Why Taylor Swift's Parents Were So Secretive About Their Divorce
Taylor Swift is a notoriously private celeb, and her parents, Andrea and Scott Swift, are no different. In 2011, they reportedly divorced after over 20 years together, but they kept things so well hidden that nobody noticed something was off until much later. Regardless of their differences, the divorced couple showed up to support their daughter every chance they got, just like they had from the start of her career. Although most of Taylor's childhood was spent on a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania, Andrea and Scott made the big decision to move to Nashville in 2003 so that she could pursue her musical career.
When Andrea spoke to Entertainment Weekly in 2008, she explained that they moved to an area near Hendersonville because she didn't want Taylor to be in constant contact with people in the music industry since that would only make her struggles glaringly obvious. "I never wanted to make that move about her 'making it,"' she explained. "Because what a horrible thing if it hadn't happened, for her to carry that kind of guilt or pressure around."
Even though Scott left his 30-year-long Merrill Lynch job to make the move, Andrea told the outlet that they never pressured Taylor for financial support and ensured that she knew she could walk away from it all whenever she wanted. Given that Andrea and Scott have been Taylor's number-one fans from day one, it makes perfect sense that they kept their divorce out of the public eye to ensure it wouldn't harm her image.
Andrea and Scott Swift reportedly didn't get along behind the scenes
In 2012, Radar Online reported that Taylor Swift's parents, Andrea and Scott Swift, had called it quits in 2010. A source told the outlet that they had marked the end of their marriage by not wearing their wedding rings. However, it seemed like that was the extent of their separation because the insider claimed they wouldn't get formally divorced to protect Taylor from any negative attention. It appears that they were having marital problems far before anyone caught wind.
In 2015, Ronnie Cremer, who claims to be Taylor's first guitar teacher, 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.'" Another insider had a similar story about Andrea and Scott's relationship to share with Page Six in 2014. They said that Taylor's parents couldn't bear to be in the same room and couldn't seem to agree on the "Blank Space" singer's career moves, which strained their already broken relationship.
In her "Miss Americana" documentary, we saw one such career disagreement when the family argued over Taylor's decision to come out as a Democrat. While Andrea was on board with her daughter being vocal about her political choices, Scott was vehemently against it because he feared for her safety. Things got heated as the women tried to get their point across, but eventually, everything was resolved.
Scott and Andrea Swift are still Taylor's biggest supporters
Taylor Swift has been vocal about why many of her songs are about her life, so it's only natural that she took the pain and confusion from her parents' divorce and channeled it into her art. Her 2010 release "Speak Now" was released around the time they reportedly split up, and she included a nod to Andrea and Scott in the opener, "Mine." She wrote, "You say 'We'll never make our parent's mistakes,'" and "You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter."
Regardless of everything, it's safe to say that Taylor looks back on her childhood fondly because she wrote songs like "Christmas Tree Farm" and "The Best Day" as odes to her cherished early years. Even now, her parents continue to show up for her big days. They frequently attend her Eras Tour shows and sometimes sit in the same VIP tent. A behind-the-scenes photo for the tour revealed that the entire family got together to place every diamond on Taylor's "Fearless" guitar.
Taylor also made her dad an adorable lanyard that says "Dad of Headliner." Scott also continued his age-old tradition of handing out guitar picks for the Eras Tour. Meanwhile, Andrea is happy to snap pictures with Swifties. She even handed a lucky fan a friendship bracelet that read "Mama Swift Loves You." For Christmas 2023, Andrea, Scott, Taylor, and her brother, Austin, attended a Kansas City Chiefs game to cheer Travis Kelce, who has already completely won Scott over.