Taylor Swift through her many eras, from loving tie-dye to winning her first Grammy – see photos

Taylor was born on December 13, 1989 to Scott and Andrea Swift. Her parents named her after James Taylor, possibly setting her up for a life of songwriting. Taylor grew up in West Reading, Pennsylvania, enjoying her summers in Stone Harbor, New Jersey.

When she turned 30, the singer shared a throwback photo of herself as a kid in a tie-dye dress to Instagram, writing: “WHO’S GONNA TELL HER SHE’S THIRTAY NOW.”

Taylor’s little brother, Austin Swift, was born on March 11, 1992. The two are very close, with Austin producing several of Tayor’s music videos over the years. In 2018, Austin celebrated his sister’s 29th birthday by sharing an adorable photo of them as kids.

“It is a singularly beautiful thing to see magic right in front of your eyes. After nearly three decades of that happening time and time again, the effect hasn’t worn off,” he wrote to Instagram. “I have always had a best friend, a role model, and a caring, tireless, dedicated champion in my corner.”

Austin continued: “You have pulled me out of fires and carried me up mountains. The gift of getting to witness you become the wonderful person you are today has been the greatest privilege and honor of my life.”

While growing up in Pennsylvania, Taylor always loved music. From writing her own songs to performing at local coffee shops, the love began early. When she was nine, Taylor began performing in musical theater.

In 2000, when Taylor was 11, she starred as Sandy in Grease. Her former co-star, actor and comedian Tobin Mitnick, shared a series of throwback photos from the production. In one, Taylor was seen sporting Sandy’s signature blond curls and a black dress.

If there’s one thing Taylor loves more than writing a good song, it’s her cats. The Grammy winner owns three cats, Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button. She regularly features all three of her cats on social media, and even posed with Benjamin for her 2023 TIME Person of the Year cover.

Of her love for cats, Taylor told the publication in 2019: “I have cats. I’m obsessed with them. I love my cats so much that when a role came up in a movie called Cats, I just thought, like, I gotta do this.”

She went on: “[Cats are] very dignified. They’re independent. They’re very capable of dealing with their own life.”

Taylor loves a good party. For years, Taylor hosted an annual Fourth of July party at her Rhode Island mansion, inviting her many A-lister friends. 

In 2023, Taylor posed alongside Selena Gomez, Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim, Ashley Avignone, and Sydney Ness, all in bikinis. The singer captioned the photos shared to Instagram: “Happy belated Independence Day from your local neighborhood independent girlies?” 

Years before, Taylor hosted Blake Lively, Karlie Kloss, and Gigi Hadid to the mansion. And in 2024, the singer partied with Travis, Patrick Mahomes, and Ryan Reynolds, along with her longtime best friends Blake, Gigi, and their children.

Taylor won her first Grammy in 2010, the same year she became the youngest artist to win Album of the Year for her album Fearless. Since then, she’s been nominated 58 times, winning 14 times. In 2024, she became the first artist in history to win Album of the Year four times, surpassing Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, and Paul Simon.