Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Her discography spans genres and her narrative songwriting, which is often inspired by her personal life. Born in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 14 to pursue a career in country music. She signed a songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2004 and a recording deal with Big Machine Records in 2005, and released her eponymous debut studio album in 2006.