Taylor Swift makes history as Time's latest Person of the Year
MANILA, Philippines — Award-winning singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has been named by Time Magazine as its Person of the Year for 2023, the first entertainer to receive the honor.
Taylor was the magazine's selection from a pool of finalists that included the Hollywood strikers and Barbie.
Time acknowledged the history of its Person of the Year recognition as male-dominated and often always a politician or industry mogul — other nominees like Russian president Vladimir Putin, China's president Xi Jinping, OpenAI chief Sam Altman and King Charles III.
Last year's recipient of Person of the Year was Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. The late former president Corazon Aquino was the third individual woman to be recognized when she was 1986's Person of the Year. She would be followed by Germany's Angela Merkel in 2015 and climate activist Greta Thunberg four years later.
The magazine, however, singled out Taylor's contributions this year as "transcendant and of significant guidance."
"No one else on the planet today can move so many people so well. Achieving this feat is something we often chalk up to the alignments of planets and fates, but giving too much credit to the stars ignores her skill and her power," wrote Time editor Sam Jacobs.
Taylor first appeared on the cover of Time in 2014 upon the release of her album "1989." In 2017, she was part of Time's "Silence Breakers" list, and now she is just the fourth individual Person of the Year born in the last 50 years.
Time also noted Taylor's game-changing pop culture moments in 2023: three No. 1 albums, a record-breaking tour, becoming a billionaire, and having university classes and street signs inspired by her.
"She committed to validating the dreams, feelings and experiences of people, especially women, who felt overlooked and regularly underestimated. They know she respects her audience, and trusts them with her story," continued the write-up. "She held up a mirror to her own life, helping people better see themselves. She embraced her past, foibles and all, and in doing so encouraged others to do the same."
Taylor posted several of the Time covers she shot for the magazine on her social media accounts, including one where she had her cat Benjamin Button around her neck.
"I'm really reflecting on this year, and all the years that led up to it. Can’t say thank you enough times," Taylor said, expressing awe for people who chipped in to her recognition piece like Stevie Nicks, Greta Gerwig, Shonda Rhimes and Phoebe Bridgers.
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