Taylor Swift emerged as the winner of the fan-voted award for ‘Artist Of The Year’ at the 12th annual iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles this week, thanks to her ardent Swifties. In the “Anti-Hero” singer’s absence, she accepted the accolade through a pre-recorded speech, expressing her gratitude and alluding to her “exciting” upcoming studio album.
The “Cruel Summer” hitmaker, 34, exuded style and sophistication in a chic navy blue scoop-neck top with delicate sleeves and a trendy rounded neckline, accentuated by a statement gold necklace and matching hoop earrings. Her signature makeup look of black winged eyeliner, voluminous mascara, rosy blush, and coral pink lipstick complemented her blonde tresses, styled into effortless loose waves with her bangs swept to the side.
Taylor Swift Dons Trendy Navy Blue Scoop Neck Top And Gold Statement Jewelry For iHeartRadio Acceptance Speech
Following the introductions from *NSYNC's Lance Bass and Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean, Swift was presented with additional awards, including "Pop Artist Of The Year" and "Tour Of The Year" for her Eras Tour. The video of her speech was then played. "Hey! I wanted to say thank you so much to anyone who voted for this award," Swift said.
She continued: "iHeart, you've also just been so incredibly supportive over the course of my entire career, but especially this year has been pretty spectacular. I am so grateful for that."
The 14-time Grammy winner continued: "You know, to the fans, it is completely up to you to choose how you spend your time, what concerts you want to go to, what music you want to make the soundtrack of your life. And to anyone who has included me in those choices, I am so, so, so thankful for that."
Swift expressed her appreciation for the support of Swifties who have listened to her music and attended her record-breaking Eras Tour shows over the past year.
She also provided insight into the near future, highlighting the highly anticipated April 19th release of her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department.
"We have so many exciting things ahead of us. I'm continuing on with the tour and, most importantly, I have a brand new album called The Tortured Poets Department, which comes out on April 19. I cannot wait to share it with you,"
Swift went on. "So, thank you for voting for me for this incredible honor — artist of the year," she concluded. "I am so blown away and so thankful and I just can't wait to keep having fun with you guys because we have a lot of exciting things coming up. Thank you so much."
This accolade comes just as Forbes officially declared Swift to be a billionaire. The outlet reported that Swift attained billionaire status in October 2024, largely due to the immense success of her Eras Tour, which set a new record by grossing over $1 billion. Pollstar also estimated that the tour generated a staggering $1.04 billion from its first 60 shows alone.
Swift's tour will run through Europe and North America throughout the rest of the year, with estimated earnings of $500 million from music royalties and touring.
The 1989 (Taylor's Version) songwriter's music catalog has increased in value and, after re-recording and releasing it, now contributes another $500 million to her fortune. The outlet also noted that Swift's net worth includes $125 million in real estate assets.
