What Taylor Swift Was Reportedly Like In High School, According To A Former Classmate

There's a certain thrill in having known a celebrity in their pre-fame days — the neighbor who gave out the best candy at Halloween, or that fellow chorus member in your community theater production of "Oklahoma!" Kimberly Louvin knows the feeling well — she went to high school with Taylor Swift before she transformed into a pop legend. Louvin, now a mental health therapist based in Portland, Oregon, recently spoke to The U.S. Sun about her fond memories of her fellow alum. 

Swift and Louvin were two years apart from each other at Tennessee's Hendersonville High School, so they didn't interact much. But the 14-year-old's reputation preceded her: "There was a bit of a buzz when she arrived because we all knew she'd moved to get into a music career," Louvin recalled. Though new, Swift quickly found a place within the popular clique in school, but Louvin describes her as anything but a Regina George. "[She fit in] very naturally and seemed authentic — not one of those girls that was clawing their way in by being bitchy to other girls," Louvin said. "She didn't need to be the center of attention."

It wasn't long before Swift cut a songwriting deal, the start of her launch into superstardom. Louvin regrets not going to Swift's first album release party, but she's now a dedicated Swiftie who admits using the connection as a litmus test on first dates. If the guy isn't a fellow fan, they are never, ever, ever getting back together.

Perhaps one of Taylor Swift's eras should be called the Hendersonville Era, based on all the alums of her Tennessee high school who have shared memories of the singer. Ryan Jones, who was a senior when Swift was a sophomore, wasn't an actual friend — "I knew of her," he explained to Colorado news station KRDO — but he saw star quality in her right away. "I loved when she performed at the talent show, really, before she was famous. Her voice was amazing." One of his friends, Jones claims, was the guy Swift referenced in "Our Song."

At the time, the singer was about to play a concert in Denver, and the remaining tickets were going for $900 each on the secondary market. Jones hoped to earn enough money for a pair by selling one of his most prized possessions: his yearbook. A dedicated Swiftie group on Facebook urged him not to let it go, arguing it was too precious a memento. One member pointed out he might be able to get Swift to sign it one day. But the lure of an actual concert was too tempting. Jones put his treasure up on eBay ("Taylor Swift Authentic 2006 High School Yearbook — MINT Condition Left Unsigned!" and set the opening bid at $2,100. 

No updates on the story have been posted, but Ryan, if you're listening, some folks on TikTok would love to know whether there's now a blank space on your bookshelf.

Another former classmate has different memories altogether. Jessica McLane has claimed to the New York Post she was a freshman during Swift's junior year, and, like Ryan Jones, knew of the singer only through mutual classmates and a school show. But once Swift left Hendersonville, "there were not a lot of people in high school who had nice things to say about her," McLane said. Knowing most Nashville musicians have to struggle and pay their dues to achieve even a little success, the teens were jealous of Swift's sudden rise to fame, explained McLane. 

Plus, there were some hard feelings about Swift's past relationships. "[T]he guys she was writing these songs about, they were still in school. They were still there," McLane explained. "And now they have a hit song about them talking about what a s***ty boyfriend they are."

In 2009, when McLane was a senior, Swift invited her entire class to the Country Music Awards. There, they all saw their fellow alum collect four major awards, including Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year.  "Her performances were incredible," McLane recalled — but she also suspects Swift extended the invite as a middle-finger move to all the kids who talked trash about her. "So to Taylor: Touché, that was a good one."