What is Taylor Swift’s Myers-Briggs Personality Type?

What is Taylor Swift’s personality type? I was a little apprehensive to write this article at first. Swifties are opinionated, vocal and powerful, and even as one of them myself, I fear their wrath! 

I’ve been a fan of Taylor’s since both she and I were 16 years old. I followed her tour adventures on MySpace, attended the Fearless tour in my cowboy boots and stayed up until midnight to buy her early albums at Target. I’ve also been studying, writing on and working in the world of personality type for the past decade. So I feel like I’m somewhat qualified to speak on this topic. 

That said, no matter how strong a parasocial relationship one might have with a celebrity, none of us can accurately type another person without having a conversation with them. The best we can do is base our assessment off of their observable behaviors and potential motivations behind those behaviors. 

I’ve heard strong arguments for Taylor being several Myers and Briggs types, including an ENFP, ISFP and ENFJ. However, my opinion is that Taylor Swift is an ESFJ personality type. Read on to find out why I believe “The Provider” personality is her best-fit type. 

Taylor Swift: An ESFJ Personality Type 

The 16-type system measures personality along four dichotomies, or personality preferences. These preferences explain how a person: 

• Gets their energy (Extraversion vs. Introversion) 
• Processes information (Sensation vs. Intuition) 
• Makes decisions (Feeling vs. Thinking) 
• Organizes their world (Judging vs. Perceiving) 

ESFJ stands for Extraversion, Sensation, Feeling and Judging. Here is how Taylor displays these preferences. 

Taylor Swift and Extraversion

"I wanted to do it at the highest intensity and rapid fire. When I heard reports of people saying that they got actual amnesia after the concerts, I was like, 'I think we did it. We nailed it.'" – Taylor Swift, New Heights interview

Extraverts gain energy from interacting with the outside world, whether interacting with people or with their environment. As a songwriter, Taylor spends a lot of time processing her feelings and experiences. But she also loves interacting with the outside world, whether it’s performing in front of thousands or attending a Kansas City Chiefs football game. 

On the Extraversion-Introversion spectrum, Taylor likely falls somewhere near the middle. Maybe ‘ambivert’ is the best term for the pop star, but which direction does she lean most strongly? 

 I believe Taylor Swift is an Extravert who has some introverted tendencies. She thrives in environments where she is around others, whether on stage or partying with friends. She admitted to feeling especially lonely when quarantining, a period she devoted to writing two of her most introspective albums, Folklore and Evermore. However, I would argue that this time period, while it created great music (in my opinion), is not her norm. She always appears energized and enthusiastic in a crowd, never exhausted by all the attention thrown her way. 

Taylor Swift and Sensation 

“We're singing in the car, getting lost upstate. 

Autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place, a

nd I can picture it after all these days.” – Taylor Swift, “All Too Well” 

Taylor is incredibly intelligent and creative, and, unfortunately, some fans believe that these are exclusively traits of Intuitive personality types, but that’s a misconception. Having a preference for Sensation simply means that you process information through what is known or can be experienced, while Intuition processes information through what could be: possibilities, hunches or speculation. 

Some of Taylor’s best songwriting weaves in the brilliance of Sensation. She recalls vivid memories and intimate details of past experiences, notably her relationships, and how they impacted her. Drawing from her past heartbreak, healing and triumphs, her talent for storytelling is what attracts many different types of people and personalities to her work. 

She’s also been able to maintain a relatable, down-to-earth persona throughout her career, despite being arguably the most famous woman in the world. This is largely because she doesn’t challenge existing ideas, speculate on unknowns or try wildly different things. She’s consistently good at what she does, and spends a lot of time perfecting specific skills. 

Taylor Swift and Feeling 

“You’ve got to be able to prioritize what really matters to you. For me, it’s my family and my friends.” – Taylor Swift, Miss Americana documentary

While she may be a strategic “Mastermind”, Taylor seems to make decisions based on emotion rather than facts and logic. She’s certainly a people-person, and part of her success is due to the relationship-building she’s done with her fans over the years. From personally interacting with fans on Twitter and Tumblr to inviting them into her home, it’s clear that Taylor prioritizes relationships above all. 

She’s cautious about speaking out on controversial topics because of potential backlash, but hasn’t shied away from speaking her mind on issues that impact people directly, like LGBTQ rights, racism and gun violence. She’s also extremely generous with her time and money, making an effort to better the lives of others through surprise meet and greets and appearances for her fans or privately donating to individuals, fundraisers and disaster relief efforts. 

Taylor Swift and Judging 

“I cry a lot but I am so productive, it's an art.” – Taylor Swift, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”

Judging types orient themselves to their environment by implementing order and structure, planning and making firm decisions. In her documentary, Miss Americana, Taylor admits that her life is generally planned out about two years in advance. Such a tight, long-term schedule would be tough for a more flexible and spontaneous Perceiver type. 

Judging types want to feel like they have control over their environment, and for this reason, they tend to be highly conscientious, productive and disciplined, all traits that Taylor shares. Many who work with Taylor have commented on her intense work ethic. In Miss Americana, her long-time producer, Jack Antonoff said of Taylor, “No one is this good and works harder. And if you’re that good you don’t work that hard.” 

Taylor Swift and the ESFJ Cognitive Functions 

While most modern 16-type assessments focus primarily on the four dichotomies, another way to look at personality type is through the lens of cognitive functions. The cognitive functions theory is based on the original work of Carl Jung, and identified an introverted and extraverted side of each of the four dichotomies. Myers and Briggs used Jung’s theory in their development of the early MBTIⓇ. 

In cognitive functions theory, the functions for an ESFJ are: Extraverted Feeling, Introverted Sensing, Extraverted Intuition, and Introverted Thinking.

Taylor Swift and Extraverted Feeling 

Personality types who have high Extraverted Feeling value harmony and cooperation, and feel a sense of responsibility for other people’s needs and emotions. Outside of her superb writing skills, Taylor’s special power is her ability to interact with others, making them feel special and important.

Few people who have worked with Taylor have anything negative to say about her. Her warm, inviting personality draws people in, making them feel comfortable immediately. She also feels a strong sense of responsibility for her fans, and is known for never canceling a show unless absolutely necessary. “If someone buys a ticket to my show, I’m going to play it unless we have some sort of force majeure,” she said. 

She’s maintained close bonds with childhood friends and other women in the music industry and mostly attempts to avoid drama (though often being dragged into it). She knows how to connect with people through healthy vulnerability, warmth and humor. Family and friendship are also common themes in her music. 

Taylor Swift and Introverted Sensing

Introverted Sensing is like a memory box in the brain. When something happens in the present, a personality type with high Introverted Sensing will explore the memory box to compare and contrast the event with what’s happened before. Introverted Sensing types focus a lot on past experiences and tend to enjoy traditions, routines and predictability. 

Taylor shows these traits in her creative work, and her personal and professional life. Creatively, many of her songs talk about past memories and what they mean to her, rather than imagining a different future or exploring concepts. She often brings her past into her work, like when she published old journal entries in the Lover album.

Personally and professionally she is comfortable with a strict routine. To prepare for the Eras Tour, Taylor said that she sang the entire 3-hour-long setlist while running on a treadmill every single day. She’s also tirelessly re-recording all of her older albums, which speaks to her capacity to live in what’s familiar and comfortable. 

Taylor Swift and Extraverted Intuition 

As with many ESFJs, Taylor’s quirky and playful personality comes out through her Extraverted Intuition function. Extraverted Intuition focuses on abstract ideas and possibilities. Taylor is constantly coming up with new song ideas, and while many of her ideas are driven by her Introverted Sensing (reflecting on the past), she also channels Extraverted Intuition in her work. As her songwriting has matured, Taylor has introduced more metaphors and abstractions into her narrative approach to storytelling. 

Taylor also enjoys leaving Easter eggs for her fans. She started by leaving secret messages for fans in her early albums. These messages hinted at who the song was about or expanded on how she felt about a person or experience. Fans loved her Easter eggs, so she continues to drop hints about upcoming songs or albums. While some interpret her secret messages as extremely meaningful or cryptic, Taylor seems to view them more as a way to have fun with her fans.

Taylor Swift and Introverted Thinking 

"I still think it’s important to be polite, but not at all costs. Not when you’re being pushed beyond your limits, and not when people are walking all over you." – Taylor Swift, Variety interview

When a person is using Introverted Thinking, they’re relying on their inner logic to make decisions. When paired with an Extraverted Feeling function, Introverted Thinking helps them identify and communicate their principles and decision-making in a more objective and analytical way. 

Taylor has always come across as composed and measured in communication, but as she’s matured and developed her Thinking, she’s grown in being able to speak on more complicated and controversial issues. In the Miss Americana documentary, Taylor takes viewers along on this journey: as she realizes how important her principles are to her, she can no longer stay quiet and is willing to face criticism. This is a relatable journey for younger Feeling personality types, particularly FJ types who tend to avoid speaking out for fear of external judgment. 

What Else Do We Know About Taylor Swift’s Personality Type? 

In addition to being an ESFJ personality type, Taylor Swift is most likely an Enneagram 3 personality type. This combination makes for someone who is practical, compassionate and down-to-earth, yet extremely competitive, ambitious and image-conscious.

One reason it’s difficult to type Taylor may be because of these seemingly contradictory personality types. While some ESFJs prefer more simple and family-focused lifestyles, Taylor loves the spotlight and is relentless in her pursuit to maintain it. 

One thing we know for sure about Taylor Swift is that she doesn’t have a problem being a little peculiar, even if it means being misunderstood. As a wise woman once said, “If you’re lucky enough to be different, don’t ever change.” 

Do you share the same personality type as Taylor Swift? Take our free 16 types test to find out!