Taylor Swift is currently at the top of her game. She recently released her new album ‘Midnights’, which was a critical lull, but it became commercially successful and a chart-bursting album. The new pop icon, however, began her career by exploring Country Music in her 2014 smashing hit ‘1989’.
From ‘1989’, Taylor departed from her country zone and commenced her journey as a pop star which was well-received. Swift did dabble with the genre of folklore, but it was a confluence of many other genres including indie folk and soft-rock. Though with the ‘1989’ album she departed from the genre, it was at the Country Music Awards, she officially announced that she will be transitioning as a pop artist.
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Taylor Swift Said Heartfelt Goodbye To Country Music At CMA 2015
The passion to create music, especially in the country genre, took young Taylor Swift to Nashville, Tennessee. In Nashville, Swift learned the art of songwriting and started playing music. It was rather a bumpy ride for the artist. When she was signed by Big Machine Label, the singer released her self-titled debut album in 2006. The album received an underwhelming response selling only 39,000 copies.
Cut to 2015, Taylor Swift was honored with the Milestone Award at the Country Music Awards for her contribution to the genre. In 2013, the ‘Reputation’ artist already won the Pinnacle Award at the music ceremony. It was also the 50th Anniversary of the Awards. She was honored along with Country Music legends like Garth Brooks, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, and others.
During the award show, she said a tearful goodbye to the genre in front of the legends. In her speech, she said, “Somebody once told me that you truly see who a person is when you tell them something they don’t want to hear. You truly see who a person is when you give them news that they weren’t expecting.”
In front of thousands of people at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Taylor continued, “And so to the country music community, when I told you that I had made a pop album and that I wanted to go explore other genres, you showed me who you are with the grace you accepted that with. I will never forget it.”
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“I Learned What Hard Work Is”: The Artist Extends Her Gratitude
If you are a true Swiftie you would know how Nashville was that one destination that she always wanted to be! When she was 11, she was influenced by Faith Hill and Shania Twain and decided to move to Nashville. She said in the TIME interview, “I remember being charmed by how kind people were to strangers and newcomers like us [in Nashville].”
During her speech, the ‘Blank Space’ artist also talked about how grateful she is to the city and its people. “I’m so happy, so happy I learned to write songs in a town like Nashville. I’m so grateful that I learned what hard work is from my heroes who are all sitting here. And I’m so unbelievably proud that I learned to treat people with kindness and respect from country music. I love you so much.”
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