The Tragic Truth About Taylor Swift's Parents, Andrea And Scott Swift
Before Taylor Swift took over the nation, she was a small-town girl in Pennsylvania with big dreams. She eventually broke into the industry as a country artist, releasing her hit single, "Tim McGraw," in 2006 which cemented the start of her record-shattering career. But her journey to fame wouldn't have been possible without the encouragement of her parents, Andrea and Scott Swift, who supported her dreams of being a star ever since she was a child.
Taylor has often praised the pair for their support, both emotionally and physically, over the years. "It's pretty priceless having my dad out here with me," the singer wrote on her MySpace page (via People) while on tour in 2009. She's also a huge fan of her mother, whom she called her "guiding force" in a 2020 interview with Variety.
Fame comes at a cost, however, and Taylor's parents have sacrificed a lot for their daughter to become a household name. While Andrea and Scott have managed to keep their personal lives under the radar, their privacy has been compromised numerous times under the microscope of the public. We're breaking down the tragic truth about the matriarch and patriarch of the Swift family.
Andrea and Scott Swift upended their lives for Taylor's dream
Taylor Swift wasn't raised in the bustling country music scene of Nashville, but she was determined to make her dreams a reality. Andrea and Scott Swift raised their daughter alongside her brother, Austin, on a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania, in a small town where residents tend to stay their whole lives. "Nobody really expects you to leave, especially before you graduate. That doesn't happen," the singer told Entertainment Weekly in 2008.
It couldn't have been easy for Andrea and Scott to pack up the lives they had known for decades, but by the time their daughter was in middle school, she was writing songs and had her sights completely set on Tennessee. When the "Mine" singer was just 14 years old, the family packed up and moved to Hendersonville, a city near downtown Nashville. At the time, Scott transferred his stockbroker career to a new office.
Despite the big move, Taylor's parents made sure their daughter never felt she was shouldering the weight of the decision. "I never wanted to make that move about her 'making it,'" Andrea explained to the outlet. "Because what a horrible thing if it hadn't happened, for her to carry that kind of guilt or pressure around." After performing gigs at the famous Bluebird Cafe, she eventually caught the eye of music guru Scott Borchetta. He eventually signed Taylor to Big Machine Label Group in 2005 and helped launch her career.
Scott felt left out of his daughter's life
Scott Swift made some shocking comments about his role in his daughter's career early on. A leaked email from Scott was released in 2023 amidst an ongoing lawsuit brought against the Swifts by her former manager, Daniel Dymtrow, who claimed he was underpaid while working for Taylor Swift nearly two decades ago.
In the 2005 email, Scott discussed his role as a financier and marketer for his daughter's brand, writing, "Bear with me. I need to vent ... I know one thing. No one is going to aid you and Taylor in becoming successful more than I will." He went on to express his frustrations about being left out of his daughter's star-studded life. "Who gets to go to New York, New England and every cool appearance? Not dad. Can't fix hair," he complained. "Dad talks too much. Who pays for trips to New York? Dad."
The email also shed light on what appeared to be cracks in Scott and Andrea's marriage when Scott mentioned that his wife had prohibited him from sending business emails related to Taylor. He even asked Dymtrow not to mention their conversation to Taylor or Andrea, writing, "Send it to her or mention it to Taylor and there will probably be a quick divorce," alongside a smiley face. Scott also agonized over his attempts at managing his job and Taylor's career, writing, "My clients do not want to hear how much stress I am under."
Andrea and Scott allegedly separated
Scott Swift's comments about his wife in his leaked email might have signaled the couple's separation years later. Speculative reports surfaced in 2012 that the couple had decided to go their separate ways after 25 years of marriage. In an article published by Star (via Radar Online), a source claimed, "The Swifts stopped wearing their wedding rings," adding, "They haven't filed for divorce because they don't want it to damage Taylor's career." Cracks in the family business could have led to the rift, with the source revealing, "Andrea being on tour with Taylor full-time has really been hard on her relationship with Scott."
Taylor Swift's former guitar teacher claimed that those cracks started early on in the star's career, however. Ronnie Cremer, who reportedly taught the singer how to play the instrument, alleged that her parents had been on different pages years before the singer became famous. "They didn't have a good relationship," Cremer told the New York Daily News. "[Scott] used to tell me ... 'I got a wife that doesn't love me. I'm trying to help my daughter out, and do all the right things, and my wife could care less.'"
While Taylor has never commented on the status of her parents' relationships, fans seem to think her 2010 track "Mine" may be alluding to their alleged marital troubles. In the song, Taylor sings: "You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter," and "We'll never make my parents' mistakes."
Andrea and Scott were diagnosed with cancer
Taylor Swift got some tragic news in 2015 when she learned that her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The "Fearless" singer took to Tumblr (via Us Weekly) at the time to share the news, writing, "For Christmas this year, I asked my mom that one of her gifts to me be her going to the doctor to get screened for any health issues, just to ease some worries of mine." The singer went on to write that while her mother didn't feel ill, the check-up resulted in some shocking news. "The results came in, and I'm saddened to tell you that my mom has been diagnosed with cancer."
In 2019, Taylor revealed in a personal essay for Elle that not only had Andrea Swift's cancer returned, but her father had also been previously diagnosed with the condition. While she didn't reveal the exact type of cancer her father dealt with, she wrote, "Both of my parents have had cancer, and my mom is now fighting her battle with it again ... My mom's cancer is a real problem. I used to be so anxious about daily ups and downs. I give all of my worry, stress, and prayers to real problems now." At the time of writing, the status of her parents' bouts with cancer is unknown, but Andrea and Scott Swift continue to be heavily involved in their daughter's career despite their health setbacks.
Taylor wrote an emotional song about her mother's health
Andrea Swift's battle with breast cancer took a toll on Taylor Swift, and the singer turned to music to help process her emotions. Her 2019 collaborative track, "Soon You'll Get Better," with The Chicks was written about her mother, and it shares her fears about the possibility of losing her. In the emotional track, Taylor sings, "I know delusion when I see it in the mirror/You like the nicer nurses, you make the best of a bad deal/I just pretend it isn't real."
The song is a beautiful tribute to Andrea, but the "Lover" singer admitted she has a hard time performing the track or even playing it for herself. "That's a song I don't know if I'll ever play it live," Taylor explained on a Sirius XM panel (via Billboard). "It was hard to write. It's hard to sing. It's hard to listen to for me. But sometimes, music is like that. Sometimes it's not just about stuff that was pleasant to feel."
In a 2020 interview with Variety, Taylor noted that it wasn't just breast cancer her mother had been dealing with, but another serious illness that has been weighing on the family. "While she was going through treatment, they found a brain tumor," she revealed. "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."
Scott is very worried about his daughter's safety
Scott Swift has long been concerned about his daughter's safety, especially when she speaks about politics. In a 2018 Instagram post, the singer got candid about where she stands on important issues. "In the past, I've been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now," she wrote. She went on to denounce Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn. "I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent," she concluded.
Scott reacted to the post during his daughter's Netflix documentary "Miss Americana," attempting to convince her not to write the post. "I've read the entire [statement] and ... right now, I'm terrified," he said (via Variety). He then admitted he took extra precautions to protect his and his daughter's safety given her immense fame, revealing, "I'm the guy that went out and bought armored cars."
Despite her father's alarm, Taylor told Variety she understands his reasoning. "My dad is terrified of threats against my safety and my life, and he has to see how many stalkers we deal with on a daily basis, and know that this is his kid," she explained. "It's where he comes from."
An intruder broke into Scott's home
Scott Swift may be concerned enough about his daughter's safety to buy her armored cars, but he may need to have the same level of concern for his well-being. In 2020, the businessman walked into his $4 million Florida penthouse to find an unlikely intruder. Despite the condominium's high level of security, a man with a lengthy criminal record waltzed in and climbed 13 floors of stairs before stumbling into Scott's apartment. The perpetrator, Terrence Hoover, committed the crime around 10 p.m. before he was eventually caught by Scott. The former financier physically struggled with the intruder, forcing Hoover to run out of the penthouse before calling the police.
Police ultimately arrested Hoover after putting out a search warrant. Hoover's mother, Donna DeNapoli, spoke to the Tampa Bay Times, claimed that the incident wasn't targeted against Scott and was a misunderstanding. She revealed her son was "looking for churches by the water where his wife could be staying," after she had left him and his three children six months earlier. Napoli also revealed Hoover was on the phone with his estranged wife when he entered Scott's apartment complex, adding, "He was lost and should be charged with only trespassing."
Scott was involved in his daughter's feud with Scooter Braun
One of the most devastating moments of Taylor Swift's career occurred in 2019 when her tumultuous feud with Scooter Braun was made public. Essentially, the singer left Big Machine Label Group in 2018 and signed with Universal Music Group, knowing her work would eventually be sold. She was devastated to find out that Braun would be the buyer, however, as he ultimately bought Big Machine (and all of Swift's masters of her work) in a $300 million deal in 2019.
The singer shared her reaction in a shocking Tumblr post at the time, writing, "When I left my masters in Scott's hands, I made peace with the fact that eventually he would sell them. Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter."
Another shocking detail about the feud was the fact that Scott Swift was unknowingly involved. Scott was a shareholder in Big Machine at the time of the negotiations with Braun, but chose not to participate in an NDA-binding shareholders' phone call before the deal. Because of his desire to not participate in the phone call and to not withhold information from Taylor, Scott was unaware that he would be awarded $15 million as part of Braun's acquisition of the record label. "Taylor found out from the news articles when she woke up before seeing any text from Scott Borchetta, and he did not call her in advance," a representative for Taylor told Entertainment Tonight at the time.