Taylor Swift says Folklore was her ’emotional life raft’ during quarantine

Taylor Swift beamed into the iHeartRadio Music Awards on Thursday night to accept the Pop Album Of The Year gong for her hit record Folklore.

The singer-songwriter, 31, delivered her emotional acceptance speech from the comfort of a recording studio, sparking excitement over the possibility of another album.

‘Thank you so much for this award and for the honor. I have to say thank you to everyone at iHeart and everyone that supported Folklore,’ Swift began.

Winner! Taylor Swift beamed into the iHeart Radio Music Awards on Thursday night to accept the Pop Album Of The Year gong for her hit record Folklore

Emotional: The singer-songwriter, 31, delivered her emotional acceptance speech from the comfort of a recording studio, sparking excitement over the possibility of another album

Emotional: The singer-songwriter, 31, delivered her emotional acceptance speech from the comfort of a recording studio, sparking excitement over the possibility of another album

Folklore was released in July 2020 and was met with instant acclaim from critics and fans, alike. Just six months later, Swift treated her listeners to another album, titled Evermore, released on December 11.

Taylor continued: ‘[Folklore] was an album I made in the very beginning of the pandemic, I started writing it, and I feel like it became sort of an emotional life raft for me to put all my feelings into.’

She went on to thank her Folklore and Evermore collaborators and ‘friends forever’ Aaron Dessner and Jack Antanoff, whose ‘creativity has completely changed [her] life.’

Swift also thanked photographer Beth Garrabrant who ‘took the photos for Folklore and really helped me create this world that I saw in my head.

Thankful: 'Thank you so much for this award and for the honor. I have to say thank you to everyone at iHeart and everyone that supported Folklore,' Swift began

Thankful: ‘Thank you so much for this award and for the honor. I have to say thank you to everyone at iHeart and everyone that supported Folklore,’ Swift began

Lifesaver: '[Folklore] was an album I made in the very beginning of the pandemic, I started writing it, and I feel like it became sort of an emotional life raft for me to put all my feelings into,' said the star

Lifesaver: ‘[Folklore] was an album I made in the very beginning of the pandemic, I started writing it, and I feel like it became sort of an emotional life raft for me to put all my feelings into,’ said the star

‘In the middle of the field, the two of us taking pictures, it was a really great experience and I couldn’t be happy with the album or the work,’ she gushed.

To close out her acceptance speech, the Cardigan hitmaker spoke directly to her devout fanbase, thanking them for making Folklore ‘what it was.’

‘Because we all needed to escape into stories, whether it was movies or TV or film or music. And the fact that you chose this album, I am so honored by that.

The fans: To close out her acceptance speech, the Cardigan hitmaker spoke directly to her devout fanbase, thanking them for making Folklore 'what it was'

The fans: To close out her acceptance speech, the Cardigan hitmaker spoke directly to her devout fanbase, thanking them for making Folklore ‘what it was’

Hugs: 'And you really wrapped your arms around it. The way that someday we'll get to wrap our arms around each other when we see each other again,' Swift gushed

Hugs: ‘And you really wrapped your arms around it. The way that someday we’ll get to wrap our arms around each other when we see each other again,’ Swift gushed

‘And you really wrapped your arms around it. The way that someday we’ll get to wrap our arms around each other when we see each other again.

‘Giving you the biggest hug. Just for you. I love you,’ Taylor concluded.

The iHeart Radio Awards went off without a hitch on Thursday evening as music’s biggest names arrived to the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Folklore: Folklore was released in July 2020 and was met with instant acclaim from critics and fans, alike. Just six months later, Swift treated her listeners to another album, titled Evermore, released on December 11

Folklore: Folklore was released in July 2020 and was met with instant acclaim from critics and fans, alike. Just six months later, Swift treated her listeners to another album, titled Evermore, released on December 11

The annual award ceremony was hosted by R&B heavyweight Usher, with rapper Megan Thee Stallion leading the night’s star-studded nominees.

Fans were able to cast their votes for several special categories starting in April.

Their votes decided which artist had the Best Fan Army, who wrote the Best Lyrics, Best Cover Song performance, Best Music Video and Favorite Music Video Choreography Award.

Hollywood life: The iHeart Radio Awards went off without a hitch on Thursday evening as music's biggest names arrived to the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California; Usher pictured

Hollywood life: The iHeart Radio Awards went off without a hitch on Thursday evening as music’s biggest names arrived to the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California; Usher pictured

Honors: The iHeartRadio Music Awards are now in their ninth year, celebrating the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2020; Doja Cat pictured

Honors: The iHeartRadio Music Awards are now in their ninth year, celebrating the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2020; Doja Cat pictured

Leader of the pack: The annual award ceremony was hosted by R&B heavyweight Usher, with rapper Megan Thee Stallion leading the night's star-studded nominees; Megan pictured

Leader of the pack: The annual award ceremony was hosted by R&B heavyweight Usher, with rapper Megan Thee Stallion leading the night’s star-studded nominees; Megan pictured

The public also voted on the Social Star Award and the first-ever TikTok Bop of the Year Award.

The iHeartRadio Music Awards are now in their ninth year, celebrating the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2020. 

Nominations are based on consumption data, including streaming, album sales, song sales and radio airplay. 

Power of radio: Nominations are based on consumption data, including streaming, album sales, song sales and radio airplay

Power of radio: Nominations are based on consumption data, including streaming, album sales, song sales and radio airplay