Taylor Swift's Parents Divorced Quietly Years Ago — And It Deeply Affected Her & Her Music
Despite the divorce, Scott and Andrea Swift continue to attend Taylor's events, supporting her in her career.
'The Best Day' (Music Video-2009) / Taylor Swift, Andrea Swift The ever-growing music career of pop star, Taylor Swift, would not have been possible without the endless support and encouragement of two significant figures in her life: her parents, Scott and Andrea. The two are often spotted at their daughter’s concerts, interacting with fans, dancing along to the songs and cheering on Swift from the sidelines.
Their amicable relationship is why so many people are unaware that Taylor Swift's parents divorced more than a decade ago.
Scott and Andrea Swift got married in 1989 and divorced in 2011. Although the news was not publicized at the time, fans have looked back on the songs Swift has composed throughout the years that may have hinted at the separation.
True Swifties know that the pop star's parents wed on February 20, 1989, and welcomed their daughter 10 months later on December 13, 1989. A little over two years later, their son, Austin Swift, was born on March 11, 1992.
The couple bought a Christmas tree farm in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania to raise their children on. However, it was obvious from a young age that Taylor Swift was a musical prodigy, and the family picked up everything and moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2003 to help Swift launch her career.
Swift revealed that her parents were committed to building her musical dreams.
"My mom waited in the car with my little brother while I knocked on doors up and down Music Row," she recalled in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "I would say, 'Hi, I'm Taylor. I'm 11; I want a record deal. Call me.”
The family’s lives grew even more chaotic in 2004 after Swift was offered a deal with SONY/ATV Tree Publishing House, and Andrea began traveling with her daughter more and more. By 2008 when her album “Fearless” was released, Andrea and Scott hardly saw each other anymore since Andrea would accompany Swift on tour while Scott would stay home with Austin.
It was then that the two began having problems in their marriage. The constant separation caused a strain in their relationship.
In 2011, Andrea and Scott decided that it would be best to separate. An anonymous family friend told Radar Online that the couple had actually separated a few years before actually making it official. At the time, the Swifts kept their divorce out of the spotlight before it became public knowledge years later.
Although Swift has never addressed her parents’ separation in interviews or at concerts, it seemed to have an effect on her, as some of her songs center around divorce and her parents.
Swift has alluded to her parents' divorce in some of her most popular songs.
Fans know that most of Swift’s songs are usually referencing a past lover, friend, or family member through subtle hints she drops in the lyrics. After the news of her parent's divorce broke, many fans were quick to notice details from her previous albums that actually referenced the split.
For example, her song “Mine,” from her album “Speak Now” revolves around a woman who is cautious when it comes to falling in love due to her parents’ marriage falling apart. “You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter,” and, “Braced myself for the goodbye, 'cause that's all I've ever known,” are lines from the hit song that appear to be a direct reference to Andrea and Scott’s divorce.
Another one of Swift’s songs that alludes to the failed marriage is “Sad Beautiful Tragic,” which she wrote while on a tour bus. According to Swift herself, the song is about “something that is lost” and cannot be brought back.
“We both wake in lonely beds in different cities,” and, “Hang up, give up, for the life of us, we can't get back,” are lyrics in the song that allude to a relationship that can no longer be repaired, like that of Swift’s parents.
Despite the divorce, Andrea and Scott remain amicable and still show up to support their daughter no matter what.
Not all marriages end in bitterness, and Swift’s parents have proved that to be true. Even years after their separation, both continue to accompany their daughter on tours, at award shows, and now to her boyfriend, Travis Kelce’s, football games. Oddly enough, Kelce’s parents are also divorced and are still able to be in the same room and get along while they support their son during his games.
While divorce can bring about difficult change, it is how a couple handles the separation for the sake of their children that matters the most. According to Shapiro Family Law, children who report that their parents had a healthy and amicable divorce are generally better adjusted than those whose parents experienced an explosive separation that involved a lot of fighting. Respect, communication, and fair co-parenting in the midst of a divorce have a positive effect on the children involved.
While Swift may have been sad that her parents were no longer romantically together, they are clearly doing divorce the right way. They continue to lean on one another and respect each other so that they can support and be there for their children.
Even after the divorce, the Swifts are still a family, and it is obvious that Taylor has a strong attachment to both of them, as she demonstrates in her tear-jerking song “The Best Day,” which is most definitely worth listening to!
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.