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| Taylor Swift's Acceptance Speech at The 2023 iHeartRadio |
Taylor Swift received the Innovator Award at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on Monday night. Swift was honored with the Innovator Award for her immense contribution to pop culture worldwide.
Phoebe Bridgers presented the award to her and shared how Taylor Swift's music influenced her to become a songwriter. Bridgers recounted listening to country radio with her mother when she first heard a young Swift singing her own song about her life, which inspired her. She also mentioned that Taylor has always written honest songs about her current experiences. Bridgers expressed her gratitude for growing up in a world with Taylor Swift.
A video montage was shown before the presentation, featuring several famous celebrities, such as Dolly Parton, Selena Gomez, and Justin Timberlake, who all praised the singer for her legacy and songwriting abilities. Ed Sheeran even went as far as to call "Anti-Hero" one of the best pop songs ever written. Selena Gomez spoke highly of Swift's ability to represent her life experiences through her music and acknowledged her as a natural role model. Similarly, Dolly Parton expressed her admiration for Swift and her hope to keep her around forever.
During her speech, Swift emphasized the importance of recognizing failures. She expressed that the choices she made, both good and bad, led her to where she is today and that it's okay to fail because it's a natural part of the learning process. "You have to give yourself permission to fail," she said. "Go easy on yourself and just make the right choices that feel right for you and someday someone might think that you've been innovative." Her words of encouragement and self-acceptance were powerful reminders to young people that it's okay to make mistakes and that these experiences can ultimately lead to growth and success.
Swift's fans have backed her up in a lot of the choices she's made, including switching genres and re-recording all of her old music. She said that the coolest ideas, moves, and choices are the new ones, the ones that set a precedent, and that one should go easy on themselves and just make the right choices that feel right for them.
In addition to the Innovator Award, she also won Song of the Year and Best Lyrics for "Anti-Hero," Pop Album of the Year (Midnights), TikTok Bop of the Year (Bejeweled), and Favourite Use of a Sample (Question...?). These awards recognize Swift's impact on the music industry and her commitment to authenticity and innovation in her songwriting and performances.
Watch Taylor Swift's Acceptance Speech for The 2023 iHeartRadio Innovator Award
