THE REIGN OF Taylor Swift

THE GLOBAL ΡΗΕΝΟΜΕΝΟΝ ELECTRIFIED STADIUMS AND RULED THE CHARTS. AFTER HER BIGGEST YEAR YET, FRIENDS SAY SHE'S JUST GETTING STARTED'

- JEFF NELSON

Hours before Taylor Swift was scheduled to perform at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on July 1, the superstar was in boss mode as inclement weather started rolling in. To protect her 60,000-some fans from the threat of lightning, Swift moved up the start time of her Eras Tour concert—which meant cutting her opening act Gracie Abrams’s set. Within two minutes “Taylor texted me being like, ‘The weather sucks, but can we sing “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” during my acoustic set?’” recalls singer-songwriter Abrams, 24, of Swift’s inviting her to perform together later in the show. “I hardcore blacked out due to the sheer disbelief of the moment. It was the best time of my life. [She’s the] most generous friend and mentor.”

Sixteen years ago Swift received some A-list counsel of her own while opening for country icons Tim McGraw and Faith Hill on their Soul2Soul tour. “We had long conversations with her in Faith’s dressing room about always being open to listening, but always know that you’re the leader, that you’re the one making decisions, that you will know what song is going to work or not and that you are the captain of your ship,” McGraw, 56, recalls of their heart-to-hearts with a teenage Swift, who named her 2006 debut single after him. (Written during math class her freshman year in high school, “Tim McGraw” peaked at No. 6 on the country charts.) “I remember thinking this girl has so much talent and so much moxie, and she’s so curious,” adds McGraw. “We both absolutely fell in love with her instantly, as an artist and as a person—just a fellow professional that you realize totally knows what they are doing.”