Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Birth Date: December 13, 1989
Birth Place: Wyomissing, Pa.

Taylor Swift, country music's hottest teen phenom since LeAnn Rimes, has written more than 250 songs, including the 11 tracks from her self-titled debut disc. With such hits as "Tim McGraw" and "Our Song," the 5'11" beauty with serious musical talent, has already sold more than 2.5 million albums.

Although Swift has been eager to stake her claim in country music since age 11, she's taken Goldilocks' "just right" philosophy when it comes to record deals: she backed out on a contract that didn't let her write and sing her own songs – and she was barely 14. After her 2006 debut, the high school senior nabbed a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and won a CMA Horizon Award, all before her 18th birthday.