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Taylor Swift is one of the most recognizable names in the global music industry. The 14-time Grammy winner is currently in the middle of the most successful concert tour in history and has recently released her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department.
In the Eras Tour, many Swifties were seen doodling the number 13 on their hands. They did it because of Taylor Swift's obsession with numbers, especially 13.
The number 13 is often considered unlucky in many cultures, including the Ancient Egyptians, as mentioned on History.com. However, Taylor is an ardent follower of numerology and 13 is apparently auspicious for her since birth. Let's dive into the details of her encounters with the number.
Taylor Swift's love for number 13 over the years
Taylor Swift's connection with number 13 can be traced back to the very beginning of her career. One of the first instances when she expressed her love for 13 was during her Fearless tour (2009-10). The pop icon tattooed '13' at the back of her hand before each performance.
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Since then, Swifties have picked up her love for the number and have often been seen doodling '13' on their bodies while attending her concerts to show their love for the pop star.
In May 2009, the songwriter spoke to MTV News and explained her obsession with the number 13.
"I paint this on my hand before every show because 13 is my lucky number; for a lot of reasons. It's really weird," said the Blank Space singer.
Thereafter, she listed all the momentous occasions in her life that highlighted the significance of the numerical figure.
"I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first No. 1 song had a 13-second intro. Every time I’ve won an award I’ve been seated in either the 13th seat, the 13th row, the 13th section or row M, which is the 13th letter," Taylor Swift concluded.
Moreover, in a 2010 documentary called Journey to Fearless, the songwriter revealed that she got her first deal at the age of 13. In another interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on April 2, 2009, Taylor shared several instances where the appearance of 13 was beyond her control.
For example, her first self-titled album went gold in 13 weeks, and her first track that peaked at #1 (Our Song) had a 13-second intro.
In a 2020 interview with the Beatles legend, Paul McCartney for Rolling Stones' Musicians on Musicians event, Taylor touched upon the effect of numerology in her songwriting process.
"The numerology, the kind of look, the symbolism. I love numbers. Numbers kind of rule my whole world. The numbers 13 … 89 is a big one," Taylor told Paul McCartney.
She elaborated on how she perceives numbers as a "sign" to navigate life's challenges
"It’s lucky for me. It’s my birthday. It’s all these weird coincidences of good things that have happened. Now, when I see it places, I look at it as a sign that things are going the way they’re supposed to. They may not be good now, they could be painful now, but things are on a track. I don’t know, I love the numerology," Taylor added.
Apart from her belief, numerous occasions have occurred in which Taylor has woven numbers into her songs, such as The Lucky One is the 13th song of her Red album and has a 13-second intro. Moreover, Billboard also reported that Taylor repeats the word 'lucky' exactly 13 times in the song.
She has used this trick in several other songs as well. Tracks like Call It What You Want, Our Song, and The Last Great American Dynasty have 13-second intros. Meanwhile, Daylight has 13 seconds of silence at the end, as per Collider.
In fact, 13 turned backward is also considered lucky by the Grammy winner. In an X post in December 2020, Taylor Swift wrote:
"Ever since I was 13, I’ve been excited about turning 31 because it’s my lucky number backwards, which is why I wanted to surprise you with this now."
In this post, she referred to two of her albums which were released in 2020, namely Folklore and Evermore. Another subtle callback to the number 31 is that the total number of songs in the two albums equals 31. According to Billboard, Taylor Swift's albums titled Fearless, Midnights, and 1989 all have 13 songs if the deluxe editions and vault tracks are excluded.
On February 4, 2024, Taylor Swift received her 13th Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights. The pop icon took that moment to announce her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.
"This is my 13th Grammy, which is my lucky number. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you that," Taylor joked during her acceptance speech.
She expressed gratitude to her fans, the Recording Academy, and others associated with the album, followed by the announcement of her new project.
Taylor Swift often releases her iconic works on the 13th or on dates that are connected to the number. For instance, she released her Eras Tour concert film on October 13, 2023, Midnights bonus tracks for her collaboration with Target on October 13, 2022, and the clip of her song Out of the Woods was played on Good Morning America for the first time on October 13, 2014.
Taylor Swift is known for drawing a special connection between 13 and her works. Eagle-eyed fans are always curious to find out what's next in the singer's kitty to keep them engaged.
