While Taylor Swift, 34, reigns as a global pop icon and was crowned Time's Person of the Year in 2023, her younger brother, Austin Swift, 31, has quietly built his own successful career. The siblings share a close bond, with Austin consistently supporting Taylor, and she reciprocating in kind. This article delves into the life of Austin Swift, exploring his career, his relationship with his sister, and his own artistic endeavors.
Early Life and Education
Austin Swift was born on March 11, 1992, in West Reading, Pennsylvania, three years after Taylor. The siblings spent their early years on their family's Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania. When Austin was nine, the family moved to Nashville to support Taylor's burgeoning music career, per People.
While Taylor embarked on her music career, Austin pursued higher education. He attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in film studies.
A Budding Actor and Producer
The creative gene runs strong in the Swift family. While Taylor found her passion in music, Austin pursued acting, discovering his love for film during his college years. He landed his first leading role in a production at school in Six Characters in Search of an Author, per People.
Austin told People in 2018, "I’m pretty reserved in most circumstances, so [acting] never seemed like it would be a good fit. But I kind of got thrust into it and realized that it could be an opportunity to be creative.” Concerned about his performance, he dedicated himself to the role, "started staying after rehearsals every night and running the whole play by myself, over and over, acting every part until the sun came up."
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In 2016, Austin debuted on film in the thriller I.T., followed by Live by Night that same year. In 2017, he appeared on television in Embeds and the Billy Ray Cyrus series Still the King. His other notable roles include Cover Versions, We Summon the Darkness, and Braking for Whales.
Austin has also ventured into producing, credited as an executive producer on Taylor’s Disney+ documentary Folklore: The Long Pond Sessions. In 2022, Austin received an ACM nomination for his work as a producer on her music video “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version),” which was directed by Taylor’s close friend, Blake Lively.
A Supportive Brother
Austin has always been a pillar of support for his sister. In 2017, Austin told Vanity Fair that "she found singing, and I knew from very early on that that was her direction." He continued, “She was never going to quit; that was her thing, that was her life.”
Austin celebrated the release of her album Evermore in 2020, writing, "As a brother and friend I couldn’t be more proud, as a lifelong fan I am thrilled beyond words, as a human being I am simply dumbfounded at this level of artistry and depth of insight into what it is to love and to lose and to simply exist." For her 29th birthday in 2018, Austin shared an adorable photo of them together as children: "I have always had a best friend, a role model, and a caring, tireless, dedicated champion in my corner," he shared. "You have pulled me out of fires and carried me up mountains. The gift of getting to witness you become the wonderful person you are today has been the greatest privilege and honor of my life.”
Taylor is equally supportive of Austin. In 2020, the "Cruel Summer" singer posted an adorable picture of her and Austin on Instagram to celebrate National Siblings Day and the release of We Summon The Darkness, a film he starred in and co-produced.
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Personal Life
Austin Swift has been dating model Sydney Ness since September 2022. She has been seen with the Swift family on multiple occasions, including at Kansas City Chiefs games.
Role in Taylor Swift's Career
Austin has played a significant role in Taylor's career, both behind the scenes and as a source of support. As Taylor told TIME Magazine during her Person of the Year interview, “My dad, my mom, and my brother come up with some of the best ideas in my career. I always joke that we’re a small family business.”
During her August 2025 appearance on the New Heights podcast, Taylor recalled sending her mom and brother to meet with Shamrock Capital when she was trying to buy back the master recordings for her first six albums. According to Taylor, she sent her mom and brother to approach the owners (a private equity group Shamrock Capital) and make a case for buying her music outright. “Rather than send lawyers or management, like, in a big crew, I sent my mom and brother, who I work with, to L.A.,” she said.
During her October 8 appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, Swift spoke about how her family-including her brother Austin-joined her for The Life of a Showgirl release week. “This is my first album release where I’ve got my mom, my dad, and my brother with me the whole album release,” she said. “The fact that they wanted to come to my release week has just completely made it for me,” she continued. “And I work with my mom and my brother, so it’s just been kind of the most joyful album release I’ve ever had.”
Austin and Travis Kelce
Austin hasn’t spoken publicly about Taylor’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, but he has shown some support for the Kansas City Chiefs player. On Christmas in 2023, Austin was in Kansas City to see Kelce’s team face off against the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium, along with their parents and Austin’s girlfriend. The supportive brother was wearing a Santa Claus costume in the VIP box.
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On his New Heights podcast, Kelce reflected on the festive atmosphere of the Christmas Day game and shared Austin’s gift to him. “He actually made me feel like a child because his gift to me was straight out of the bag," Kelce said. “In the Santa sack. Whipped it out and handed me a VHS of my favorite football movie of all time: Little Giants.”
Ness and Austin put in an appearance at the Super Bowl in February 2024 as well, watching Kelce win the big game.