If someone said “Taylor Swift” five years ago, it would just be an ordinary name. Now Swift, a country singer and songwriter, is No. 7 on the Forbes Most Powerful People in Entertainment Top 100. Needless to say, she has come a long way in a short amount of time.  
      Swift was named Entertainer of the Year at the Country Music Awards in November. Now, at age 22, Swift has done a lot at a very young age, winning over 90 awards, including four Grammys. She sings, writes her own music and has done a little bit of acting.
     But it’s not the awards that make her famous—it’s how she speaks out to her fans through her music, with lyrics such as “Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find that what you’re looking for has been here the whole time,” from “You Belong with Me.” Her lyrics are personal and have an effect on teenage girls everywhere, including at Northwood. Swift writes about love and boys, sharing her past experiences that show teenage girls what to expect in life.
     Some celebrities tend to let their fame get to them after a few years, but Swift isn’t known to have done anything against the law, such as underage drinking or using drugs.
     “I think she is [a good role model]. I haven’t heard any bad stuff about her like most celebrities in the spotlight,” said junior Carlee Romagnoli.
     In a recent interview with 60 Minutes, Lesley Stahl described Swift’s message to her fans as: “You can be a good girl, a nice person, and still have fun.”
     Students agree that Swift has a positive impact on young girls.     
     “I think she’s a great influence on kids. In her songs, she speaks the truth about what goes on in life and what her life is like,” said freshman Summer Chegash.  
     But not every student has the same opinion.
     “I don’t like [Taylor Swift’s] music because it’s country and I don’t listen to that,” said sophomore Madison Sell.
      Through her songs, Swift shows that life isn’t always perfect. There could be some good moments and some bad moments, but people have to learn from their mistakes and enjoy the good memories. For example, in her song “Dear John,” Swift sings about her relationship with John Mayer, and how he treated her like a child, not letting her be her own person.
     Through Swift’s writing, she covers topics that have happened to her in the past, like a personal diary to her fans.
     Even though her background is country music, her songs are extremely popular on the charts. In fact, she is the youngest person in history to write and sing a No. 1 country song.
     In the pop culture, Swift’s Speak Now has the title of “Fastest Selling Digital Album by a Female Artist.” The album sold 278,000 digital versions in November 2010, according to Nielsen SoundScan, a company that tracks music sales. Another record Swift holds is the “Most Simultaneous U.S. Hot 100 Hits by a Female Artist,” with 11 back-to-back singles.
     Swift has just finished the year with a world tour and is planning to release her fourth album in the fall of 2012.
     “I think [her new album] will be about boys, breakups, get togethers and family,” said Chegash.