Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. She is known for narrative songs about her personal life, which have received widespread media coverage. At age 14, Swift became the youngest artist signed by the Sony/ATV Music publishing house and, at 15, she signed her first record deal.
Her 2006 eponymous debut album was the longest-charting album of the 2000s in the US. Its third single, "Our Song", made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a number-one song on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Swift's second album, Fearless, was released in 2008.
Buoyed by the pop crossover success of the singles "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me", it became the US' best-selling album of 2009 and was certified diamond in the US. The album won four Grammy Awards, and Swift became the youngest Album of the Year winner.
Stormzy urges music industry to “not just use diversity as a buzzword”
nme.comStormzy urged the music industry to “not just use diversity as a buzzword” during his acceptance speech at the AIM Awards last night (September 28).The Croydon MC was named Diversity Champion at the event, owing to his efforts to “level the playing field” through his Merky Foundation and publishing imprint, #Merky Books.In a pre-recorded video message, Stormzy offered his thanks to the AIM Awards and said that he was “really grateful” to receive the honour.“I think we’ve just always led with love, and there’s a spirit among my team where we all share the same goals when it comes to having a platform and doing all the positive work that we do.
So I think that’s what’s led us here.”He continued: “I encourage everyone in the room today to not just use diversity as a buzzword.
Whatever position you’re in… let that be a driving factor, and not just see it as a quota or a box to tick.”Stormzy went on to call on music industry figures to “really see the worth and the value” of embracing a wide range of voices.A post shared by Assoc of Independent Music (@aim_insta_uk)Back in 2020, a report by UK Music found that there had been an increase in minority ethnic employees in the industry (from 15.6 per cent to 22.3 per cent) since 2016.
The female representation at the time was 49.6 per cent.However, 86 per cent of Black musicians said there were barriers to progression in their careers in a survey conducted by Black Lives In Music last October.Stormzy’s Merky Foundation has pledged £10million over 10 years to organisations and charities that are “committed to fighting for racial equality, justice reform and black empowerment within the UK”.The artist previously donated £500,000 to fund further or higher education for students from.
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