As a singer, Taylor Swift is best known for her incredibly personal lyrics, which has led some to call her one of America's greatest songwriters. But it seems that she's related to another incredible wordsmith - and people can't believe the connection.
Taylor, whose upcoming album is titled The Tortured Poets Department, is actually related to Emily Dickinson, the legendary American poet. They are sixth cousins, three times removed according to Ancestry.
The two "both descend from a 17th century English immigrant - Swift’s 9th great-grandfather and Dickinson’s 6th great-grandfather who was an early settler of Windsor, Connecticut," Ancestry shared with TODAY.
© L: Ashok Kumar/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management R: Culture Club/Getty ImagesThey continued: "Taylor Swift’s ancestors remained in Connecticut for six generations until her part of the family eventually settled in northwestern Pennsylvania, where they married into the Swift family line."
Taylor has even clocked the 19th century poet's influence on her, as she referenced Emily Dickinson while winning the Songwriter-Artist of the Decade Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International in 2022.
"If my lyrics sound like a letter written by Emily Dickinson’s great-grandmother while sewing a lace curtain, that’s me writing in the Quill genre", she said.
Naturally, Swifties couldn't help but embrace the coincidental link between Taylor and Emily - and took to social media to comment on it.
"No way!", a fan said. "That's such an interesting connection between Taylor Swift and Emily Dickinson. It's amazing how family trees can uncover unexpected relationships."
"She’s truly a tortured poet", another fan commented.
A third added: "The apple don't fall far from the tree", as a fourth agreed that "it makes a lot of sense".
© Getty ImagesTaylor's eleventh studio album is primed for release on April 19 2024. The release is highly anticipated by fans, who clocked that her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn is part of a group chat with Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott called the "Tortured Man's Club".
Fans believe that the album will specifically be about her breakup with the actor.
Joe, 31, revealed that he connected with the duo, who co-starred in film All Of Us Strangers, because: "We were both in the Sally Rooney universe and crossed over with Lenny Abrahamson. We were so lucky to have that experience."
Currently Taylor is in a high profile relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who she went public with in September 2023. She even attended the Super Bowl to watch him lead his team to victory, before joining him on the field for a celebratory kiss.
