“You sit in class next to a redhead named Abigail, and soon enough you’re best friends.”
That lyric from Taylor Swift’s song “Fifteen,” from her 2008 “Fearless” album, was how many first learned about her friendship with Abigail Anderson. Over two decades later, the besties are still close, and Anderson was in attendance at Swift’s wedding to Travis Kelce in New York Garden July 3.
Swifties have come to know Anderson as one of the Grammy winner’s closest friends who supported the pop icon before she became a worldwide name. Anderson has frequently been spotted with Swift throughout the years, whether she is dancing beside her in the “22” music video, cheering her on in the crowd at “The Eras Tour” or cooking with her in the “Miss Americana” documentary.
When Swift released her seventh album, “Lover,” in 2019, Anderson posted a picture of her holding the album booklet on Instagram and gushed, “15 years of knowing you and watching you grow, both as a human and an artist, I can honestly say I’ve never been more proud to call you my friend. I am completely inspired by everything that is you, @taylorswift Congrats, buddy.”
A few months later, she shared snaps of her celebrating Swift’s birthday at a holiday-themed party. “Thir-tay never looked so good,” she quipped in one caption.
In turn, Swift was by her side when she turned 33 in May 2023. “‘Cause when you’re… 33,” she wrote along with a fox emoji beside a blurry snap of her and Swift bursting into laughter.
Anderson also appeared to reference a lyric from Swift’s song “But Daddy I Love Him” in July 2024 when she announced she was expecting her first child with husband Charles Berard. “I’m having his babyyyy…” she playfully captioned a pic that showed off her growing baby bump as she snacked on some Cheez-Its. She welcomed son Bennett that August.
Abigail Anderson attends Taylor Swift’s wedding at Madison Square Garden.GC Images
Here’s what to know about Swift and Anderson’s friendship.
Taylor Swift Met Abigail Anderson in High School
In November 2008, Anderson surprised Swift during an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” During her sit-down with Ellen DeGeneres, the host pretended that she had a pain in her cheek. Swift said the moment reminded her of a “9th grade inside-joke between my best friend and I.”
“How did you know that?” Swift asked.
Anderson then jogged onto the set as the singer stood up and said “Oh my gosh!” The two embraced while one of her first hits, “Our Song,” played in the background.
“What are you doing here?” Swift asked Anderson after they hugged a few more times.
Anderson sweetly replied, “Surprise!”
Anderson told DeGeneres that she was originally from Nashville, Tennessee, but was studying at Kansas University.
Speaking about Swift’s success,” Anderson said, “It’s amazing, you know. Just to be able to be on the sidelines and experience something like that — it’s awesome.”
Swift opened up about how she met Anderson when she was 15 during an interview on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2009.
“I have a lot of friends who do what I do. Either they’re actresses or singers or things like that,” she told Winfrey. “But my best friend, Abigail, we met when I was 15. First day of school freshman year we sat next to each other in English.”
Swift added that Anderson “wanted to be a swimmer and go off on a college scholarship for swimming and I wanted to be a singer. Now she’s off at Kansas on a swimming scholarship and I’m singing.”
She also touched on their friendship in a behind-the-scenes video for “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
“My perfect day off would be going to visit my best friend Abigail in Lawrence, Kansas,” Swift shared.
She continued, “I love going to visit her. So, it’s this little college town and it’s kind of fun because you always kind of wonder about the path you didn’t take. And the path I didn’t take was going to college.”
Swift joked that going to the campus allowed her to get a taste of college life “without having to take tests and study.”
Then, when asked where she would travel if she could go any place in the world, Swift reemphasized how much she liked going to Kansas.
Taylor Swift Mentions Abigail Anderson’s Name in 2 Songs
Swift’s interview with DeGeneres promoted the release of her second studio album, “Fearless.”
On the album, Swift sings about her friendship with Anderson for the first time on her song “Fifteen,” which reflects on the challenges teenagers face in high school.
“You sit in class next to a redhead named Abigail/ And soon enough your best friends/ Laughin’ at the other girls who think they’re so cool/ We’ll be outta here as soon as we can,” she sings in the second verse.
Later in the bridge, she sadly sings, “Back then, I swore I was gonna marry him someday/ But I realized some bigger dreams of mine/ And Abigail gave everything she had/ To a boy who changed his mind/ And we both cried.”
When Swift performed “Fifteen” during an “Eras Tour” date in Nashville in May 2023, she gave her bestie a shoutout. While introducing the surprise track, she said the song was dedicated to her “beautiful redheaded high school best friend” in clips shared on social media. In one video, Anderson, who was in attendance and watched from the VIP tent, clapped when she heard the dedication.
Swift changed the lyrics at the end of the bridge that night, adding “And we both cried/ And that’s alright,” while Anderson sang along.
She mentioned Anderson again by name on her most recent album, 2025’s “The Life of a Showgirl.” On “Ruin the Friendship,” Swift sings about regretting not pursuing a romantic relationship with a friend who later passed away. During the bridge, she laments, “When I left school, I lost track of you/ Abigail called me with the bad news/ Goodbye, and we’ll never know why.”
Swift has not confirmed the subject of the song. However, when she won the BMI Country “Songwriter of the Year” award in 2010, she dedicated the honor to her high school friend Jeff Lang, who died at the age of 21.
“Yesterday I sang at the funeral of one of my best friends,” she said while accepting the award. “I used to play my songs for him first, so I would like to thank Jeff Lang.”
Abigail Anderson Has Appeared in 6 Taylor Swift Music Videos
Anderson has popped up in Swift’s music videos for songs from many eras. In “Picture To Burn,” from Swift’s debut album, Anderson helps her friend spy on an ex and his new flame at the start of the video. At the end, after Swift imagines destroying her ex’s apartment, she tells Anderson she is “over” her heartbreak and the two drive off.
In the music video for “Teardrops On My Guitar,” the second single from Swift’s debut album, Anderson makes a brief cameo. She is one of the high school students who walks behind Swift in the hallway and opens her locker as the singer pines over an unrequited crush.
For another single from her first album, “I’m Only Me When I’m With You,” Anderson is in the compilation of silly, behind-the-scenes clips that make up the music video.
Not only is Anderson mentioned in “Fifteen,” but she plays herself in the music video, too. Swift and Anderson re-create the moment they met. They exchange secrets and laughs in music class. Next, Anderson acts out the “And then you’re on a date and he’s got a car” line in the following scene.
She shares her “first kiss” with her date under the stars. But she soon rejects his persistent advances and is later shown sitting in a cloudy field alone while Swift sings the bridge. Swift joins Anderson to console her and they hug.
For the “Red” era, Anderson returned, this time as a party guest in the “22” music video.
Anderson’s most recent cameo was during the “1989” era. The music video for “New Romantics,” a track from the deluxe edition of the pop album, featured footage from the massive “1989 World Tour.” Anderson is seen in a backstage moment when Swift is embracing one of her band members.
Taylor Swift Was One of Abigail Anderson’s Bridesmaids
Anderson had Swift standing nearby on her special day when she tied the knot with first husband Matt Lucier at Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, in September 2017, People reported. (Anderson and Lucier separated in 2021.)
According to the outlet, Swift served as a bridesmaid and helped carry the train of Anderson’s dress. She wore a burgundy gown and matching dark red lipstick.
Another bridesmaid, Harper Grae, shared photos from the ceremony on Instagram in October 2017. One showed Swift celebrating the newlyweds as they shared a kiss. In another snap, Swift posed in a group photo with the other bridesmaids and the groom. She was also seen in a picture of the entire wedding party.
The last photo with Swift showed her and the other bridesmaids surrounding Anderson. The superstar sweetly placed her head on Anderson’s shoulder.