Congratulations! A very happy ninth birthday, Taylor Swift

We can hardly believe it: but the sophisticated, styled and oh-so shiny Taylor Swift of 2015 was not always so.

Indeed, less than a decade ago, she was a cowboy hat-wearing and leather boot-donning all-Southern gal who evidently had no knowledge of GHDs or S&M harnesses.

But on this day nine years ago, a then 16-year-old Tay-Tay began out on her road to superstardom – namely by releasing her debut single, Tim McGraw.

Not that she was a newbie to the industry; she wrote her first song at the age of 12; by 14 she had a manager, and aged 15 she was playing her own music in cafes and bars.

Tim McGraw became an instant hit: selling 2m copies and even creeping into the mainstream Billboard Top 40 – quite the achievement for a Country tune. 

These days, of course, Ms Swift is arguably the biggest pop-star on the planet (she's left behind her Country roots too), and she's already won at the age of 25 no fewer than seven Grammys.

Last year's album (her fifth), 1984, was a massive hit. And its singles, Shake It Off, Blank Space, and Bad Blood all made it to No.1 in the US.

She also has her cats, she has a gorgeous new man in the form of Calvin Harris – and she clearly has a bright future.

Here's to the next nine years, Taylor Swift.