As someone who wrote a book about Taylor Swift, I’ve heard my fair share of strong opinions about why she hit it big. Wealthy parents. Classic American-girl looks. A guitar and a diary full of boy trouble. Of course she made it—right?
These factors may have given Swift a head start, but they didn’t guarantee anything. Not even close. There are plenty of girls with rich dads and vocal chops who could tell you that. The music industry is fickle and brutish, and success hinges as much on timing, connections, and dumb luck as it does on talent. There’s no clear formula for a breakthrough—let alone a career that endures.
