From winning 14 Grammys, Person of the Year, Billboard Top Female Artist and the title of Spotify’s #1 artist, pop sensation Taylor Swift has consistently been recognized worldwide for her music and internet personality. At the 66th annual Grammy Awards, Swift made history; she was nominated for six awards and won ‘Album of the Year’ for the fourth time in a row. The only other musicians to win ‘Album of the Year’ three times were Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra and Paul Simon.
“Midnights” became the best-selling album of 2022 as well as an integral part of Swift’s famous Eras Tour that started on March 17, 2023. . “Midnights,” released on Oct. 21, 2022, served as a comeback from her music hiatus since 2016. Within a week of its release, her album took the ten top spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, breaking her own record from her 2017 “Reputation” album, which sold 1.216 million copies in just four days. “Midnights” effectively launched Swift back into the spotlight, reclaiming it as if she had never left it.
“For me, the award is the work, all I want to do is keep being able to do this,” Swift explained as she received Album of the Year. “I love it so much. It makes me so happy. It makes me unbelievably blown away that it makes some people happy who voted for this award too.”
Swift’s influence is felt by millions, including people who aren’t big fans. Evan Liu, a sophomore at Centennial High School, represents many who feel neutral about Swift. Despite not identifying as a “Swiftie,” Liu stated,“She deserved it. She put in the hard work. She’s a very popular artist and she’s like blowing up right now,” despite not preferring her genre of music.
Fans were already overjoyed when Swift won her 13th GRAMMY for Vocal Pop Album at the 66th annual Grammys — which was especially exciting given that 13 is Swift’s iconic lucky number — but they were in for another surprise as Swift announced, “My brand new album comes out April 19th. It’s called the ‘Tortured Poets Department.’” The fans went wild. Immediately, Swift’s Instagram feed changed to match her upcoming album, and eventually revealed the song titles, providing speculation for fans wondering who this album could be about. Many fans believe it is about her ex-boyfriend of six years, Joe Alwyn. A particular song title, “So Long, London” has fans convinced, seeing a connection between “London Boy,” a song about Alwyn that appears on her 2019 “Lover” album.
During the first night of the Eras Tour in Tokyo, Swift discussed her plan behind announcing her album at the Grammys. “I thought, ‘If I’m lucky enough to win one thing tonight, I’m just going to do it.’ My backup plan was to announce it tonight in Tokyo,” She explained. She revealed that the album has been in the works for nearly two years, writing songs directly after turning in “Midnights,” and continuing to work on it throughout the Eras Tour. Fans are ecstatic to see what the mood of this album is and to learn who it could possibly be about.
Swift has been in the music industry for nearly two decades, yet her career seems to continue to grow. Her loyal fanbase and exceptional artistry combined with her strategic marketing skills undoubtedly ensure that Swift will continue to be a showstopper in the public eye.
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