Taylor Swift had one of the most successful musical careers and genre shifts of the decade. With the release of her third album, “Enchanted,” Swift began her transition from a country musician to one of the best-selling pop artists.

With pictures posing with her renowned girl squad, serial-dating rumors and a lot of Keds advertisements, it seemed as though Swift was reaching a level of fame that belonged to royalty. The peak of her domination in pop lasted past her world-renowned album “1989.” It ended when Kim Kardashian West leaked a heavily edited phone call, in which Swift approved a line in Kanye West’s song, “Famous,” which describes Swift in a derogatory way. This caught Swift in a lie. After the leak, Kim Kardashian West called Swift a snake, indirectly starting the #KimEndedTaylor trend on Twitter.

After this, Swift disappeared for over a year. She went months without being spotted or releasing new music. Little did we know, Swift was working on an album titled “Reputation,” which showed a vulnerable Swift trying to live her life in a world that scrutinized her every move. Immediately after coming out with her new album, Swift led a much more private life.

Expressed in her latest album, “Lover,” Swift has become an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. No longer avoiding the topic of politics, Swift began pushing her followers to become more involved with their governments via a series of social media posts. She has since encouraged her audience to sign a petition imploring the government to sign the Equality Act.

It is important to view Swift not only as a woman who has had one of the most successful musical careers of the decade but also as a girl who started off small and became one of the most influential stars in the spotlight.