Lucky 13
Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in West Reading, Pennsylvania. While the number 13 is often considered unlucky, it has become a symbol of good fortune for Swift. In 2009, she revealed, “I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first No. 1 song had a 13-second intro.” For these reasons and more, 13 has become her lucky number—she’s even been known to draw it on her hand before performing.

Musical roots
Singing runs in the family. Taylor Swift’s maternal grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, was an opera singer. Swift has often said she was inspired by her grandmother, whose vocals also feature on the song ‘Marjorie’ from her album Evermore.

Humble beginnings
Taylor Swift began writing songs at the age of 12 after learning to play three guitar chords from a computer repairman. Ronnie Cremer, who was fixing computers at her home, noticed a guitar lying in the corner and offered to teach her a few chords—marking the start of her musical journey.

Degree
Taylor Swift does not have a traditional college degree, but she graduated from high school and received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from New York University (NYU) in 2022, where she also delivered the commencement speech. While she chose to focus on her music career, several universities now offer courses analysing her songwriting and cultural impact, including topics such as ‘Swiftonomics’.

Eras Tour
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, becoming the first to surpass USD 1 billion—and later USD 2 billion—in earnings. Spanning 152 shows across five continents, the tour has had a significant economic impact, boosting tourism and local economies. In Los Angeles alone, six sold-out shows reportedly generated an estimated USD 320 million increase in gross domestic product.