Taylor Swift turns 26 on December 13. As a huge (unashamedly dedicated) Taylor Swift fan, I feel like this is something that should be celebrated. As a singer/songwriter, Swift as been a huge inspiration to me since I first heard about her the sixth grade, even before her first single aired on country radio. This post may be labeled as cheesy and cliche, but I’m proud to write about why I admire her. Here are 13 reasons to celebrate her birthday:
1. She started from the bottom.
Taylor grew up singing in contests, fairs and local shows. It was a phenomenal performance at The Bluebird Café that earned Taylor her big break when Scott Borchetta, founder of Big Machine Records, discovered her and was determined to sign her even though he did not even have a record label yet.
2. She taught us how to dream.
Taylor never gave up. She started crafting songs at age 5 and began dropping off demos of her singing karaoke songs door-to-door in Nashville at the age of 11 before she even began to learn to play guitar at age 12. The sky has always been the limit for Swift, and I feel like we could all gain something from being as persistent with our dreams as she was with her own.
3. She is mainstream yet original and unique.
While her songs may be constantly airing on Top 40 radio, no one can make music like Taylor Swift. Nothing compares to the incredible success, the distinctly beautiful voice, the genuine lyrics and most of all, nothing compares to the inspired soul that is creating it all.
4. She stands firm in her beliefs and values.
Taylor Swift is straightforward with her words and set in her values. When questioned, she never ceases to give honest answers kindly while keeping it classy, which (let’s be honest), most celebrities do not do a good job of.
5. She was bold enough to entirely switch genres.
Few artists ever actually switch genres. She took a huge leap of faith. Realizing that she might lose fans over the change, Swift knew that she had to stay true to herself and make the music that SHE wanted to make.
6. She writes her own lyrics.
It is much easier to respect a musician who writes from the heart; that’s exactly what Swift does. When you hear her music or especially see her live, not only do you realize that you can empathize with her but that she can empathize with you.
7. She has a great voice that has only improved over time.
“Taylor Swift can’t sing,” is a false statement that makes me cringe. I’ll leave a live performance link here (enough said.)
8. She can play a variety of instruments.
Taylor Swift plays guitar, piano and banjo.
9. She puts on an amazing live show.
Taylor Swift brings out amazing surprise guests, she has awesome props and talented backup dancers, she plays some of her old music as well as her new songs and always takes time to speak to fans during shows.
10. She cares about growing relationships with fans.
Swift can often be found tweeting at fans and responding to their Tumblr blog posts. She constantly holds meet and greets and has been known to surprise fans at their homes, hospitals and has even invited fans into her own home.
11. She is an active philanthropist.
Swift has been named the Most Charitable Celebrity, coming in in front of celebs like Beyonce and Emma Watson. She helps a variety of causes such as music and arts education, reading programs, disaster relief causes, cancer research and Habitat for Humanity, just to name a few.
12. She is honest and vulnerable.
During interviews, she discusses her personal life just enough, yet without giving away too much. She is never afraid to tell the story behind a song and is constantly reminding listeners that we are all simply human. She does not attempt to give off an inaccurate image of who she is. She is proud of being herself.
13. She understands our lives.
Her music provides a safe haven for many, on good days and bad days. Every single person in the world can relate to at least a couple of her songs. Some say that all she does is write about relationships, complaining as if that is a bad thing; however, relationships are the most relatable part of life we all deal with. As an artist as successful as she is, her music is apparently working well for her.
And side note… Taylor Swift has also written songs about growing up (“Never Grow Up”), family (“The Best Day”), forgiveness (“Innocence”), growing up (“Fifteen”), perseverance (“Long Live”), honesty (“Speak Now”), New York City (“Welcome To New York”) and more. She clearly does not JUST write about relationships… She tells us stories.
