After breaking into music as a singer with her first hit “I Do Not Like Your Book,” Taylor Swift quickly became one of the biggest names in music. Her musical style has been described as everything from country to pop to rock!
Her success didn't come overnight though; it took years for her to break through and win over new fans.
She spent those early years working hard to hone her songwriting skills while also developing her vocal ability. It's because of this that she is so well-known for her catchy lyrics and voice.
In fact, many people consider her to be one of the greatest singers of all time. She definitely knows how to use her vocals effectively!
Taylor now enjoys a very successful career that includes seven number one singles, more than 30 Grammy Awards, and an endless stream of merchandise sales.
So what made her become famous? In this article we will look at some of the ways she built up her fan base and then talk about the most important way she remained popular.
After leaving her position as an assistant at a music studio, in 2007, Taylor began looking for a recording space of her own. In her search, she visited several different studios before landing in one that would change not only her career but also life as we know it today.
Taylor had lunch with Rick Caruso, co-founder of Giant Media Studios (GMST), a high profile recording facility located just outside Chicago. He mentioned to her that his company was seeking new talent and that he might be able to help her grow as a musician.
Swift took him up on his offer and moved into GMST full time three months later, where she would record two number ones, five top ten singles, and over a dozen more songs that have gone on to win awards and accolades.
She is still working there to this day. It’s no coincidence that she has such a successful career!
If you’re thinking about starting your songwriting or singing journey, don’t hesitate any longer – connect with others in your field via social media, read books, and look into opportunities to hone your craft.
The better you are as a singer, writer, or guitarist, the higher your chances of success will be.
After recording your first few songs, it’s time to release them! But how? You can use YouTube or other music platforms to upload your work and let the world listen.
However, that isn’t the best way to do things for an aspiring artist. Pre-existing rules apply here – if you want people to pay attention to you, you need to put in some effort to get noticed.
That means investing in a good microphone and computer software such as Pro Tools to edit your recordings. You also have to invest in powerful social media accounts to share your music.
And don’t forget about giving yourself adequate time to hear feedback from potential listeners.
After graduating high school, you probably noticed that your favorite singer or dancer was getting popular quickly! This is because they started touring to promote their new album.
Most musicians don’t make a lot of money off their albums, so they need to do other things to earn enough income. Touring is one of the most effective ways to do this.
By attending concerts, meeting fans, and telling stories about yourself, you can make lots of money speaking. This is how professional public speakers get paid.
Public speaking has become very in-demand, with vast amounts of people wanting to improve their skills. Therefore, there are plenty of opportunities to learn it from others as well as making good money doing it.
Swift began her career by taking her music into the world through performing and promoting herself on stage. Her knack for marketing helped her build an empire.
Before we talk about how she got famous, let’s discuss what is considered to be a successful music career. Most people will agree that having lots of fans and making money off your songs is important, but some go one step further by saying that being recognized as a strong artist is also key.
The vast majority of musicians are able to make a good living doing shows in large arenas every night, so they put more emphasis on the second part. Artists such as Katy Perry and Justin Bieber have achieved success without much respect for their artistic talent, which is why there are no “Artist To Watch” lists for them.
However, if you take a look at the list of winners at The 2017 Grammys, it’s easy to see that most of them fall into the first category — not just because of all the fan applause they received, but also due to the way their careers advanced beyond the event.
For example, Adele has said many times that her musical style was never intended to get popular, but now it does, which makes her an excellent musician. Even though she doesn’t fit the typical description of what a singer should be like, she still manages to inspire other artists to create music.
After her first two albums sold well, Swift decided to make an album of songs she had already recorded before! This is when people started referring to her as The Queen – not just because she makes incredible music, but also due to her royal status as a musician.
She began recording what would become her third studio album in early 2017. It was called “reimagined” versions of songs that she originally wrote and recorded several years earlier.
This new version included new lyrics, new melodies, and sometimes re-recordings of the original vocals. Many of these songs have never been publicly available until now!
It is very likely that some of your favorite songs were improved by this process. For example, the song “Bad Boyfriend” has changed quite a bit since it appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Valentine’s Day.
Movie soundtracks often feature collaborations between artists and directors. In this case, Ryan Adams directed the music video for the next stage in the song’s evolution. Check it out here!
That final version of the song is totally different from the one found on Swift’s first album. By listening to both versions side-by-side, you can hear all of the additions and changes made to create the finished product.
These additional features include things like guitar licks, bass lines, drum parts, or entirely new musical themes and motifs.
After her first album sold around 10 million copies, it was time to start creating more of an empire. In 2005, she launched The Taylor Swift Foundation, which has raised over $3 million for various charities since its inception.
Swift chose several charities as focus areas, including literacy through reading programs and educational initiatives, suicide prevention services, and animal welfare organizations.
She’s also donated music equipment, money, and merchandise to help musicians in need.
In addition to these charity donations, she’s sponsored events, such as the Speak Life Festival that raises funds for crisis intervention and suicide awareness resources.
By supporting these causes, Taylor helps others in their own journeys towards wellness. These include helping them with mental health issues, or providing someone else with the strength needed to deal with theirs.
These are just some examples of how Swift uses her influence for good.
After leaving Capital Records in 2005, then-label owner Sony BMG purchased an independent music publishing firm called Big Machine Publishing. As part of the deal, they retained some rights to Taylor’s songs she had written while with their label.
Swift felt this was excessive so she decided to take them to court. In fact, she filed suit against both Capital and Big Mango just two years later!
The case made its way through the legal system for almost eight years before being settled out of court in early 2016. What many people don’t know is that Taylor won the lawsuit she initiated back in 2007!
She received over $7 million dollars which she donated to charity.
As mentioned earlier, before she was famous, Taylor worked in retail as a shelf-stocker at Target. While her career took off more quickly than expected, it wasn’t easy for everyone to appreciate just how successful she had become.
She didn’t reach superstar status by walking around with her head down and giving no indication of what she was thinking or feeling. Instead, she always kept one eye on the prize and never lost sight of why she was working so hard.
It is impossible to tell whether anyone else would have made the same success without that inner drive, but there are millions who know The Real Taylor when they meet her and she makes it clear that she has put a lot of work into being herself and living out this version of hers.
That doesn’t mean she isn’t fun, though! When you get to spend time with her, you will find yourself laughing almost all the time. But she also expects you to be engaged, to pay attention, and to ask questions about things that matter to her.
