Taylor Swift delivers moving BRITs acceptance speech about proving your critics wrong

"I need you to hear me when I say that there is no career path that comes free of negativity."
 By 
Rachel Thompson
 on 
Taylor Swift delivers moving BRITs acceptance speech about proving your critics wrong
Watch Next

Taylor Swift knows a thing or two about shaking off her critics and showing what she's made of.

Swift — who most recently released three albums in the space of a year — was awarded the Global Icon BRIT award on Tuesday and delivered a moving, defiant speech about overcoming negativity and criticism.

This year's BRITs ceremony at London's O2 Arena was the first large-scale indoor event with a 4,000-strong live audience since lockdown measures began lifting in the UK.

Addressing new artists and viewers at home "who have goals and ambitions and dreams for themselves," Swift spoke about the types of adversity they can expect to face.

"I need you to hear me when I say that there is no career path that comes free of negativity. If you're being met with resistance, that probably means that you're doing something new," she said. "If you're experiencing turbulence or pressure, that probably means you're rising. And there might be times when you put your whole heart and soul into something and it is met with cynicism or skepticism."

Swift urged viewers not to let that crush them, and to instead let it fuel them. "Because we live in a world where anyone has the right to say anything that they want about you at any time but just please remember that you have the right to prove them wrong."

Rachel Thompson, sits wearing a dress with yellow florals and black background.
Rachel Thompson
Features Editor

Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.

A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.

Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.


Latest Videos

Stephen Colbert reacts to the Artemis II moon mission
A man in a suit stands on a talk show stage, gesturing.


'The Daily Show' reacts to judge halting Trump's White House ballroom
Desi Lydic presents "The Daily Show" beside an image of Donald Trump.


A24's 'Mother Mary' trailer is worth it for the FKA twigs track
Anne Hathway is dressed in a red pop star outfit with religious overtones in a film still from "Mother Mary."

Jon Stewart has a brutal reaction to Trump waffling about pens
A man in a suit sitting behind a talk show desk looks angry. In the top left is an image of the president holding up a pen.

Stephen Colbert gleefully recaps the best signs at the 'No Kings' protest
A man in a suit stands on a talk show stage, smiling. The caption at the bottom reads, "I like that one."

Riz Ahmed is troublingly intense in new 'SNL UK' promo
A close-up of a man grinning in a slightly creepy way.


The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!