In the realm of unexpected celebrity connections, here’s a fun fact that might just make you say, “You Belong with Me” to a history book: Pop sensation Taylor Swift is distantly related to the iconic American poet Emily Dickinson. Yes, you heard it right! The “Shake It Off” singer and the reclusive poet share more than just a knack for penning down their feelings; they’re actually sixth cousins, three times removed!
This fascinating tidbit was unveiled by Ancestry, a genealogy company, which traced back the lineage of both these influential women to a common ancestor—a 17th-century English immigrant who made Connecticut his home. Swift’s family tree branched out in Connecticut for six generations before making a move to northwestern Pennsylvania and eventually intertwining with the Swift lineage.
While Taylor Swift has conquered the world with her catchy tunes and heartfelt lyrics, Emily Dickinson, who passed away in 1886, left behind nearly 1,800 poems, securing her spot as a pivotal figure in American literature. Though Dickinson’s works were mostly published posthumously, her insightful and often introspective poems have continued to resonate with readers and scholars alike.
The question on everyone’s lips (or at least on Swifties’ lips) is whether Taylor was aware of this literary link in her family tree. There seems to be a hint that she might have been clued in. In 2022, during her acceptance speech for the Songwriter-Artist of the Decade Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International, Swift made a reference that could be a nod to her poetic ancestor. She mentioned, “If my lyrics sound like a letter written by Emily Dickinson’s great-grandmother while sewing a lace curtain, that’s me writing in the Quill genre.”
Adding more fuel to the speculative fire, fans have pointed out potential nods to Dickinson in Swift’s 2020 album “Evermore.” Swift announced this surprise album on Dickinson’s birthday, and just days before its release, she described the “Folklore” album cover concept as a “girl sleepwalking through the forest in a nightgown in 1830″—the very year Dickinson was born.
As Swift gears up to release her new album “The Tortured Poets Department,” one can’t help but wonder if there’ll be more lyrical or thematic homages to her famous ancestor. It’s clear that both women, despite the centuries and genres that separate them, share a profound ability to articulate the human experience, resonating with audiences across time and space.
So, next time you’re jamming to a Taylor Swift song or pondering over an Emily Dickinson poem, remember that these two artists are not just connected through their words, but also through their lineage. It’s a small world, after all, especially when it comes to the intertwining branches of genealogy.
