Phil Collins praises Taylor after being blown away
Phil Collins praises Taylor Swift as truly deserving global superstardom, recalling how her acoustic “White Horse” performance at a Songwriters Hall of Fame event roughly 15 years ago “blew me away completely.” Speaking on BBC Radio 2’s Tracks of My Years, the Genesis legend said he is “so pleased” she is “the hugest thing in the world.”
Key Takeaways
- Phil Collins said Taylor Swift’s early acoustic “White Horse” set “blew me away completely.”
- He met Swift after his daughter, Lily Collins, introduced them at a Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony.
- On BBC Radio 2’s Tracks of My Years, he said Swift “really deserves” being “the hugest thing in the world.”
- The praise comes as Collins heads toward a 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction as a solo artist.
The veteran singer-songwriter’s comments, shared with host Vernon Kay, have quickly become celebrity breaking news for fans of both artists. Collins framed Swift’s rise as earned, not accidental.
When did Phil Collins first see Taylor Swift perform?
Collins recalled meeting Swift “way, way back,” before she reached today’s level of fame. His actress daughter, Lily Collins, introduced them because she knew Swift.
“I’d kind of known the name, but she wasn’t anywhere near the star she is today, a very nice lady,” he said, according to People.
Then Swift took the stage with a guitar and sang “White Horse,” a track from her 2008 album Fearless. The song later won two Grammy Awards, including Best Country Song.
Why does Phil Collins praise Taylor so strongly?
“This very nice lady then got up on stage with a guitar and sang ‘White Horse,’ and it blew me away completely,” Collins said. He credited both the writing and the delivery.
“Not only was the song great, and the sentiment of the song really got me, but she sang it beautifully. And it was just so simple, you know, her on a guitar.” He added that he has “always had a soft spot” for the song since that night.
“I’m so pleased that she’s the hugest thing in the world now because she kind of feels like she deserves it,” he continued. “I mean it’s easy to knock someone that’s got so much success, but I think she really deserves it.”
What does the praise mean amid Collins’ big 2026 year?
Collins’ remarks arrive in a landmark stretch for his own career. He is set to enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2026, 16 years after joining as a member of Genesis.
For Swift, the endorsement underlines how lasting that early Songwriters Hall of Fame impression was. Collins still measures her present-day dominance against the stripped-back performance that first convinced him she belonged at the top.
In short, a rock icon who helped define 1980s pop is publicly backing Swift’s status—and saying the worldwide success fits the talent he heard long before the stadium era.