Can you believe it’s been fifteen years since Taylor Swift made her debut at the prestigious stage of the Grand Ole Opry? Dressed in a simple white sundress and sporting her famous natural curls, Swift sang her debut single “Tim McGraw” for an unforgettable performance that stole countless of country fans’ hearts.
Taylor Swift was just sixteen then, signed with a new independent label called Big Machine Records as one of its first artists. Her self-titled debut album wouldn’t hit the shelves until a little more than one month, and the thought of a teenage girl becoming a country star still seemed pretty far-fetched.
But shooting to stardom happened fast for Swift! Her album, jam-packed with catchy songs about teenage love and heartbreak, became such a big hit that it yielded three country hits – with “Our Song,” giving Swift her first taste of No. 1 hit. Swift went on selling over five million copies in the United States alone, putting her on the map of best-selling female artists in the history of country music.
As her star rose to be one of the genre’s sensations and with such undeniable talent, Swift became one of Opry’s frequent guests over the course of her next few albums.
However, Swift did not stay in the country for long. A couple of her hits were also often played on mainstream pop radio.
When the singer-songwriter released her second album two years later, she went on seeing success in the public eye, including those who didn’t usually listen to country music. She achieved hits over hits and definitely made herself a household name. This trend continued in the following years until Swift fully transitioned from an artist with country influence to a full-fledged pop singer.
She entirely left country music in 2014 with the release of her first pop album, 1989.
Let’s take a look at her Grand Ole Opry Debut in the video below.
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