Taylor Swift's Resurfaced Interview Reads Completely Differently After Her Honorary Doctorate From NYU
On May 18, Taylor Swift received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from New York University. The Grammy winner — who loves the Big Apple so much that she even wrote a song called "Welcome to New York" — commemorated the moment with a TikTok post that showed the pop star rocking her signature lipstick and wearing a cap and gown for the first time. Swift famously attended high school until 10th grade, at which point she was homeschooled and eventually received her diploma via mail, according to Today. So can we blame her for reveling in a real college graduation?
Speaking at Yankee Stadium, Swift expressed her gratitude to NYU for honoring her with the doctorate degree. With trademark levity, she joked (via Rolling Stone) that she wasn't "the type of doctor you would want around in the case of an emergency, unless your specific emergency was that you desperately needed to hear a song with a catchy hook and an intensely cathartic bridge section. Or if your emergency was that you needed a person who can name over 50 breeds of cats in one minute."
Joking aside, it may seem that Swift's fine arts degree isn't as big of an accomplishment as some of her others (read: 11 Grammy wins and 42 nominations). Still, the "All Too Well" singer appears to have manifested this goal years ago. And as all Swifties know by this point, the megastar does pretty much everything she sets her mind to.
Was Taylor Swift hoping to one-up this songwriter with her doctorate degree?
Taylor Swift seemed totally comfortable in the world of NYU academia, and that could be because she's used to performing in venues the size of Yankee Stadium. Or, it could be because she's always prioritized education, and has even dreamed of receiving her own honorary doctorate degree. In a "73 Questions With..." Vogue interview in 2016, Swift was asked about a goal she would still like to achieve in her lifetime. Without missing a beat, the "Mr. Perfectly Fine" singer replied that she was still hoping to become an (honorary) doctor. "I really want an honorary doctorate degree because Ed Sheeran has one, and I feel like he looks down on me now because I don't have one," she shared.
However, it's possible that Swift was joking about her fellow singer-songwriter. Per Billboard, she and Sheeran have been good friends for a decade. From collaborating on Swift's "Red" album in 2012, to supporting each other on tour, and even introducing us to "Sweeran," these two might have one of the music industry's strongest and most enduring friendships. "Me and Taylor first met and wrote + recorded our first song together in 2012, ten years ago now," Sheeran tweeted in February. "Not only is she the best singer/songwriter in the world but she's also a very close friend, I'm very lucky to have her in my life." We imagine that Sheeran was quick to congratulate Swift on her honorary degree.