Taylor Swift, at 36, became the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday night. She was introduced by Steven Spielberg, who spoke about the power of songwriting and how Swift knows her audience well.

Swift’s Speech

Swift started her speech by acknowledging Spielberg and expressing her gratitude to her family, who made sacrifices for her career. She advised young songwriters to prioritize what they love and trust their imagination.

Swift has brought new eyes to this year’s ceremony and undeniably shaped contemporary pop music trends with her songwriting. The event also honored other notable songwriters, including Kiss’ Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, Alanis Morissette, and Kenny Loggins.

Other Inductees

Stevie Wonder, who started his recording career at 13, was the youngest ever inducted. The Songwriters Hall of Fame was established in 1969 to honor those creating popular music. A songwriter with a notable catalog of songs qualifies for induction 20 years after the first commercial release of a song.

Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.