they used a different tactic with Taylor. She was called a “serial bachelor party”, changing boyfriends with an ease and speed worthy of better use. They also accused her of using her short-term romances and dates as material for songs.

At first Taylor didn't react. She is truly amorous, an incorrigible romantic and is able to very quickly believe that she has met her betrothed. These were the musicians Harry Styles, Joe Jonas, John Mayer, and the handsome guy from “Twilight” Taylor Lautner. The romance between Taylor and Taylor is an unearthly joy for young fans of both one idol and the other. The singer also had a love episode with a celebrity not from the world of show business. This was Conor Kennedy, heir to the famous Kennedy family, great-nephew of President John F. Kennedy. But this relationship, as usual, did not last long, a few months, although the head of the clan, Ethel Kennedy, called Taylor “a beautiful and amazing girl.” There was another public breakup - with an actor known for his difficult character. Jake Gyllenhaal ...

The sequence of these relationships is not that important. Something else is important. Taylor has always worked her butt off. She has catastrophically little time for novels. And of course, blaming her for the fact that all these guys were the first to leave her is cruel and unfair. Although this is precisely what ill-wishers are hinting at. Yes, she does not hide the fact that those songs that her devoted fans deciphered as the consequences of a breakup with one or another boyfriend were indeed written in hot pursuit. These are not dedications or epitaphs of love, but emotional experiences that are familiar and understandable to any girl. And why should her relationship with a man “count” only in one case - if it is forever? Doesn't she have the right to experiment, have fun, gain experience, like any normal woman?

One way or another, at some point Swift got tired of all this pandemonium around her hobbies. At the end of 2013, she stated that she wanted to be alone. I mean, no “boys”. Draw conclusions from an unsuccessful love experience. Taylor formed a group of friends around her, “who don’t need anything from her.” And who, unlike chatty fans, will never say any nonsense about her. An interesting experiment. But Taylor believes it was quite successful. Famous models and singers, themselves possessing a certain star fame and influence, live in Taylor's houses (the singer is known for her passion for acquiring real estate), they cook together, have fun, and spend time like real girlfriends. Taylor keeps pajamas and nightgowns (they say Victorian style) for everyone. She trusts her “sisters” so much that she lets them on stage during performances and films them in her video clips. They help her mother, her daughter's permanent manager, carry out the traditional procedure for selecting fans during a concert to meet their idol. Taylor introduced these touching meetings into everyday life and never cancels them.

Kisses, hugs, chatting as if with long-time acquaintances - she does it flawlessly. The fans go crazy with happiness (and among them there are not only teenage girls, but also adults), but Taylor does not stop at this behavior, which is uncharacteristic for a star of her level. She personally selects a group of fans who support her on social networks, finds out their passions, aspirations and dreams and buys them gifts. Or sends checks for treatment to those in need. Cards, gifts, crisp paper, ribbons - especially around Christmas, Taylor Swift turns into a real Santa Claus. She says that if she doesn't wrap or send a single gift for a week, she feels sad and sad. Like this. And let them laugh at her, but this sentimental, idealistic, old-fashioned attitude towards her admirers works great. And it fits perfectly with Taylor's ability to charm and reach millions of modern Internet users with her music.

“Perhaps when I turn 30, I will still be alone. Is it possible to guess your fate in advance? Who knows, it is possible that luck in love and a full-fledged relationship will not shine for me at all. With my life,” the singer says in an interview. She admits that she not only learned to see “red flags” in relationships, but also promised herself, when she noticed these signs, to immediately respond to them. One of these “flags” is if a man declares his love for her after a couple of dates, having previously carefully studied the star’s biography in search engines. The second signal is the boyfriend’s desire to compete with Taylor. And if you can’t come forward, try in one way or another to humiliate her, to bring her down, so to speak, to your level. A person who wants to be close to her should not shy away from cameras and not blame her for the presence of security guards. Taylor isn't going to hide. She respects her audience. And I don’t intend to dig tunnels from the restaurant for an overly nervous and modest boyfriend so that no one sees them.

Apparently, such a desperate brave man has now appeared in her life. Calvin Harris, a DJ and musician originally from Scotland, has been Taylor's official boyfriend since March. The girl sweetly told her fans that she was really desperate and decided that her life was wonderful surrounded by her friends, when Lady Gaga suddenly appeared and “conjured a prince for her.” It was like this: Lady Gaga praised Taylor in every possible way, admired her successes, but added in her message that Taylor would very soon meet “ true love" And as soon as she said this, the magic worked. Lady Gaga noted with satisfaction that her “witchcraft is always aimed only at good deeds.” From the one who made fast career Harris (his fortune is only half that of Swift - $100 million) is still smart enough to praise his friend in every way, publicly confess his love to her (no one has done this before). And they say he’s even willing to spend at least $500,000 to buy an engagement ring with a huge diamond. Of course, rumors immediately spread that the singer was going to immediately marry Calvin. This is hard to believe. For what? To please your fans and repel your ill-wishers? Prove that she is capable of becoming an exemplary wife and has found a man who is not afraid to become her husband? Time will show. So far, Taylor looks really happy. For the first time in many years. But one thing is clear: she will not take risks. After all, such a turn for her image - getting married and God forbid getting divorced quickly - could become a real disaster. And Swift will once again become an object of ridicule. Do not forget that her parents are guarding her interests - a doting father and a mother with a trained eye. To distinguish a sincere fan from a fake, a person for whom meeting Taylor is truly a gift of fate, from another trickster who wants to bask, even if only for a short time, in the rays of her undying glory.

However, just the other day Harris had to pass his first serious test. Taylor starred in a video with young actor Scott Eastwood (son of Clint Eastwood). And in this very clip, the new Hollywood star is very passionately squeezing Taylor in her arms. They say Calvin Harris is jealous. But he can rejoice for another reason. Taylor turned down two million dollars that a businessman offered her to perform a couple of songs and talk a little with guests at his birthday party. Instead, Swift went to the christening, becoming godmother to her friend's son.

When the Russian singer Olga Buzova released her first English-language song, Not Enough For Me, a post appeared on her personal Instagram page in which the girl proudly admitted to her subscribers that one of the American publications compared her work with the career of the American singer Taylor Swift. Well, let’s leave the question of how correct it was to compare her performances with the work of the ten-time Grammy Award winner and the youngest lady on the Forbes list. Simply - in fairness - we’ll tell the story of Swift’s 15-year ascent to the Musical Olympus and show why this young woman has long been not only the heroine of youth publications and the idol of teenage girls, but also an example of a good business strategist, gifted with remarkable talent. musician.

American (and what’s more, world) publications love Taylor Swift’s story. A classic: An outsider at school and invisible in the classroom, little Taylor, inspired by her grandmother's successful opera career, writes poetry about her experiences, learns a few guitar chords, and gradually becomes a star on the country and then the pop stage. At the global level. And if we put aside the irony, then this girl really has something to brag about: her live performances leave no doubt about the exclusivity of her vocal abilities, dedication while working on videos does not give anyone the right to accuse the singer of negligence, and one can only admire her hard work during tours .

And yet, in the story of Miss Swift there is an element of a beautiful fairy tale, the romantic flair of which the world press is somehow surprisingly not yet ready to dispel.

Legend Taylor

“I hope I can help people whose voices also need to be heard. So I will donate money to various organizations, helping victims of sexual violence,” American singer Taylor Swift made this statement in August 2017, when she won a sensational case of harassment against her by Colorado DJ David Mueller, which allegedly took place in 2013. The singer won little from the poor fellow: just one dollar - symbolic compensation for inspiring thousands of victims of sexual violence around the world with her example. Here, Taylor felt, justice was more valuable to her.

The star of the world pop scene received an unfortunate dollar and millions of sympathetic and admiring reviews for not being afraid to admit that many years ago she was groped on the buttock. True, to her credit, it must be said that at first the offended star did not want to bring everything to the public court - as her mother would later tell in tears under oath, Swift’s family was afraid of unnecessary publicity in the press. Therefore, then the performer, who wanted to defend her dignity, decided to close the issue quietly and peacefully: she simply called the radio station where Muller worked and demanded to fire the DJ, whose hands were far from being on the mixing console.

And then the incident would have been forgotten if the enraged and unemployed Mueller had not himself gone to court, accusing Swift of libel. The singer had to get out of the situation: in 2015, Taylor filed a retaliatory and very noble claim (after all, even for an unemployed person, one dollar of compensation is a quite feasible amount) for harassment. And finally, two years later, she won it. Because good always wins—at least in Swift's universe.

More than a dozen people stand guard over the excellent reputation of 27-year-old Taylor. For example, the company TAS Rights Management (named after the singer's name in capital letters - Taylor Alison Swift) is vigilant in ensuring that the girl's name is mentioned only in the most favorable contexts. The company doesn’t even ignore the once popular Periscope network, where fans posted fragments of their favorite’s concert performances. This is how Taylor Swift manages to maintain record sales of her records from year to year - her “dogs” do everything not to miss a single illegal distribution of the performer’s products. Swift herself is also no slouch: there are almost no songs of hers on streaming platforms. They appear only when there is a strategic benefit. For example, the last triumphant return the release of all Taylor's compositions to one of the most popular services Spotify occurred in early June 2017 - just before the release of the new album by Katy Perry, with whom the girl is reportedly in Lately doesn't get along too well.

But TAS Rights Management has more serious tasks than catching copyright violators - to monitor compliance with Taylor’s “legend”. Every day, pop idol gendarmes sniff the entire Internet for unauthorized use of her name, but not everyone ends up on the chopping block, only those who discredit the singer’s reputation. Two years ago, for example, the so-called TAS members stumbled upon the website of guitarist Ronnie Kremer, who positioned himself as Taylor’s first guitar teacher (the name of the site is ITaughtTaylorSwift.com). In those years, he worked part-time as an ordinary computer technician, and, according to his version, it was he who then taught the girl how to select accompaniment for her songs.

By the way, Taylor herself never denied that it was a certain “computer wizard” who inspired her to pick up a guitar. But according to her (read – general) legend, it was a demonstration of just a few chords. The young talent mastered everything else on his own.

But Ronnie says otherwise. Taylor's father invited him to give lessons to his daughter for six hours a week - and specifically on playing techniques for country music. They studied long and painstakingly. But the story that the future pop idol was trained by a “36-year-old balding fat man,” according to the guitarist, is not selling well. And no, he is not offended by the Swift family for being left in the shadows. He just wants justice. But fairness in the understanding of TAS Rights Management is somewhat different: now it is impossible to get to the ITaughtTaylorSwift.com website.

Mr and Mrs Swift

Although Ronnie Kremer, unlike his student, never made it into show business, he understands the rules of the game quite sensibly. Of course, the story is about a girl who told the pages of her diary and guitar strings all yours innermost thoughts, will bring her a Grammy many times faster than the story that she was prepared for the big stage from childhood. Yes, Taylor was definitely growing up. talented child, but talent in our time is only half the success. The second half is competent management. And perhaps it was a good thing that Mr. and Mrs. Swift understood this well.

“I had a magical childhood,” Taylor Swift recalls in an interview with Rolling Stone, “I could go wherever I wanted.” She really had a place to roam: in the early years of Taylor and her brother Austin, the Swift family lived on a spruce farm in Pennsylvania. You couldn't imagine a better background for a country singer: after all, it was American farms that once raised the best voices in the industry for the world.

Taylor was no exception. It just wasn't meant to be.

Her parents, Scott and Andrea, knew very well what success was and how it was built. Successful financiers (Taylor's mother soon quit her job as a broker and devoted herself to children), they envisioned a dizzying career on Wall Street for their children. The androgynous name Taylor is proof of this: at one time, parents made a point that their daughter’s gender would interfere as little as possible with conquering financial heights. The performer herself confirms this: “My mother thought it would be cool if “Taylor” was written on my passes and other corporate documents, and people would guess whether I was a man or a woman. Yes, she wanted me to do business.”

But the world of finance did not tempt Taylor for long. She wanted to become a star - first of all, to take revenge on her classmates who considered her, as she herself said more than once, an outsider. A decent amount of material has accumulated for poems and songs - unhappy love, ridicule of peers, teenage experiences. Surprisingly, Taylor is now 27 years old, and although she and her songs have already grown up, the singer still continues to work mainly for a teenage audience.

Seeing that their daughter had no other interests other than music (it was impossible not to notice: Taylor was constantly trying to grab the microphone and sing something wherever she was), the parents almost immediately realized that their daughter was not the wolf of Wall Street. will become (“disappointing,” by the way, also the youngest son Austin, who today is trying to realize himself in photography and cinema). I had to urgently rewrite my business plan - fortunately Taylor really had excellent musical talent. So the family said goodbye to their beloved spruce farm and moved to the country Mecca of all America - the city of Nashville, where there is a record company on almost every street.

At that time, Taylor was 14. She had moved on to high school, and, as her overly chatty acquaintances say, she did not walk to classes, but rode in a Lexus convertible - almost the same one that her popular beauty rival drove main character from Taylor's You Belong With Me video.

On the other hand, having moved to Nashville, Taylor was no longer worried about her success or failure in school. She had a goal - to become a singer, and the girl began to fulfill her dream: she sang on the streets, in bars, at karaoke competitions, and at sports competitions. All - in order to catch the eye of some producer who would believe in her talent. But it’s not just that parents followed their lead ambitious daughter, moving from his beloved Pennsylvania farm to sweltering Tennessee. My father transferred to the local office of the largest American bank, Merrill Lynch (here he worked as a financial consultant), and at the same time bought 3% of the capital of the newly created independent record company Big Machine Records, the head of which offered young Taylor her first contract.

The fact that Swift's father actually controls some of the company's shares is no secret. However, the legend says: the purchase took place after the young singer was “noticed” in one of the bars (allegedly the father simply tried to protect the interests of his daughter). And, alas, this is the very case where changing the places of the terms changes a lot.

Teen Queen

One way or another, young Taylor began to take her first successful steps in the world of country music. The image of a young girl in short dresses, with angelic curls and with a guitar at the ready immediately fell in love with the general public - largely due to the fact that Swift differed favorably from typical representatives genre. It was a great triumph - and most importantly, to maintain it, the young performer needed very little: to compose songs, sing and maintain the image of a kind of girl-next-door.

If you believe the revelations of Ronnie Kremer, then while the father was involved in the girl’s finances, her mother Andrea took care of her daughter’s image. Taylor’s ex-teacher recalls how her mother did not allow the singer to have high-calorie foods for breakfast (unlike, by the way, her brother), arguing that “the world does not need fat stars.”

On the other hand, whether it was true or not, Taylor herself did not need to be told twice how to behave. After all, her rise to stardom came precisely at a time when one bad party or loss of self-control could instantly wipe out all past successes. Before her eyes, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, and Britney Spears lost popular recognition because of their love for drunken brawls. So the girl, without thinking twice, immediately inserted herself into the generation of new healthy American youth who jog in the morning and drink vegetable smoothies instead of coffee. No alcohol - the singer still never tires of emphasizing that she tried alcohol for the first time at her legal age of 21. No dubious parties. No inappropriate contacts.

Taylor's former young people are unusually silent: they almost do not communicate with the press on the topic of affairs with the performer (the exception, however, was Calvin Harris, who once said that he felt deceived by his ex-lover). This is very atypical behavior for Hollywood heroes, largely thanks to which Miss Swift comes out of all this leapfrog with boyfriends relatively dry, continuing to declare in her not quite thirty that she falls in love every time, like the first.

And most often they really believe her - perhaps because she herself is convinced of the sincerity of her words. Taylor is difficult to convict of hypocrisy: her behavior during the incident with Kanye West in 2009 and after is a very eloquent example of the performer’s strategy in any awkward situations, which she sometimes happens to get into (the same is proven by the case of the DJ’s harassment). Naivety, sacrifice and nobility play into Swift’s hands time after time, making millions of hearts around the world fall in love with her (even Barack Obama supported the singer in her quarrel with Kanye West). And, perhaps, this is the case when a celebrity is not a hostage to his image, but happily remains his most devoted fan.

For several years now, Taylor has remained the unofficial queen of not only country music, but also the pop scene: she buys multi-room mansions for herself and her parents (the singer’s net worth is $280 million, according to Forbes version), shines on carpets, sells out concerts and shoots videos that blow up You Tube (her work Ready For It? is proof of this). Of course, like any person, she has her skeletons in the closet, but her great talent, hard work, as well as the support of her influential parents in the industry (who, I think, have their leverage over the press) leave no chance for anyone to ruin the dream, which Taylor has been going to since childhood.

Photo: Getty Images, Legion-Media, Instagram, press service archives

Taylor Swift's childhood

Video from family archive Taylor Swift

As Taylor Swift herself admitted, the real idols of her childhood were country singers Lee Ann Rimes and Shania Twain, as well as her own grandmother, from whom, apparently, the baby got her beautiful clear voice. At the age of 10, Taylor Swift began playing the guitar, and then songs of her own composition appeared in the young singer’s repertoire.

The girl was always drawn to the stage and was never afraid public speaking. Already at the age of ten, her innate artistry and stage charm made the singer a real star in her hometown - not a single festival, fair or public competition held in Wyomissing was complete without her performances. At age 12, she received a standing ovation by singing the US national anthem at the opening ceremony of the 76th Philadelphia Games.

How Taylor Swift became famous

In 2006, with the support of Borchette, Taylor Swift recorded her first studio single, “Tim McGraw,” dedicated to her favorite country artist. Two months later, the debut album of the aspiring singer was released. Taylor Swift's namesake record became very popular, in particular, it received the status of a five-time platinum album, and also “stuck” on the Billboard 200 chart for 234 weeks, breaking the record of the decade. The audience appreciated the songs, the themes of which, at first glance, were rather superficial - first love, teenage experiences, the transformation from a girl to a woman. But, at the same time, the lyrics did not seem banal, but, on the contrary, made us think about the difficulties of the emotionally difficult period of growing up.

Soon people started talking about Taylor Swift as rising star country style. During the same period, the first awards appeared in her collection: the famous International Songwriters Association of Nashville named the girl the best author and performer of the year - and this in the “city of country music”! Moreover, Taylor Swift became the youngest recipient of this award.

Amazing everyone with her amazing performance, in November 2008, Swift Taylor presented the world with her second studio album, Fearless. The album instantly reached first place on the Billboard 200 chart, and also broke the previous record, receiving the status of a six-time platinum album.

The new record brought Taylor Swift new awards. Young Hollywood Awards (category “Future Superstar”), MTV Video Music Awards (“Best Video”), People Choice Awards (“Singer of the Year”), American Music Awards (“Best Performer of the Year”) - awards rained down on the singer one after another .

By this time, Taylor Swift had transformed from a promising young performer into one of the most popular stars on the world stage. Her position on the stage was also strengthened by two new albums – “Speak Now” (2010) and “Red” (2012), each of which became four times platinum in the USA, and also brought her phenomenal popularity in Europe. The geography of the young singer’s tours stretches from the USA to Japan. The girl spent many months away from home, returning to the States only for the next award.

Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran – Everything Has Changed

In 2014, Taylor Swift released her fifth studio album, 1989, which, according to the singer, was to be her “first documented official pop album” with a completely new style. The novelty was received with a bang: in the first week, US residents bought 1.2 million copies of the record, while the total circulation of the album approached the mark of 9 million copies sold.

Taylor Swift at the movies

“Hannah Montana”: Taylor Swift appeared in the film with a cameo

The singer’s appearance in the romantic comedy “Valentine’s Day,” released in 2010, became somewhat more noticeable. Subsequently American singer She also appeared in the little-known film Todd vs. High School, as well as in one of the episodes of the comedy television series New Girl.

Her singing career and debut film work marked a new stage in the singer’s work, and also attracted even more attention to her person. For example, in 2011, Maxim magazine ranked Taylor Swift 20th in its ranking of the most desirable women on the planet.

Conflict between Taylor Swift and Kanye West

Kanye West and Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV VMAs

Seven years later, the conflict continued: Kanye West released the single “Famous,” which included the following line: “I guess I could fuck Taylor cause I made that bitch famous.” Of course, the singer sued West, but the rapper's wife, socialite Kim Kardashian, said that Taylor gave her consent to these lines during telephone conversation with Kanye, which, as it turns out, was recorded.

During a telephone conversation, Swift actually agreed to such provocative lyrics, adding that it sounded like a compliment to her. “I couldn’t even think that you would mention my name in your songs. By the way, thank you for the bouquet you sent me. I posted it on Instagram and this photo got incredible results. a large number of likes!”

In April 2016, Taylor Swift released a new video for the song “New Romantics,” which was essentially a concert video.

Taylor Swift – New Romantics

In November of the same year, the girl took first place in the ranking of the highest paid singers in the world, compiled by the business publication Forbes.

Personal life of Taylor Swift

In 2009, Taylor dated for several months the famous werewolf from "Twilight" - Taylor Lautner, with whom she played in the film "Valentine's Day." There is an opinion that Taylor Swift's popular composition “Back to December” is about her relationship with this actor.

After breaking up with Lautner, the singer's life included Connor Kennedy (grandson of John F. Kennedy), a member of One Direction. Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris were a great couple

Literally three weeks later, Taylor appeared in public... with British actor Tom Hiddleston, star of "Thor" and "The Avengers". Many fans on both sides were convinced that the romance was nothing more than a PR stunt, since Taylor was just recording her sixth studio album, and Hiddleston starred in one of her new videos, and all the photos of the couple together looked too staged. The public was especially outraged by Tom Hiddleston's T-shirt with the inscription “I Love T.S.” (T.S. – Taylor Swift).

Already in August 2016, rumors appeared in the press that the romance between Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston was fading. According to the media, the reason for the disagreement was the singer’s desire to get married, while the actor was not going to give up his bachelor status. Rumors of a breakup were finally confirmed on the eve of September, when Taylor Swift unfriended Tom Hiddleston on Facebook. On the same day, the girl was seen in the company of an unknown young man.

Taylor Swift now

Taylor Swift – Look What You Made Me Do