One of Swift's earliest musical memories is listening to her maternal grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, sing in church. As a child, she enjoyed Disney film soundtracks: "My parents noticed that, once I had run out of words, I would just make up my own". Swift has said she owes her confidence to her mother, who helped her prepare for class presentations as a child. She also attributes her "fascination with writing and storytelling" to her mother. Swift was drawn to the storytelling aspect of country music, and was introduced to the genre listening to "the great female country artists of the '90s"—Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and the Dixie Chicks." Twain, both as a songwriter and performer, was her biggest musical influence.
Influences
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift | Influences
Shania Twain Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, and Carly Simon Shania Twain Shania Twain, Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks.
what does tim mcgraw think of taylor swift's song
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Swift wrote "Tim McGraw" during her freshman year of high school, knowing that she and her senior boyfriend would break up at the end of the year when he left for college.Lyrically, the track lists items in order to associate a past relationship, one of them being country artist Tim McGraw's music.
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who has sang this song?
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Taylor Swift.
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who composed the music for it?
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The song was written by Swift and Liz Rose, and produced by Nathan Chapman.
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who is the second person mentioned above?
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An American country music songwriter, best known for her work with American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.
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was a video made for this song?
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Yes
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who directed the video?
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Trey Fanjoy.
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what genre of music does this singer contribute to?
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Pop, synth-pop, country, country pop and rock.
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who played a major influence on her decision to get into music?
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One of Swift's earliest musical memories is listening to her maternal grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, sing in church. As a child, she enjoyed Disney film soundtracks: "My parents noticed that, once I had run out of words, I would just make up my own". Swift has said she owes her confidence to her mother, who helped her prepare for class presentations as a child. She also attributes her "fascination with writing and storytelling" to her mother. Swift was drawn to the storytelling aspect of country music, and was introduced to the genre listening to "the great female country artists of the '90s"—Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and the Dixie Chicks." Twain, both as a songwriter and performer, was her biggest musical influence.
Taylor Swift | Influences
Swift has been influenced by other non-country artists. As a pre-teen, she enjoyed bubblegum pop acts including Hanson and Britney Spears, for whom Swift had an "unwavering devotion". In her high school years, she listened to emo-rock bands like Dashboard Confessional, Fall Out Boy, and Jimmy Eat World, and pop/R&B performers like Justin Timberlake, whom she called her "musical crush". Swift's fifth album, the pop-focused "1989", was influenced by some of her favorite 1980s pop acts, including Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, Phil Collins and "Like a Prayer-era Madonna". Discussing Madonna, Swift said: "One element of Madonna's career that really takes center stage is how many times she's reinvented herself.
Taylor Swift | Influences
In 2016, Fender reported that half of its guitar sales in the United Kingdom were to women, and instrument manufacturers to shift their focus to a previously ignored demographic. Her transition in image from a country singer-songwriter to a pop star has impacted the music industry in various ways. According to the BBC, Swift became a pioneer in experimenting with different musical styles that transcend perceived boundaries. "Rolling Stone" noted that Swift's narrative songwriting, which centers around her personal life and offers a sense of authenticity, "helped opened up a space" for many female artists to "seem so effortlessly themselves" in their music in an era of tabloids.
Taylor Swift | Impact
Ballerini has been influenced by both artists in the pop music and country music field. Originally influenced by pop music, Ballerini states "I grew up on top 40 pop. I didn't know what country music was, which is so funny because I grew up on a farm in East Tennessee." Ballerini lists Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and NSYNC among these early artists influencing her. Ballerini also cites Justin Bieber as an early pop musical inspiration. It was not until Ballerini heard "Stupid Boy" by Keith Urban that she decided to delve deeper into country music by listening to albums by Taylor Swift, Sugarland, and Dixie Chicks.
Kelsea Ballerini | Influences
Hill was Swift's childhood role model: "Everything she said, did, wore, I tried to copy it". She admired the Dixie Chicks' defiant attitude and their ability to play their own instruments. The band's "Cowboy Take Me Away" was the first song Swift learned to play on the guitar. Swift also explored the music of older country stars, including Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and Tammy Wynette. She believes Parton is "an amazing example to every female songwriter out there". Alt-country artists like Ryan Adams, Patty Griffin and Lori McKenna have also inspired Swift. Swift lists Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, and Carly Simon as her career role models.
Taylor Swift | Influences
She credited Swift's self-titled debut studio album for introducing her to country music. Ballerini also cites Shania Twain as her greatest influence. She has also performed songs originally recorded by Alison Krauss and sang "Ghost in This House" alongside Krauss at the CMT Artists of the Year Awards in 2018.
Kelsea Ballerini | Influences
Gostelow has openly discussed her musical influences as foremost fellow regional singer-songwriter Melody Pool, as well as Mumford & Sons and The Jungle Giants. Gostelow has said she was also inspired to play music after seeing Taylor Swift perform live in Australia.
Tia Gostelow | Influences
With her early success as a country singer-songwriter, Swift played an important role in shaping the modern country music scene. "Billboard" wrote that country music became more favorably viewed since Swift's debut in 2006 thanks to her unconventional approach to the genre: she utilized online platforms to promote her music to younger generations, paving the way for a handful of future country crossover artists. They also reported that following Swift's rise to fame, labels have become more interested in signing young country singers and artists who write their own music. Swift is also credited for a rise in guitar sales among women.
Taylor Swift | Impact
Swift's music consists primarily of elements of pop, synth-pop, country, country pop and rock. Her later works draw from genres such as indie folk, alternative rock, R&B, EDM, hip hop and trap. Swift described herself as a country artist until the release of "1989" (2014), which she characterized as her first "sonically cohesive pop album". "Rolling Stone" wrote, "[Swift] might get played on the country station, but she's one of the few genuine rock stars we've got these days." According to "The New York Times", "There isn't much in Ms. Swift's music to indicate country—a few banjo strums, a pair of cowboy boots worn onstage, a bedazzled guitar—but there's something in her winsome, vulnerable delivery that's unique to Nashville." "The Guardian" wrote that Swift "cranks melodies out with the pitiless efficiency of a Scandinavian pop factory." Swift's singing voice was described by Sophie Schillaci of "The Hollywood Reporter" as "sweet, but soft".
Taylor Swift | Musical style
Her country influences of Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash come from her mother's country songwriting, while her older brother exposed her to hip-hop and punk bands, Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr. and the Beastie Boys. She credits her straightforward story-based lyrics to her love for the honest storytelling style of country music, while the title track from her debut album was created with music of alternative rock bands The Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire in mind. She singled out the Beastie Boys as a major influence, telling "Newsweek" that she had always wanted to be like them and aspired to make "youthful, irreverent anthems" as well.
Kesha | Influences
Bradbery cites Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert and Martina McBride as her musical influences. Besides country music, she listens to hip-hop, R&B, pop, and Latin music.
Danielle Bradbery | Artistry
It's easier to stay in one look, one comfort zone, one musical style. It's inspiring to see someone whose only predictable quality is being unpredictable." Swift named Pete Wentz and Lana Del Rey as her favorite lyricists.
Taylor Swift | Influences
While interviewed with Glassons Blog, she was asked what music inspires her and she said "I guess when you're making pop music you tend to listen to other pop artists, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Jessie J. But I also love artists like Emeli Sande, Frank Ocean, Jazmine Sullivan [...] I go through music fads where I will only listen to a particular artist, at the moment it's Kimbra (another fellow NZ musician)." In trends and fashion, she responded that she is a huge fan of Jeffery Campbell for his "shoes". She also said "You seriously feel like you could conquer anything in them [BlackMilk Collections] they're super shiny, nice and stretchy and they always get comments." She cites Blake Lively and The Olsen Twins as fashion influences.
Brooke Duff | Influences and musical style
Female country singers such as Faith Hill, Sheryl Crow, Shania Twain and Taylor Swift have been cited by Kira Isabella as strong musical influences.
Kira Isabella | Influences
Some of Griffin's influences in her music style include: Sarah McLachlan, Madonna, The Tragically Hip, as well as alternative music bands Hole, Foo Fighters, No Doubt, and Radiohead. She enjoys singing but realized she wasn't going to get a record deal by just that. She learned guitar and began writing songs. Following one of the commercial voice-over jobs where she sang a jingle, she played some acoustic songs and her friend suggested she get her songs produced in an album. She was introduced to Michael Kulas of the band James. Kulas was able to produce many of her acoustic songs so that they became more of a pop/rock album.
Katie Griffin | Music career
Halsey has cited Taylor Swift as a huge reason why she always insists on writing her own music. Her other influences include Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn Manson, Beck, Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, The Weeknd, Alex Turner, Bright Eyes, and the Wonder Years. Halsey credits Dolores O'Riordan as her major vocal influence, saying "Dolores O’Riordan was a massive influence for me. I grew up listening to The Cranberries with my mother and learned so much about having an unconventional singing voice. Dolores taught me how to use my voice in a manner that was emotive, even if I wasn’t classically skilled...
Halsey (singer) | Influences
Swift and her work have influenced various recording artists, including Adele, Kelsea Ballerini, Shamir, Bailey Bryan, Ruth B., Camila Cabello, The Chainsmokers, Girl in Red, Selena Gomez, Ellie Goulding, Conan Gray, Halsey, Niall Horan, Shawn Mendes, Maren Morris, Nina Nesbitt, Niki, Finneas O'Connell, Olivia Rodrigo, Tegan and Sara, Ed Sheeran, Troye Sivan, and The Vamps.
Taylor Swift | Impact
Swift began songwriting for her fifth studio album in mid-2013 while touring to support "Red". For "Red"s follow-up, she sought to create a "blatant pop" record, departing from her country/pop experimentation. She believed that "if you chase two rabbits, you lose them both". Greatly inspired by 1980s synth-pop, she viewed the 1980s as an experimental period that embraced "endless possibilities" when artists abandoned the generic "drums-guitar-bass-whatever" song structure and experimented with stripped-down synthesizers, drum pads, and overlapped vocals. She took inspiration from the music of artists from the period, such as Peter Gabriel and Annie Lennox, to make a synth-pop record that would convey her thoughts unobscured by heavy instrumentation.
1989 (Taylor Swift album) | Recording and production
Swift's feelings when she first moved to New York City inspired the opening track, "Welcome to New York". The song incorporates pulsing synthesizers, and finds Swift embracing her newfound freedom. "Blank Space", set over a minimal hip hop-influenced beat, satirizes the media's perception of Swift as a promiscuous woman who dates male celebrities only to gather songwriting material. The song targets the media scrutiny of her image, "Every few years the media finds something that they unanimously feel is annoying about me. Me, my character, the way I live my life, the way I talk, the way I react when I win stuff." "[F]unky electronic music" artists such as Daft Punk inspired the production of "Style", a funk-flavored track.
1989 (Taylor Swift album) | Songs
In 2009, British pop singer Lily Allen had a large international hit on the pop charts with the bluegrass inspired "Not Fair". Allen later returned to country music with the country pop song "As Long As I Got You" from her third studio album "Sheezus". Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts have also had crossover success in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Taylor Swift rose to fame in the late 2000s as a teenage artist, buoyed by the success of her country pop singles "Teardrops On My Guitar" and "Our Song", with the latter making Swift the youngest person in history to single-handedly write and perform a number-one song on the "Billboard" Hot Country Songs chart.
Country pop | 2000s and 2010s
Max has been labeled as a pop and dance-pop singer. She grew up listening to artists such as Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Fugees, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston. She has also cited Beyoncé, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Fergie, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Lady Gaga as some of her influences. She stated that Carey is her biggest influence, recalling how she grew up listening to her music on loop, such as "Vision of Love" (1990).
Ava Max | Musical style and influences
Mauboy grew up listening to country singers Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and Slim Dusty; she credits country music as her first love of music, saying the genre "is who I really, really am deeply." Mauboy also grew up listening to hip-hop rappers Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Mauboy cites Mariah Carey as her main influence and inspiration, stating that she has "drawn a lot of inspiration from watching and listening to her live performances". She grew up listening to many of Carey's songs and was inspired by her vocal style and songwriting, "I loved 'Dreamlover' and 'Fantasy' – and picked up loads of tips from her style of singing.
Jessica Mauboy | Influences
Wees noted that she listened to Jessie J and Miley Cyrus as she grew up. Artists that she cited as influences includes Jessie J and Lewis Capaldi. She describes her genre as pop.
Zoe Wees | Style
Swift is from Reading, Pennsylvania and developed an early interest in country music and songwriting. When she was eleven, she and her family made their first visit to Nashville, Tennessee in pursuit of a record deal, though nothing came out of it. Swift was judged and neglected by record labels for being too young. In regards to the labels which rejected her, she said,
Taylor Swift (album) | Background
In an interview to Christina Garibaldi of MTV, in 2013, Ryan commented that her musical style includes folk, indie pop and country. She cited as her biggest musical influences Christina Aguilera, Lady Antebellum, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, April Smith and the Great Picture Show, Taylor Swift, Fall Out Boy, Twenty One Pilots and Tom Petty. In February, 2014, Ryan cited in Billboard Macklemore as a big influence.
The Never Ending | Influences
Jauregui grew up listening to 90s R&B, alternative rock, singer-songwriters, "vocalists", pop, Latin music, and soul. Jauregui has said that her music is largely influenced by soul, R&B, rock, alternative, pop, and Latin music. She is "mostly inspired by songwriters" and "truth and authenticity". Some of the artists who have influenced her include Lana Del Rey, John Mayer, Lauryn Hill, Paramore, Alicia Keys, Janelle Monáe, Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse, and Frank Ocean.
Lauren Jauregui | Musical influences
She cites swing bands, Gershwin and America jazz from the 1920s as influences. She has been likened to Ella Fitzgerald many times and one writer called her "the next heiress in the bloodline of young women with supernaturally classic voices". She also describes herself as a "rock lover at heart". She has a diverse musical preference from The Carpenters to The Cranberries. She draws inspiration from Cat Power, Regina Spektor, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Jolie Holland, Daniel Johnston and Chris Garneau, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Velvet Underground and Led Zeppelin.
Zee Avi | Musical influences
Tori Amos, Stevie Nicks, and Joni Mitchell were her biggest influences and had a profound effect on the type of performer she is. Some of her favorite contemporary songwriters including Brandi Carlile, Kathleen Edwards, Fiona Apple, and Patty Griffin.
Laura Shay | Influences
So I was exposed to all these very compassionate musicians at a very young age, and that's always remained in me and seems to surface more as I get older. I think the way we are as we get older is a result of what we knew when we were children." During her teenage years, she began listening to new wave and synthpop bands such as Soft Cell, Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet, although later stated that it was a phase when she was "having a bit of a rebellion against my parents' record collection." In her later teenage years, she became a fan of American indie rock bands including Pixies, Television and Slint (whom she reached out to when the band included a message in the inside sleeve of Spiderland saying "interested female vocalists write 1864 Douglas Blvd., Louisville, KY 40205").
PJ Harvey | Musical style and influences
Sinclair has mentioned Kate Bush and Alanis Morissette as her most important musical influences, describing them as emotional artists "who write honestly about their opinions and experiences." The singer also stated she considered Gwen Stefani, who is a musical and stylistic inspiration, as her "hero", adding that Prince, Vanity 6, and Freddie Mercury have already inspired her during live performances. Sinclair explores music that is both confessional and bold when looking for inspiration, she reveals: "I don't listen to music to let go, I listen to dive in", listing Hole, Marilyn Manson, and Eminem among her favorite artists and bands with whom she grew up.
Teddy Sinclair | Style and influences
Eilish grew up listening to The Beatles, Justin Bieber, Green Day and Lana Del Rey. She has said that stumbling upon "Runaway" by Aurora on YouTube inspired her to pursue a music career. Hip hop music is Eilish's favorite genre and biggest inspiration. She has cited Tyler, the Creator, Childish Gambino and Avril Lavigne as major musical and style influences for her and other influences include Earl Sweatshirt, Amy Winehouse, the Spice Girls, Lorde, Marina and the Diamonds, Nicki Minaj, and Lana Del Rey. She has been compared in the media to Lavigne, Lorde and Del Rey, the last of whom she says she does not want to be compared to, stating, "That woman [Del Rey] has made her brand so perfect for her whole career and she shouldn't have to hear that." She has also named Rihanna as an inspiration for her style choices, after she called fashion her "defense mechanism" during an acceptance speech.
Billie Eilish | Influences
She was influenced by various musical genres; her parents were interested in country music and classical music, and her brothers' interest in rock music also influenced her. She has stated that Barbra Streisand, Kathleen Battle and Kate Bush were inspirations.
Sissel Kyrkjebø | Early life
She said, "I became enamored of [Cobain] and wanted to be him, wanted to make music like him, wanted to have a voice like him." The interest in Cobain was what inspired her to take singing lessons in grade school. By high school, her music tastes evolved into underground, extreme and complex artists including grindcore band The Locust, extreme metal band Cattle Decapitation, free jazz founder Ornette Coleman, experimental noise musician Aaron Dilloway, and avant-garde musician John Zorn. Both Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails had an early influence, and she estimates that she likely saw the music video for "Closer" when she was about 12 years old.
Lingua Ignota (musician) | Musical style and influences
Underwood has credited "music as a whole" as her major influence, since she "grew up listening to "music"" and "there were songs, different kind of songs coming at me from everywhere". But she has occasionally mentioned Rock acts like Queen, George Michael, The Rolling Stones, and My Chemical Romance as influences. Among Country artists, she has listed George Strait, Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, and Garth Brooks as influences. Although never publicly mentioning Faith Hill and Shania Twain as musical influences, critics have linked Underwood's musical style to those of Hill and Twain. Her music is generally Country pop with Rock influence similar to that of Kelly Clarkson, as noticed by "Rolling Stone".
Carrie Underwood | Influences
Growing up, Russell was introduced to different genres of music including soul, R&B, pop, rock and jazz standards such as Alicia Keys, The Beatles, Billy Joel, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, David Bowie, The Eagles, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Frank Sinatra, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Queen, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston.
Heather Russell | Influences
She admires the singers' ability to have smooth, bluesy voices at some points and raw, gritty, visceral voices at others. Due to her parents' influences, she also grew up idolizing such artists as Sarah Vaughan, Heart, and Tony Bennett. When she was young, she also helped her mother learn songs by Billie Holiday. She explains, "I got a really good ear from just shedding out different tunes and learning different genres." Her album "Better" was heavily inspired by retro funk band Sly and the Family Stone. Reinhart recalls, as a child, watching Kelly Clarkson win the first season of "Idol" and becoming subsequently interested in participating in the process.
Haley Reinhart | Influences
Regarding her musical influence, Clarkson explained: I grew up with three totally different parents that were into different music. My stepfather is into Willie Nelson and Elvis and all that kind of stuff. And my real father is into Mariah and Whitney and Aretha, all those soulful singers. My mom is into more, like, adult contemporary—Celine Dion, Barbra [Streisand], Bette Midler, all those types of things. And then my brother is a big influence on me. He's like ten years older than me, so you always wanna be around your cool brother and hang out, so I grew up loving Guns N' Roses.
Kelly Clarkson | Influences
Discussing McCartney and Harris, Swift has said, "They've taken chances, but they've also been the same artist for their entire careers". McCartney, both as a Beatle and a solo artist, makes Swift feel "as if I've been let into his heart and his mind [...] He's out there continuing to make his fans so happy. Any musician could only dream of a legacy like that." She likes Springsteen for being "so musically relevant after such a long period of time". She aspires to be like Harris as she grows older because of prioritizing music over fame. Swift says of Kristofferson that he "shines in songwriting", and admires Simon for being "an emotional" but "a strong person".
Taylor Swift | Influences
Hadjia describes her voice as "a combination of RnB, pop and soul." Joelle also said "I don't really have a particular genre that I put myself in which I always thought was a bad thing but now I'm discovering it is good because it is something different and fresh". She cites Beyoncé, Drake, Rihanna, The Weeknd, Chris Brown, Lauryn Hill, Keri Hilson, Jessie J, John Legend, Rita Ora, Kelly Rowland, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift as her musical influences.
Joelle Hadjia | Artistry
She traveled with her mother at age eleven to visit Nashville record labels and submitted demo tapes of Dolly Parton and The Chicks karaoke covers. She was rejected, however, because "everyone in that town wanted to do what I wanted to do. So, I kept thinking to myself, I need to figure out a way to be different." When Swift was around 12 years old, computer repairman and local musician Ronnie Cremer taught her to play guitar. He helped with her first efforts as a songwriter, leading her to write "Lucky You". In 2003, Swift and her parents started working with New York-based talent manager Dan Dymtrow.
Taylor Swift | 1989–2003: Early life
About Gilman she said, "We had the same voice range when I was young. I would practice to his songs all the time." In her teens, Lovato listened to metal, including bands such as the Devil Wears Prada, Job for a Cowboy, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, and Bring Me the Horizon. She has said that John Mayer's songwriting has in particular been a "huge influence" on hers, and that following the release of "Unbroken", her musical style shifted towards hip hop and R&B. Upon the release of the song "Without a Fight" by country music singer Brad Paisley featuring Lovato, she cited the country genre as a lifelong strong musical influence of hers, as she "grew up listening to country" and her mom "was a country singer".
Demi Lovato | Influences
The family moved to a rented house in the suburban town of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, where she attended Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School. At age nine, Swift became interested in musical theater and performed in four Berks Youth Theatre Academy productions. She also traveled regularly to New York City for vocal and acting lessons. Swift later shifted her focus toward country music, inspired by Shania Twain's songs, which made her "want to just run around the block four times and daydream about everything." She spent weekends performing at local festivals and events. After watching a documentary about Faith Hill, Swift felt sure she needed to move to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a career in music.
Taylor Swift | 1989–2003: Early life
Potter cites as her influences The Civil Wars, Carrie Underwood, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, The Chicks, Rascal Flatts, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Patsy Cline, Alison Krauss, Union Station, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Sara Bareilles and Sheryl Crow. Growing up, she listened primarily to rock 'n roll because her parents were in a rock band. Originally a CCM artist, Potter now considers herself a Country and country pop artist, but her music contains elements of CCM, Soul pop, Hard rock and pop rock. She describes her music as a fusion of "Country, pop rock, and pop country with a rock edge".
Rachel Potter | Artistry
Hannah cited Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Holly Valance, Rachel Stevens and Madonna as her biggest musical influences.
Audrey Hannah | Musical influences
Cyrus has cited Elvis Presley as her biggest inspiration. She has also cited artists such as Madonna, Lana Del Rey, Dolly Parton, Timbaland, Christina Aguilera, Joan Jett, Lil Kim, Shania Twain, Hanson, OneRepublic and Britney Spears as influences. Since the beginning of her music career, Cyrus has been described as being predominantly a pop artist. Her "Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus" debut studio effort was characterized as sounding similar to her releases as "Hannah Montana" featuring a pop-rock and bubblegum pop sound. Cyrus hoped that the release of "Breakout" (2008) would help distance her from this sound; the record featured Cyrus experimenting with various genres.
Miley Cyrus | Musical style and influences
Swift says that while the song is about "just being mad" and is "completely, brutally honest"; she gave it a comedic edge. While at work after school, Swift "found [her]self just sitting there with [her] guitar going, 'I hate his stupid truck that he doesn't let me drive. He's such a redneck! Oh my God!'," a line which developed into the song's chorus. The up-tempo song is heavy with banjos and drums, while the chorus is marked by distorted guitars and big vocals. The singer penned the autobiographical song "The Outside" as an outlet at age twelve, the year she began writing her own songs.
Taylor Swift (album) | Development and music
Free claims to have been very musically influenced by the records her father used to play to her as a child. She says she grew up listening to artists such as Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Santana, Sam Cooke, Joni Mitchell and Sheryl Crow. She learned to play a lot of blues songs on guitar, which she practised with her father. She says that as a teenager she used to borrow her brother's records and listened to artists like Bryan Adams, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith and 4 Non Blondes. She was also a fan of mainstream pop acts like Christina Aguilera, En Vogue, Britney Spears, Destiny's Child, Spice Girls, and Ace of Base.
Ana Free | Influences
Concurrent with Underwood's crossover success was the debut of teen singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Swift initially specialized in country-flavored coffee house songs such as "Tim McGraw" and "Teardrops on My Guitar," but as her success grew, she increasingly began moving her musical career toward pop. Beginning with "The Story of Us" in 2010, Swift started releasing some of her songs either primarily, or solely, as pop tunes. Many of the songs Swift recorded for the country and pop markets also achieved wide success (especially "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," which topped both charts), turning her into a leading example of a country crossover phenomenon, with various critics lauding her as the "next Shania Twain".
Crossover music | Late 2000s and 2010s crossover country
Cam was exposed to classic country music at an early age from the time spent on her grandparents' ranch. They introduced her to the musical sounds of Patsy Cline, Bonnie Raitt and Willie Nelson. She was largely influenced by the vocal phrasing of Cline and Ray Charles. She also developed an appreciation for the Dixie Chicks and the Indigo Girls, commenting that she was "so into those female harmonies". She additionally cites Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Randy Newman as influences on her songwriting style. Although she has a variety of musical influences, Cam stated that country music is where she felt most connected to.
Cam (singer) | Artistry
Stewart grew up listening to pop artists such as Whitney Houston, Destiny's Child, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera Other musicians she admire include D'Angelo and Frank Ocean.
Kate Stewart | Influences
She disliked the media portraying her as a "serial-dater", feeling it undermined her professional work, and became more reticent to discuss her personal life in public. Most of Swift's lyrical inspirations during the album's conception came from her journal detailing her personal life, which had been a staple in her songwriting process. A new inspiration this time was her relocation to New York City in March 2014, which gave Swift a sense of freedom to embark on new ideas. Swift also took inspiration from the media scrutiny of her image, which prompted her to write satirical songs besides her traditional fairy tale-like fictions.
1989 (Taylor Swift album) | Background
She also enjoys Britney Spears's style and music, citing her as a role model, whose songs she often sang to while growing up, during American interviews stateside for their New Evolution World Tour stop in California.
2NE1 | Influences
He compared her sound to Cyndi Thomson and Hilary Duff. Chris Neal of "Country Weekly" said that Swift "demonstrat[es] an honesty, intelligence and idealism with which listeners of any age will be able to connect" and added that "the more thoughtful material suggests a talent poised to last well past high school." Ken Rosenbaum of "The Toledo Blade" wrote Swift "deftly handles lyrics and subjects in that shadowy area between teenager and womanhood."
Taylor Swift (album) | Critical reception
Levon finds music inspiration from all genres of music but as a young girl looked up to the big superstar performers such as Madonna and Michael Jackson: "I used to watch Madonna and Michael Jackson on TV and say to myself, 'I want to do that one day.'"
Elen Levon | Influences
Her musical style is a mix of pop rock, power pop and pop punk with Christian based lyrics. Her musical influences include Michelle Branch, Avril Lavigne, Stacie Orrico, Evanescence and Kelly Clarkson.
Jessie Daniels | Musical style and influences
Swift decided that the album would not follow one coherent genre, aiming to experiment with as many styles as she could. To this end, she recruited musicians whose works she admired, hoping to "learn from them." Although Swift was determined to incorporate various musical styles, she prioritized the lyrics over the production, striving to convey her emotions most effectively as she had done on her previous songs. She would start writing by identifying an emotion to a song, and the production would follow. This had been a staple of Swift's songwriting process, where she would put in her most personal thoughts as a source of relief.
Red (Taylor Swift album) | Production and recording
Jelencovich related that she had always had music around her, singing in choruses starting in elementary school, soloing in the fourth grade, and thinking about singing seriously while in high school. She also expressed a love for "princess songs" from Disney movies. Jelencovich said that she has been influenced by different genres of music, specifically, studying opera and "dabbling" in musical theatre while attending the Manhattan School of Music and remarking that she tries to combine musical theatre, pop and opera into one. Particular artist influences include Celine Dion and Whitney Houston in pop music; as well as Diana Damrau, Natalie Dessay and Joan Sutherland in opera.
Lauren Jelencovich | Influences
Bryan dubbed her songwriting as primarily deriving from pop, R&B, country, and hip hop styles, and stated that her music is influenced by Taylor Swift and The Chicks.
Bailey Bryan | Artistry
Callaghan's music is a blend of pop/rock/singer-songwriter genres, with influences from great artists including Shawn Mullins, Sarah McLachlan, Johnny Cash and James Taylor. Her voice has been compared to artists including Sarah McLachlan and Alison Krauss.
Georgina Callaghan | Influences
causing a stir on the Internet and in indie-label conference rooms." White has also revealed her appreciation of new wave music, saying that "My Superman" is an interpolation of a Siouxsie and the Banshees' song, "Red Light." The singer has also stated that she is inspired by 1980s pop music, feeling that it "had a depth to it," and that she hopes to "bring back some more good pop songs." The singer's main influences are James Brown and Aretha Franklin and she has cited Devo as her "ultimate favorite band." White also grew up listening to a lot of reggae, jazz, Fela Kuti and Nigerian music.
Santigold | Style and influences
Inspired by pop music of the 1980s and its experimentation with synthesizers, drum pads, and overlapped vocals, Taylor Swift decided to move away from the signature country styles of her previous releases and incorporate a straightforward pop production for her fifth studio album, "1989". The recording process began in mid-2013 concurrently with the start of Swift's headlining world tour in support of her fourth studio album "Red". Swift announced in February 2014 that she was working again with Max Martin and Shellback, with whom she had collaborated on three songs for "Red". The two produced seven of the thirteen tracks for the album's standard edition; Martin also served as executive producer with Swift.
Style (Taylor Swift song) | Production and release
Taylor Swift said of Simon "She has always been known for her songwriting and her honesty. She's known as an emotional person but a strong person. I really really look up to that. I admire her. I think she's always been beautiful and natural and seems to do it all effortlessly. There's nothing more attractive than someone who seems to live effortlessly." Carly Rae Jepsen was also influenced by Simon, stating "In truth I think I'm inspired by her for many reasons," she explained. "I think her music is amazing. I love the way she writes, which is very – almost to the point.
Carly Simon | Influence on other artists
Decker co-wrote the majority of the songs on her debut album. The album is of a country-pop fusion genre, revealing her taste for not only country music, but pop and soul music as well. The beat for "Blue Jeans" was a recording of Decker stepping; this talent stems from her time on the step team at her school. Initially, she faced opposition for her soul music-inspired vocal runs when trying to get signed in Nashville. She has listed Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Bobbie Gentry, Janis Joplin, Shelby Lynne, and Shania Twain as her musical influences. She has said that she initially wanted a career similar to those of Gentry and Twain, who were signed to pop labels but found crossover success in both country and pop music.
Jessie James Decker | Musical style and influences
Her biological father's love for rock music by Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix also influences her. She has also listed Nine Inch Nails and its frontman, Trent Reznor, Björk, Fiona Apple, Aaliyah, Skinny Puppy, AC/DC, Hole and Oasis as musical influences, citing the albums "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" and "Live Through This" as the most influential to her current sound. She has also mentioned Janet Jackson as a primary influence, saying "I love everything she does." The first concert she attended was an AC/DC concert with her father. Recalling the experience, she told "Revolver", "...I was like, when I grow up, this is what I want to do!"
Porcelain Black | Influences
Myers's musical style is the result of her upbringing and childhood musical influences, as well as collaboration with her co-writer and producer Doctor Rosen Rosen. "I came from this grunge, punk-rock background, but I always wanted to write catchy pop songs," Myers says. "I just didn't have the technical knowledge to make them work. But I grew up listening to well-crafted songs. I loved Sting, Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits, James Taylor and Fleetwood Mac. That's what I was drawn to. I love the simplicity of a great song, I just didn't realize how hard that was to capture in a recording.
Meg Myers | Musical style and influences
Tisdale's music, which is predominantly considered pop, has included ballads, dance-pop, hip hop, and rock influences. Boys, heartbreak, and relationship breakups are common themes in Tisdale's songs. She defined her music career as a way to connect herself with the fans and to inspire them. She claimed that, while "Headstrong" (2007) allowed her to "learn [herself] as an artist", with her second album, "Guilty Pleasure" (2009), she knew exactly what she wanted to do as an artist. Tisdale has named many influences on her musical career, including Christina Aguilera, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Pat Benatar, Pink, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Led Zeppelin, and AC/DC.
Ashley Tisdale | Musical style
Swift's vocal presence is something that concerns her and she has "put a lot of work" into improving it. It was reported in 2010 that she continues to take vocal lessons. She has said that she only feels nervous performing "if I'm not sure what the audience thinks of me, like at award shows".
Taylor Swift | Musical style
The album's 1980s synth-pop production divided critics. In an enthusiastic review, "The New York Times" critic Jon Caramanica complimented Swift's avoidance of contemporary hip hop/R&B crossover trends, writing, "Ms. Swift is aiming somewhere even higher, a mode of timelessness that few true pop stars...even bother aspiring to." Writing for "Rolling Stone", Rob Sheffield characterized the record as "deeply weird, feverishly emotional, wildly enthusiastic". In a review published by "Cuepoint", Robert Christgau applauded her departure from country to experiment with new styles, but felt this shift was not radical. "NME" reviewer Matthew Horton considered Swift's transition to pop "a success", save for the inclusion of the "soft-rock mush" of "This Love" and "Clean".
1989 (Taylor Swift album) | Critical reception
This mixture of musical genres came to influence his music career later in life.
Kris Vanderheyden | Introduction
When asked about her musical influences, she replied: "Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Janis Joplin, Robert Johnson, Karen Dalton, Fred Koller, Big Mama Thornton, Billie Holiday, Hank Williams, Tammy Wynette and J.J. Cale."
Lacy J. Dalton | Introduction
Her musical tastes originated from classic artists her parents listened to. This included Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, and Tammy Wynette. However, as Yearwood developed into her teenage years, she developed a liking for country rock artists such as Allman Brothers and James Taylor. She also cited the Eagles and Gordon Lightfoot as influences. According to Yearwood, her primary musical influence is Linda Ronstadt. She discovered her music after her parents bought her Ronstadt's studio album "Simple Dreams". Yearwood commented to the "Wall Street Journal" that while Ronstadt's music was considered pop, her phrasing and emotional style appeared country.
Trisha Yearwood | Artistry
When asked about her influences, she responded: "All of my influences are very soulful musicians – my favorite artist is Lauryn Hill, and I've always loved Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Ella Fitzgerald – and I wanted to explore that direction more." She said when she was young, she listened to Nina Simone, Crystal Lewis, Monica and Destiny's Child. Her other musical influences include Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Toni Braxton.
Stacie Orrico | Influences
She cites her two grandfathers and her father as her personal musical influences. She described her style in singing from Sly Stone and Beyoncé.
Malaya Watson | Musical influences
Her musical style has been characterised as rock, pop, art rock and indie rock, incorporating a wide range of influences including experimental rock, chamber rock, electropop, soft rock, and cabaret jazz. Clark mentioned that singers such as David Bowie and Kate Bush had inspired her, as had Jimi Hendrix and Siouxsie and the Banshees. She said in a 2015 lecture she listens to a Bowie track every day, and that "It's No Game (Part One)" was her favorite. Talking Heads, Patti Smith and Pink Floyd are also influences, as well as guitarists Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew (both from King Crimson), Marc Ribot and Adam Jones from Tool.
St. Vincent (musician) | Musical style and influences
Swift uses her life experiences as an inspiration in her work. She often addresses the "anonymous crushes of her high school years" and celebrities in her early songs. Swift frequently criticizes ex-boyfriends, an aspect of her songwriting downplayed by "The Village Voice": "Being told What Songs Mean is like having a really pushy professor. And it imperils a true appreciation of Swift's talent, which is not confessional, but dramatic." However, "New York" believes the media scrutiny over her decision to "mine her personal life for music ... is sexist, inasmuch as it's not asked of her male peers". Swift said that not all of her songs are factual, and they are sometimes based on observations or fictional narratives.
Taylor Swift | Songwriting
She models her singing on the vocal stylings of Amy Winehouse, Jeff Buckley, and Mikky Ekko. Other artists she has cited as musical influences include Madonna, The Weeknd, and Silverchair.
Tove Lo | Influences
Celeste Legaspi claims she is greatly influenced by Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Lena Horne, and Ella Fitzgerald. During one of her interviews she said that her type of music rests on elements of blues and those which intend to break the monotony of pop music.
Celeste Legaspi | Influences
Her diverse style is influenced by artists from a wide range of genres such as Andrea Bocelli, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Céline Dion, Diana King, Emeli Sandé, Mahalia Jackson, Pat Benatar, Beyoncé Knowles, Pink, and Tina Turner.
Tessanne Chin | Influences
Although she has chosen to stay away from press and remain independent, Fe has stated that she is currently listening to American indie rock band The National. She also likes Scala & Kolacny Brothers.
Fe (singer) | Influences
Amy has been heavily influenced by K-pop, saying "I love my K-pop, but I haven't really done anything with that sound yet. There's influences from it in my music – I've got some fat, solid, six-part melodies which are very K-poppy." Amy cites Beyoncé, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Big Bang as her influences, she also cites Janet Jackson as a major influence calling Jackson her idol.
KABBA (singer) | Influences
Dobson has said that John Lennon and Judy Garland are her primary musical influences, and that her biggest musical inspiration growing up was Michael Jackson: "I swore I was Michael [Jackson]. Then I found out I wasn't Michael [Jackson] and it broke my heart." She also mentions Janet Jackson as a primary influence. At the same time, she went to "every 'N Sync concert there was." Dobson indicated that she would like to work with Jack White, the White Stripes/Raconteurs frontman, because she admires him for his ability to make his ragged rock music become radio-style. She also said that she would love to write a song for the Jonas Brothers.
Fefe Dobson | Influences
AllMusic said, "Moore smoothly evolved from adolescent starlet to mature songwriter, continuing to distance herself from the scene that had launched her career one decade prior". Moore has said that she was inspired by film and television as a child. She has also said, "I'm stuck in the '70s. I think I'll always have that kind of influence. Joni Mitchell, Todd Rundgren, Harry Nilsson, McCartney—that's the sort of stuff I'm really inspired and influenced by". Moore also said how her then-husband, musician Ryan Adams, had a huge influence on her music, and that he introduced her to heavy metal. "Not that I can necessarily differentiate between speed metal and black metal…" she said.
Mandy Moore | Musical style and influences
Swift labeled herself as a pop artist since 2014's "1989", which also won the Grammy awards for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal album, making Swift the first and only artist to win those awards in both pop and country genres. The subsequent "Reputation" (2017) and "Lover" (2019) were pop albums, though "Lover" drew on country influences in songs like "Lover" and "Soon You'll Get Better"; the latter being a collaboration with Dixie Chicks. Swift has also written songs for other country pop acts, such as Little Big Town's "Better Man" and Sugarland's "Babe". Achieving both national and international prominence through her tour gross, sales records and critical acclaim, Swift has been credited for bringing recognition of country music "within the broad expanse of music worldwide"; Country Music Association acknowledged that her talent and presence "will have a long-term positive impact on the appreciation of country music for generations to come".
Country pop | 2000s and 2010s
Globelamp said that Conor Oberst inspired her to start writing songs, and that as a songwriter she is inspired by Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple, Syd Barrett, Taylor Swift, Tori Amos and Nick Drake.
Elizabeth le Fey | Musical influences
She mentions Tata Young and Beyoncé Knowles as her inspirations, besides Indonesian pop diva, Krisdayanti She also cites the girl group Pussycat Dolls, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, (whom when has been compared to) and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis as her fashion inspirations.
Syahrini | Musical influences
He also mentions that he would play along songs on the radio or records, like Queen's "News of the World", to enhance his skills when he was young.
Taylor Hawkins | Influences
... And once you've decided these subjects matter, it's hard to turn round and say: 'Actually, you know what? This isn't much cop.'" He recalls his experience as music editor for "The Guardian", where he has "been commissioning those pieces, knowing they will be read ... if no one wanted to read about Taylor Swift, you would never see another thinkpiece about her. Instead, we enter an arms race of hyperbole, as we credit her with forcing Apple to change its streaming terms, dismantling the musical patriarchy, creating new paradigms in music and society."
Rockism and poptimism | Commercial bias
Kornhaber remarked that the "classic" beauty in the lyrics are embedded with racial undertones, and "Consequence of Sound"s Sasha Geffen explicitly said it mostly applies to white people. "Slate"s Forrest Wickman noticed that the song seems to be about "timeless fashions" but actually portrays an unhealthy relationship. On an iHeartRadio live concert on October 27, 2014, Swift elaborated on her thinking of "fashion staples that ... we never throw out of our closet" while writing the song. Four days later, during a radio interview with host Ryan Seacrest, she revealed that "Style" was inspired by one of her romantic affairs that was "always a bit off".
Style (Taylor Swift song) | Music and lyrics
Tolli cites Birdy, Lorde, Lana Del Rey, Jewel, Johnny Cash and Norah Jones as her musical influences, as well as contemporaries such as The xx, The Jezabels, Angus and Julia Stone and Radiohead as her musical influences. In an interview with Pop Sugar, Tolli was asked about which of her "X Factor" performances represented the musical direction she wanted to go in. She stated that it was her performances of Lana Del Rey's "Young and Beautiful", Lorde's "Royals" and Rihanna's "Stay".
Jiordan Tolli | Artistry
"I've written like eight songs for the second album by myself. If you're in Arkansas, who's there to write with?" During vacation days from touring, Swift collaborated with Rose, musician John Rich, and singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat. In the writing process, she was heavily influenced by Sheryl Crow's candidness and truthful, yet vulnerable storytelling, and Brad Paisley's touching, yet humorous nature; she opened for Paisley. She sought to prolong with centering romantic love the theme of the album. Primarily, she did not want to alienate her fans with songs about life on the road, for she could never relate to songs of the sort when younger.
Fearless (Taylor Swift album) | Background
She has stated that her writing is influenced by indie singers such as Florence and the Machine and Bat for Lashes but when she writes "it just seems to come out as pop". Comparisons have been made between her and British singer-songwriter Lily Allen as well as Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. Regarding her comparison to Avril Lavigne, Coburn stated "just because I'm female and young they have to put you in a box. Frankly, anyone who says I was influenced by Avril Lavigne can get stuffed".
Daisy Coburn | Songwriting, genre and influences
Her influences span various genres and artists, including The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Teena Marie, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Nirvana, Erykah Badu, and Prince.
DANiiVORY | Influences
Swift hints at her desire to reunite with her ex-lover on "How You Get the Girl", a bubblegum pop track featuring guitar strums over a heavy disco-styled beat. "This Love" is a soft rock-flavored electropop ballad; music critic Jon Caramanica opined the song could be mistaken as "a concession to country" because of the production by Swift's longtime co-producer Nathan Chapman.
1989 (Taylor Swift album) | Songs
Tinashe said she writes her songs and is open to writing collaborations with other artists. Her writing consists of "things that are relative to me and my life; whether that's relationships I've had or relationships that people I know are in, because I can put myself into other people's mindstates and write from that point of view too". She also likes to write about society; "different things that affect me day to day from more of a philosophical standpoint rather than just the obvious stuff." Regarding her musical style, she is "really inspired by R&B, hip-hop, and alternative music". Tinashe said in 2016 she feels she does not "fit into any particular genre." She later said she considers herself "a pop artist who makes R&B-tinged pop music".
Tinashe | Musical style and influences
Gray has cited Taylor Swift as his biggest inspiration, stating that he "was raised by [her]" and that he is "the largest Swiftie". He told "People", "I love her so much. I love her music. I love what she does. I love her lyricism. I love how she's handled her career. She's just such a fucking boss. I grew up listening to her music since I was nine years old. I feel like she shaped me so much as a person." Swift praised Gray's debut album "Kid Krow" and the track "Wish You Were Sober" on her personal Instagram story, to which Gray responded, "Thank you for being my lifelong songwriting inspiration and icon.
Conan Gray | Influences
One of the most commercially successful country artists of the late 2000s and early 2010s has been singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Swift first became widely known in 2006 when her debut single, "Tim McGraw," was released when Swift was only 16. In 2006, Swift released her self-titled debut studio album, which spent 275 weeks on "Billboard" 200, one of the longest runs of any album on that chart. In 2008, Taylor Swift released her second studio album, "Fearless", which made her the second longest number-one charted on "Billboard" 200 and the second best-selling album (just behind Adele's "21") within the past 5 years.
Country music | Popular culture
During the early stages of her career, Perry's musical style gravitated towards gospel and she aspired to be as successful as Amy Grant. At age 15, she heard "Killer Queen" by Queen, which inspired her to pursue a music career. She cites the band's frontman, Freddie Mercury, as her biggest influence and expressed how the "combination of his sarcastic approach to writing lyrics and his 'I don't give a fuck' attitude" inspired her music. She paid homage to the band by naming her third fragrance Killer Queen. Perry described the Beach Boys and their album "Pet Sounds" as having a considerable influence on her music: ""Pet Sounds" is one of my favorite records and it influenced pretty much all of my songwriting.
Katy Perry | Influences
To ensure a smooth transition to pop, Swift recruited Max Martin and Shellback as major collaborators, in part because of their reputation as the biggest mainstream pop hitmakers at the time. Speaking to the Associated Press in October 2013, Swift described them as "absolute dream collaborators" because they took her ideas in a different direction, which challenged her as a songwriter. Scott Borchetta, president of Swift's then-label Big Machine, was initially dubious of Swift's decision. He failed to persuade Swift to record "three country songs", and ultimately accepted that Big Machine would not promote the new songs to country radio.
1989 (Taylor Swift album) | Recording and production
She doesn't pursue only one music genre as she wanted to achieve multi-genre singer. She was one of a few singers that could balance well between artistic and entertainment. People often considered her to be singing deep ballad songs. Her medium vocal was feminine, soft and she often adjusted her voice to fit any song.
Hiền Thục | 2010-now
Her style has been compared to Janet Jackson, Aaliyah, and James Blake. Tinashe was inspired by the music her parents would play in the house when she was young. She considers Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Sade, Christina Aguilera, James Blake, the xx, and SBTRKT as significant influences on her.
Tinashe | Musical style and influences