2023 iHeartRadio: Taylor Swift reveals career's 'mistakes' while accepting Innovator Award

Taylor Swift was moved after winning the Innovator Award at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

The Anti-Hero hitmaker delivered an emotional speech thanking her fans and shared some solid advice while accepting the award.

The singer expressed how she aimed to do things different rather than stay in the safety zone. 

"I'm really flattered by this award. So thank you so much to iHeart for giving this to me," she began as she accepted the award from Phoebe Bridgers.

"I never, a single time, woke up in the morning and thought, 'You know what I'm gonna do today? I'm gonna go innovate some stuff,'" she joked.

"'Things need to be innovated and I'm gonna be the one that does it.' But what I did do was try to make the right decision for me at the time, whether or not it had ever been successfully done before" she added.

Swift went on "and I think maybe that might be the key, because oftentimes in any industry, people are looking for a precedent or data that shows this idea is a good one or a feasible one. 

"People want an example of something working before. But I think the coolest ideas or moves or choices are the new ones, the ones that set a new precedent."

Swift also looked at her own transition into music having started out in country before moving to pop as well as her move to re-record her music, which was met with roaring applause .

"They're shining a light on the choices I made that worked out, the ones that turned out to be good ideas," she continued. 

"But I really, really want everyone to know, especially young people, that the hundreds or thousands of dumb ideas that I've had are what led me to my good ideas. You have to give yourself permission to fail."