Yahoo Lifestyle Taylor Swift Calls 2024 Billboard Music Awards Wins 'the Nicest Early Birthday Present': 'It's Exactly What I Wanted'
"Thank you very much," the pop superstar said of her record-breaking 10 wins, which came hours before her 35th birthday on Friday, Dec. 13
Taylor Swift got to celebrate her birthday early this year, thanks to her record-breaking 2024 Billboard Music Awards (BBMA) wins.
On Thursday, Dec. 12, Swift, 35, won 10 new trophies at the ceremony, bringing her total wins up to 49 — a fete that makes her the artist with the most BBMA accolades in the show's history.
Ahead of her 35th birthday on Friday, Dec. 13, the pop superstar told fans in a message posted on YouTube, “I just wanted to say hi and thank you to the Billboard Awards, thank you to the fans because Billboard is counting your stuff, they're counting what you listen to, the albums that you’re passionate about."
"So, I count these as fan-voted awards because you guys are the ones who care about our albums and come see us in concert,” Swift added.
“Everything that’s happened with the Eras Tour and The Tortured Poets Department, I just have to say thank you. It means the world to me that you guys have embraced the things I’ve made and the fact that you've cared so much about my music," the musician continued, referencing her 2024 album and incredible 149-date world tour, which sold over $2 billion in tickets according to the New York Times.
Swift added in the YouTube clip, "This is like the nicest early birthday present you could've given me, so thank you very much, I love it. It's exactly what I wanted," as she kissed the award.
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Taylor SwiftSwift was previously tied for the most BBMA wins with Drake, with 39 wins each. However, Drake nabbed three trophies this year, bringing his total up to 42, while Swift got 10 for the second year in a row.
The singer was named top artist for the fourth time, after previously winning in 2013, 2015 and 2023 — setting yet another record — and also won top female artist for the sixth time.
Other trophies given to Swift this year: top Billboard 200 artist, top hot 100 artist, top hot 100 songwriter, top streaming songs artist, top radio songs artist, top Billboard Global 200 artist, top Billboard Global (excl. U.S.) artist and top Billboard 200 album (for The Tortured Poets Department).
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Taylor Swift performs onstage for the opening night of the Eras Tour in March 2023Following her final Eras Tour date in Vancouver, Canada, on Sunday, Dec. 8, Swift has a bit of time off now after performing to over 10 million people around the world since the concerts kicked off in Glendale, Ariz., in March 2023.
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After the final show, PEOPLE revealed Swift had given out $197 million in bonuses to everyone working on her tour over the past two years; including to truck drivers, caterers, instrument techs, merch team, lighting, sound, production staff and assistants, carpenters, dancers, band, security, choreographers, pyrotechnics, riggers, hair, make-up, wardrobe, physical therapists and her video team.
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