For some, the number 13 brings bad luck. But for Taylor Swiftthe number 13 has brought him luck since his birth.
The pop icon, born on December 13, 1989, has a special connection to the 13th and several important moments for her and her fans occurred on the 13th.
One of the first times Swifties noticed the singer’s affection for 13 was during the “Fearless Tour” in 2009 and 2010, when Swift scribbled “13” on the back of her hand before each performance. This tour, which followed the release of his second album “Fearless”, provided a glimpse of his star power and the unbreakable bond with his fans.
Around that time, she spoke to MTV and explained why 13 is her favorite number by listing all the times 13 has appeared in her life.
“The meaning of the number 13 on my hand…I paint this on my hand before every show because 13 is my lucky number; for many reasons,” she said. “It’s really weird.”
Swift continued: “I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first #1 song had a 13 second intro. Every time I win a prize, I “I have been seated either in the 13th seat, or the 13th row, or the 13th section, or row M, which is the 13th letter.”
Although some might find the repeated appearance of the number creepy, she welcomes it.
“Basically, any time a 13 shows up in my life, it’s a good thing,” she concluded.
And that hasn’t changed throughout his career.
On subsequent albums after her “Fearless” era, the “Cruel Summer” singer began to incorporate her love of the number 13 into her music in a playful and intricate way, which became her signature.
She briefly discussed the importance of numerology in her songwriting when chatting with Paul McCartney for Rolling Stone’s “Musicians on Musicians” series in 2020.
“Numbers kind of rule my world,” she told McCartney. “The number 13…89 is an important number.” (She released her Grammy-winning album “1989” in 2014).
For example, his song “The Lucky One” is the 13th track on his 2021 album, “Red (Taylor’s Version)”, and the song also has a 13-second intro. If you’re counting, you’ll notice that the word “Lucky” is sung exactly 13 times in the song.
Even the changed number holds a special place in his heart. That’s why Swift released her albums “Folklore” and “Evermore.” the same year she turned 31. She also ensured that one album had 16 songs, while the other had 15, for a total of 31 tracks, or 13 back.
“Since I was 13 I can’t wait to turn 31 because it’s my lucky number in reverse, that’s why I wanted to surprise you with this now,” the singer wrote on X in December 2020.
In her social media post, she also thanked Swifties for their support and wanted to return the favor on her birthday with “Evermore.”
“You have all been so thoughtful, supportive and thoughtful on my birthdays and so this time I thought I would treat you to something!” she added.
During an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that same year, Swift once again opened up about her obsession with turning 31.
“Until I reach 113 or 131, it will be the highlight of my life,” she joked. “Numerology, when it doesn’t take over on its own, I kind of force it to happen.”
Three years later, she gave her fans a birthday gift for the second time.
Three years later, she gave her fans a birthday present for the second time: her concert film, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Extended Version)” began streaming on December 13, 2023.
“Hi! Well, basically, I have a birthday coming up and I thought a fun way to celebrate the year we had together would be to have The Eras Tour concert film available for you to watch can watch it at home,” she wrote on Instagram ahead of its release. (The film was later added to Disney+ on March 14.)
So far this year, his lucky streak with 13 bursts. At the 2024 Grammys on February 4, Swift won the gold gramophone for best pop vocal album for “Midnights,” which happened to be her 13th Grammy. Of course, the superstar already knew the win was for her favorite number, so she decided to make a special announcement during her acceptance speech.
“This is my 13th Grammy, which is my lucky number. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you that,” she joked to applause from the audience.
She thanked the Recording Academy and her fans for the honor and said she wanted to express her gratitude by sharing a secret she’s kept for “two years.”
“My brand new album is coming out April 19. It’s called ‘The Tortured Poets Department,'” she said as members of the crowd gasped.
Swift said she was heading backstage to share the album cover before hurrying off.
His connection to 13 isn’t just about music. In September 2023, Swift attended her first Kansas City Chiefs game to cheer on her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. She continued to support him, making appearances with her famous friends at different stadiums. By the time the Super Bowl rolled around on Feb. 11, it was the 13th time she’d cheered for the tight end and his team — and they won.
Swifties immediately noticed how the number 13 strangely linked the “Love Story” singer to the Super Bowl and pointed out other digital connections on social media.
“Super Bowl 58 will be Taylor Swift’s 13th game to attend. She will have to take a 13-hour flight from Japan. Super Bowl 58 5 + 8 = 13!!! (The Chiefs) will win it all!!!!!” one fan wrote on X. (Their prediction turned out to be correct.)
Another tweeted: “Super Bowl 58…5+8=13.” 49ers…9+4=13. Taylor Swift.. 13.
Somehow 13 connected her to the other the team too. Although it looks like 13 was unlucky for the San Francisco 49ers that day.
“Taylor Swift’s ‘lucky number’ is 13. Super Bowl 58 (5+8) = 13. SB 2/11 (2+11) = 13. Taylor Swift could attend her 13th Chiefs game this season. 49ers (4+9) = 13. The 49ers QB is #13. COULD NOT SCRIP IT BETTER,” one fan wrote on X, referring to 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy who wears jersey No. 13.
The next Swift moment that will be linked to number 13: the release of the 13th track from “The Tortured Poets Department”. She previously announced on Instagram that the song would be called “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.” It will arrive with the rest of the LP on April 19th.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
