Taylor Swift generated so much ink, headlines and speculation in 2023, it's no surprise she tops People magazine's list of the Most Intriguing People of the Year.
Taylor graces the cover of the mag's special issue, which features a rundown of all she's accomplished, both professionally and personally, in the past year, from her Eras Tour and concert film and re-recordings, to her new romance with Travis Kelce and her friendships with her famous girlfriends. People also talked to Taylor's friends and collaborators.
Taylor's frequent musical collaborator Aaron Dessner tells People, "I’ve spent a lot of time with her, and I’ve never seen anyone wait on her. When I have stayed at her house, Taylor herself was cooking everyone breakfast and dinner. She’s legitimately just a very down to earth and hard-working person.”
“As a performer, I look up to how she’s able to connect with every single person in the crowd, like she’s singing to them personally,” says singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter, who opened for Taylor on her Eras Tour. "She sets such a beautiful tone, and it’s why the shows are as magical as they are. And offstage she is still a superstar, but she’s a superstar who’s really good at baking.”
“Taylor has so many stories to tell,” Dessner adds. “I think she’ll keep inventing new ways and methods of writing and keep expanding this enchanted universe of her own making that we all get to enjoy.”
Another Taylor tour opener and longtime friend, Paramore's Hayley Williams agrees, saying, “I’m almost afraid to say it but I kind of think she’s just getting started.”
Also on People's Most Intriguing list this year: Beyoncé, Adele, Britney Spears and Donna Kelce, the mother of Taylor's boyfriend, Travis.