Music Icon Phil Collins Says Taylor Swift ‘Deserves’ To Be The ‘Hugest Thing In The World’

Phil Collins might actually be a Swiftie. The legendary musician recently joined BBC Radio 2 program “Tracks of My Years with Vernon Kay” and gushed about Taylor Swift’s talent. “I’m so pleased that she’s the hugest thing in the world now,” Collins said. “It kind of feels like she deserves it. It’s easy to knock someone that’s got so much success, but I think she really deserved it.” During the program, Collins shared the 10 songs that have soundtracked his life, as is the premise of the show. One of the iconic singer’s chosen tunes was Swift’s “White Horse” off of her 2008 album “Fearless.” Collins, 75, opened up about how he was introduced to the song when Swift performed it during the 2010 Songwriters Hall of Fame induction. The moment stuck with him, the iconic singer and drummer said. “I’d kind of known the name, but she wasn’t anywhere near the star she is today. Very nice lady,” Collins recalled, adding that his daughter, actor Lilly Collins, had introduced him to Swift that day. “Then she got up on stage with the guitar, and sang “White Horse, and it blew me away completely.” He praised both the song itself and its sentiment. But what really impressed Collins was Swift’s voice. “She sang it beautifully, and it was just so simple, you know, her and the guitar,” he said on the program. “So I’ve always had a soft spot for this song since then.” Collins other selections included “I Want To Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles and the Martha and the Vandellas’ “Dancing In The Street.” The critically acclaimed singer, drummer and songwriter, known for his hits including “In the Air Tonight,” “Easy Lover” and “Another Day in Paradise,” knows music. Collins, whose career spans more than 50 years, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame himself in 2003. He’ll also soon be a two-time inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Collins was already inducted in 2010 as part of his band Genesis. And in November, he’ll be inducted as a solo artist. “A defining voice of his era, Collins has influenced generations of musicians, and his songs continue to resonate on radio, in film, and across streaming platforms,” the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame said on its website. Swift, 36, has also been steadily cementing her own legacy in the halls of music history. In June 2026, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, making her the youngest female artist with the distinction.