Last Thursday, before a night of celebration, Taylor Swift started her 18th birthday alone at the computer with a purpose — registering to vote.
"I did it online in my pajamas!" the country-music star told People magazine later that night at her birthday party, hosted by her parents Andrea and Scott, at the popular Nashville nightspot Lot 7.
Taylor spent much of the day with close pals from high school, doing her hair and nails and selecting a short hot-pink Betsey Johnson dress for the party. "It was between this and a black dress," she said, "but I knew all my friends would be in black, so I went with the pink. I love pink!"
Scott Borchetta, president of Taylor's label, Big Machine Records, must have known that because he gave Taylor a bubblegum-pink Chevy truck as a present. Taylor was thrilled, though she added that her fans are the ones who really made her birthday wishes come true.
"What I really wanted for my birthday was a No. 1 record, and I got that, too!" Taylor's third single, "Our Song," jumped to the top of Billboard's Country Singles chart this week, her first No. 1.
The 200 guests at the party included Kellie Pickler, Chuck Wicks, Lady Antebellum and Big & Rich's John Rich, who led the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday." And although the invitation specified no gifts, John gave Taylor a beautiful Judith Leiber purse.
Taylor has had a lot to celebrate lately. After receiving the CMA 's Horizon Award last month, she just scored a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
