Watch: VMAs Producer Reveals Story Behind Taylor Swift’s Artist Director Honor
Taylor Swift is officially in her lob era.
Two months after chopping off her long blonde hair, the “Opalite” singer debuted a new hairdo, showing off her short shoulder-length curls—or as she previously described them, her hair’s “factory settings”—in an Oct. 2 post celebrating her musical achievements.
In the photo posted to Instagram, Swift opted for the curls and her signature bangs as she commemorated the fifth time two of her projects have charted on the U.K.’s Official Charts with “Patient Zero” and The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore charting simultaneously.
Swift had originally proven a new ‘do never goes out of style in August when she stepped out with a new haircut while grabbing dinner in London. The sighting also marked her first outing after she and Travis Kelcetied the knot on July 3.
And as Swifties know all too well,a new look signifies a new era, with the singer revealing The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore only a month later.
In addition to celebrating her latest musical ventures, the “Anti-Hero” singer also recently made history at the 2026 MTV VMAs Sept. 27 by becoming the most awarded artist in the show’s history.
Swift has won 33 Moonman statues through the years, officially surpassing Beyoncé for most MTV VMA wins, as the two were previously tied with 30 awards apiece.
But even before the show, the “Fate of Ophelia” singer was feeling as happy as she was in Cleveland as she received the first ever Artist-Director award, an honor bestowed to a musician “whose work behind the camera has expanded the possibilities of music video and advanced the art of visual storytelling,” according to a press release from MTV.
The award not only helped Swift make history, but also put the spotlight on those who she was most grateful for: her fans.
“I got to tell you though, the main reason why I love writing and directing music videos so much is because you, the fans, make it so much fun,” she said as she accepted the award. “You make it so rewarding because you actually care about what we’re making.”
For a deep dive into Swift’s ever-changing hair transformations through the years, keep reading.
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