Who Are Taylor Swift’s Parents? Meet Her Mom and Dad
Taylor Swift’s parents, Scott Swift and Andrea Swift, have been her biggest support system since the early days of her career. The pop star has a close relationship with her mom and dad, who were in the crowd at most shows of her Eras tour in 2023.
The proud parents also accompanied Taylor to her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s football game on Christmas Day 2023. They all sat in a private suite and cheered on the Kansas City Chiefs star.
So, who are the parents who raised one of the world’s most influential celebrities?
When Did Taylor Swift’s Parents Get Married?
Scott and Andrea tied the knot in February 1998. Taylor, who was born in December 1989, was their first child, followed by a son, Austin, in March 1992. The couple raised their children on a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania before relocating to Hendersonville, Tennessee to support Taylor’s country music career in 2004.
Even before they relocated permanently, Andrea, who was born in 1958, was often taking trips to Nashville with Taylor so the then-teenager could drop her demos off with record labels. “My mom waited in the car with my little brother while I knocked on doors up and down Music Row,” the “Blank Space” singer shared in 2008. “I would say, ‘Hi, I’m Taylor. I’m 11. I want a record deal. Call me.”
What Do Taylor Swift’s Parents Do?
While Scott and Andrea are set for life thanks to their daughter’s incredible career, they were both employed before she became a superstar. Andrea worked as a marketing manager for an advertising agency and eventually stopped working to raise her family. Scott was a stockbroker and financial advisor for Merill Lynch.
Do Taylor Swift’s Parents Approve of Travis Kelce?
Andrea and Scott have given their nod of approval for Taylor’s relationship with Travis. Scott was the first to publicly hang out with the NFL star when they both attended the Eras tour in Argentina on November 11, 2023. The guys watched the show together from a VIP tent. When Taylor changed the lyrics to her song “Karma” to be about the pro athlete at the show, Scott was seen excitedly clapping a blushing Travis on the shoulder and laughing. One day before the concert, both men also joined Taylor for dinner in Buenos Aires.
Scott then accompanied Taylor to the Chiefs’ game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 17, 2023. He wore Chiefs gear to the stadium and watched his daughter’s boyfriend take home a win.
On Christmas Day 2023, Scott and Andrea were both in attendance at a Chiefs home game in Kansas City. Andrea waved to fans as she arrived at the stadium via a golf cart with her famous daughter. They also spent time with Travis’ dad, Ed Kelce, in a private box at Arrowhead Stadium.
What Happened to Taylor Swift’s Mom?
In 2015, Taylor revealed that Andrea had been diagnosed with cancer. She received the diagnosis after Taylor asked her to get screened for health issues as a Christmas gift.
“I’d like to keep the details of her condition and treatment plans private, but she wanted you to know,” Taylor shared. “She wanted you to know because your parents may be too busy juggling everything they’ve got going on to go to the doctor, and maybe you reminding them to go get checked for cancer could possibly lead to an early diagnosis and an easier battle … or peace of mind in knowing that they’re healthy and there’s nothing to worry about.”
Taylor didn’t publicly discuss her mom’s illness again until March 2019 when she wrote a piece for Elle sharing 30 things she learned before turning 30. “Both of my parents have had cancer, and my mom is now fighting her battle with it again,” she revealed. “It’s taught me that there are real problems and then there’s everything else. My mom’s cancer is a real problem. I used to be so anxious about the daily ups and downs. I give all my worry, stress and prayers to real problems now.”
She still did not specify the type of cancer that Andrea had been diagnosed with and did not share further information about her dad’s cancer battle.
In January 2020, Taylor had more to share about her mom’s health. “While she was going through treatment, they found a brain tumor,” she told Variety. “And the symptoms of what a person goes through when they have a brain tumor is nothing like what we’ve ever been through with her cancer before. So it’s just been a really hard time for us as a family.”
She also added, “Everyone loves their mom; everyone’s got an important mom. But for me, she really is the guiding force. Almost every decision I make, I talk to her about it first. So obviously, it was a really big deal to ever speak about her illness.”
What Songs Are About Taylor Swift’s Parents?
Since Andrea and Scott are such an important part of Taylor’s life, it’s no surprise that they’ve gotten some mentions in her songs.
Taylor actually penned two full tracks about Andrea. In 2008, she released “The Best Day” on her album Fearless. In the lyrics, she recalls special times that she shared with her mom as a child and teenager. When she rereleased Fearless in 2021, she included several never-before-seen photos with Andrea in the lyric video. Scott also gets a shoutout on the track when Taylor sings, “I have an excellent father, his strength is making me stronger.”
The other Andrea-inspired song is “Soon You’ll Get Better,” which was featured on 2019’s Lover. Taylor wrote the song about her mom’s cancer battle. The tear-jerking song features lyrics like, “I hate to make this all about me, but who am I supposed to talk to? What am I supposed to do, if there’s no you?”
In a 2019 interview, she admitted, “I don’t think I have written a song quite like that before. It’s just a tough one.”
Taylor also mentions her mom on “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” a song from 2017’s Reputation. “Here’s to my mama, she had to listen to all this drama,” she croons in the bridge, referring to her feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. In 2023, Taylor dropped 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which featured five songs “From the Vault” that had never been heard before. One of those was “Now That We Don’t Talk,” which had the lyrics, “I call my mom she said that it was for the best” and “I call my mom she said to get it off my chest.”
The pop star also hinted at the importance of her mom’s opinion on the song “Dear John” when she sings, “My mother accused me of losing my mind but I swore I was fine.” “Dear John” is from the 2010 album Speak Now, which also includes the track “Never Grow Up.” Taylor wrote that song about moving out from her parents house.
Meanwhile, Scott got a mention on Speak Now’s Joe Jonas-inspired track, “Last Kiss.” Taylor sings, “I love your handshake, meeting my father.” There was a much different sentiment on the 10 minute version of “All Too Well,” though, as she recalled being stood up by a boyfriend on her 21st birthday. “You who charmed my dad with self-effacing jokes, sipping coffee like you were on a late night show, but then he watched me watch the front door all night, willing you to come, and he said, ‘It’s supposed to be fun, turning 21,’” she shares.
Taylor Swift’s Parents in ‘Miss Americana’
Fans got a glimpse into Taylor’s relationship with her parents in her 2020 Netflix documentary, Miss Americana. At one point in the film, Andrea was in tears after Taylor performed the opening night of her 2018 Reputation tour.
One of the most memorable scenes from the film, though, was when Taylor made the decision to speak publicly about her political views for the first time. Before making her statement, she had a heated discussion with Scott about taking a stance against Donald Trump and Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn. The father of two was hesitant about Taylor being vocal about this subject.
“Right now, I’m terrified,” he admitted. “I’m the guy that went out and brought armored cars [to protect you].” However, Taylor refused to back down. She choked back tears as she revealed her regrets over not speaking out in the past. “I can’t change that, but I need to be on the right side of history,” she insisted. “Dad, I need you to forgive me for doing it because I’m doing it.”
