TAYLOR TURNS 30! IT'S GOOD TO TAKE RISKS!

The icon celebrates her milestone birthday and reflects on life’s lessons

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Can you believe Taylor Swift has only just turned 30? It flies in the face of the fact that she’s been one of the world’s biggest pop stars for more than a decade.

Yep, Tay was a fresh-faced, 14-year-old curly-locks when she became the youngest artist signed to a publishing deal by Sony. Growing up in public has meant her occasional missteps – and many triumphs – have been well-documented, but rather than regret her past, she’s chosen to embrace it all, and we love her all the more for that!

‘It’s good to mess up, learn from it and take risks,’ the superstar says. ‘We have to live bravely in order to truly feel alive, and that means not being ruled by our greatest fears.’

From innocent country singer to the poised, polished pop icon of today, it’s been quite the journey – and Tay’s sure learned a thing or two along the way…

MUSICAL ROOTS

Taylor was nine when she first showed an interest in music – probably a given with a grandma who was a professional opera singer. But what set her apart from the clutch of young Nashville wannabes was the fact she could play the guitar – and pen her own songs.

Her long-time writing partner Liz Rose remembers their after-school songwriting sessions well. ‘They were some of the easiest I’ve ever done. Basically, I was just her editor,’ she recalls. ‘She’d write about what happened in school. She had such a clear vision of what she was trying to say. And she’d come in with the most incredible hooks.’