To say 2019 has been an incredible year forTaylor Swiftwould be an understatement.
In the final year of her 20s, the superstar released herrecord-shattering new albumLover(all 18 tracks chartedsimultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100) and embraced her voice — and power — more than ever.
“This is the first time I’ve been able to put out music that I feel is connecting with people, yet look back on everything I’ve made and feel a quiet sense of pride,” Swift tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story, where she and three other stars are celebrated as PEOPLE’s People of the Year. “I’m proud of the things I’ve withstood, and I’ve been able to carve out a life for myself.”
For more on 2019’s People of the Year, clickhereand pick up this week’s issue, on stands Friday, Dec. 6.
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“I’m in a position to speak out, thankfully, so if somebody who’s younger who’s signing a record deal can learn from that, then that’s a good day,” says Swift, who turns 30 on Dec. 13. “When Isigned my record deal with Universal Music Group, they agreed to pay their artists a significant portion when they sell their Spotify shares. It’s a hugely important thing to me as an artist because I think that’s our pension plan, and that’s our thing we get to leave to our kids.”
Afterbreaking her political silencelate last year, Swift alsocontinued advocating for her LGBTQ+ fansthroughout 2019. HerChange.org petitionin support of the Equality Act has racked up nearly 600,000 signatures, and her “You Need to Calm Down” music video has received nearly 165 million views.
“When you advocate for something, it has to be completely disconnected from what people say about you advocating for it. It should be removed from hard numbers,” she says.
Still, the star acknowledges the response has been inspiring. “When numbers do come in that are promising and petitions are signed in the hundreds of thousands, it’s a good feeling. It reinforces your feeling that there is good in the world.”
“There was so much theatricality in the darkness ofreputation. It wassecretly a love story, but it was also filled with angst, rebellion and this vengeful taking back of your life,” she says. “Loverended up being the album [where I was no longer] answering to something. In the past, I’ve definitely used my criticism as a jumping-off point for creativity. Withreputation, I’d said everything I needed to say. I’d been tried in every possible way people could throw things at me, and I felt likenow I just get to create.”
While Swift has certainly had more than one breakthrough year — she became theyoungest person to win an album of the year Grammyin 2009 andcemented her status as a pop iconwith hercareer-changing album1989five years ago — she’s the first to admit 2019 was extraordinary for her both personally and professionally.
“This year feels more special to me than any year before it. Fifteen years into doing this, being able to look around and acknowledge that it’s special, I’m really stoked this moment can happen when I’m 29,” says Swift. “That’s one of the benefits of starting when you’re 12!”
source: people.com
