Phil Collins Reveals the First Time He Saw Taylor Swift, He Was Instantly Fascinated

JAKARTA - Phil Collins has heaped praise on Taylor Swift. He admitted that he had admired Swift's talent since first seeing her live about 15 years ago.

The 75-year-old musician recalled the moment of his first meeting with Swift at the Songwriters Hall of Fame years ago.

At that time, Swift climbed onto the stage with only an acoustic guitar to perform her song "White Horse".

"This very friendly woman then got on stage with a guitar and sang 'White Horse', and it really stunned me," Collins said in a recent interview on BBC Radio 2.

"Not only is the song good and the meaning of the song really touches me, but he also sings it so beautifully. His performance feels so simple, just him and his guitar," he continued.

Collins added that since that historic moment, he always had a special impression of the song on the album "Fearless" (2008).

Furthermore, the former vocalist and drummer of Genesis assessed that Swift's current achievements and peak popularity are the result of hard work and his extraordinary talent.

"I'm so happy that he's the biggest musician in the world today, because he really deserves it. I mean, it's easy to criticize someone who has achieved so much success, but I think he really deserves it," he said.

Phil Collins' praise coincides with a historic moment in his own career journey. In 2026, Collins was officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist, after 16 years earlier being inducted as a Genesis member.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift continues to solidify her position in the music industry. The pop diva holds the record as the solo artist with the most number one albums on the Billboard 200, breaking various records for physical and digital album sales globally.