NEWS
Taylor Swift
Beth GarrabrantSeems Taylor Swift knows all too well how to give fans what they want for Record Store Day. On Wednesday (Feb. 9), Vans announced that the superstar will be included on Portraits of Her, a special charity benefit album for the annual event.
Set to be released in independent record stores on April 23, the 16-track album will raise money for We Are Moving the Needle, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering and supporting female professionals in the recording industry. While it’s unclear whether Swift will be contributing a new song or a re-recorded track to the compilation, she’ll be joined by the likes of Julien Baker, Banks, Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!, Girl in Red, K.Flay, Mariah the Scientist, Julia Michaels and Princess Nokia on the tracklist.
“This album celebrates generations of women who have overcome barriers to representation, recognition, and opportunity in the music industry,” said Tierney Stout, Vans’ director of global music marketing, in a statement. “Brands, record labels, musicians and other organizations, including Record Store Day and We Are Moving the Needle, are working together to give today and tomorrow’s female talent more visibility, support and opportunities.”
Emily Lazar, a mastering engineer and founder of We Are Moving the Needle, added, “Women are an incredible asset to the music industry, yet they are underrepresented across the board, but particularly in recording studios. To close the vast gender gap in this industry, we must all work together to empower women on and off stage, behind the music, in the studio, and everywhere else in this business.”
Swift was named Record Store Day global ambassador back in January, and the unnamed song for the charity album isn’t the only surprise she has up her sleeve. The icon also plans to drop an as-yet-unannounced title of her own to mark the 15th anniversary of the holiday for vinyl lovers the world over.
Meanwhile, her latest collaboration with pal Ed Sheeran — a remix of “The Joker and the Queen” off the latter’s new album = (Equals) — is set to be released this Friday (Feb. 11).
Get a look at the cover art for Portraits of Her below.
Taylor Swift believes Nashville has a music scene that stands apart from anywhere else.
The 36 year old singer moved to Nashville, Tennessee, when she was young to chase her dream of becoming a country music star. After being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame on Monday (26.10.26), Taylor took the opportunity to recognise the city and the talented writers who have helped shape its music scene.
In her acceptance speech, Taylor said: "I believe you really get to master a craft by doing it again and again. That's exactly what the incredible songwriters in this wonderful town do every day."
Taylor also spoke about what makes Nashville such a special place for musicians.
The award winning singer, who ranks among the best selling music artists of all time, said: "You won't find another music community quite like this one. Trust me, I've checked them all."
Taylor also shared how being part of Nashville's songwriting scene had taught her valuable lessons about life and working with others.
She joked: "I've learned to be flexible when your co writer turns up with a hangover, or when they need to spend ages talking about their divorce before we can even get started on a song."
Taylor previously spoke about how Faith Hill and Shania Twain inspired her decision to move to Nashville.
Speaking to Time magazine, the singer said: "I couldn't get enough of watching TV biographies about Faith Hill and Shania Twain, and I realised they had both moved to Nashville to get their careers started. After that, I kept asking, pleading and begging my parents to take me there.
"When I was 11, my mum took my brother and me to Nashville during spring break, and we spent the trip driving around Music Row. She stayed in the car while I rushed into record companies one after another, giving my demo CD to the receptionists. I found it fascinating that so many major record labels were gathered along a single street, often inside little buildings and old houses.
"What really stayed with me was how welcoming people were to newcomers and complete strangers like us. We started visiting Nashville more often, and when I was 13, I received an offer for a development deal from a major record label. That was when my parents finally agreed to leave Pennsylvania and move with me."
