How Taylor Swift and Emily Dickinson Are Distant Cousins

Taylor Swift and Emily Dickinson, two of the most celebrated and influential writers of their times, have more in common than their poetic talents. They are also distant relatives, according to a discovery by Ancestry.

The genealogy company revealed that Taylor Swift and Emily Dickinson are sixth cousins, three times removed, meaning they share a common ancestor who lived in the 17th century. That ancestor was Jonathan Gillette, an English immigrant who settled in Windsor, Connecticut, and became Swift’s ninth great-grandfather and Dickinson’s sixth great-grandfather.

Ancestry’s Director of Research, Jennifer Utley, said that the connection between Taylor Swift and Emily Dickinson is just one of the many examples of how exploring one’s past can reveal surprising and inspiring facts. “Even if we don’t know it, our pasts can influence our present,” she said.

Taylor Swift has often expressed her admiration for Dickinson and her works and has even categorized some of her songs as “quill lyrics”, inspired by the style and language of the 19th-century poet. Taylor Swift’s upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department, which is set to be released on April 19, is also a tribute to Dickinson and other writers who faced challenges and criticism in their lives.

Emily Dickinson, who lived from 1830 to 1886, is widely regarded as one of the greatest American poets of all time, known for her innovative and unconventional use of language, imagery, and form. She wrote nearly 1,800 poems, most of which were published posthumously.

Swift, who is 32 years old, is one of the most successful and acclaimed artists of the 21st century, with 11 Grammy Awards, 10 Billboard Music Awards, and 12 American Music Awards to her name. She has sold over 200 million records worldwide and has been praised for her songwriting skills and versatility.

The two cousins, separated by centuries and genres, have both left their mark on the world of literature and music and have inspired millions of fans with their creativity and courage. Taylor Swift and Emily Dickinson are not only related by blood but also by their passion for words and expression.

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