Phoebe Bridgers presents Taylor Swift with 2023 iHeartRadio Innovator Award

2023's iHeartRadio Music Awards was held last night (27 March) at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. After being nominated for ten categories including Artist of the Year, Best Music Video ("Anti-Hero"), TikTok Bop of the Year, and Best Fan Army, Taylor Swift was awarded the Innovator Award which was presented by Phoebe Bridgers.

As she presented the award, Bridgers revealed that she had discovered Swift's music whilst listening to country radio with her mum, and how she fell in love with the honesty in her music: "Taylor has always told the truth. She’s written songs from exactly where she is. Her music shifted genre in the same way life does - in the same way being 16 is totally incomparable to being 18, 22, 25, 28. I’m grateful that I’ve grown up in a world with Taylor Swift in it. Or, "The World (Taylor’s Version)"."

During her acceptance speech, Swift joked that she has never really woken up and chosen to innovate. Instead, she's allowed herself to make mistakes, and wanted to let everyone know that it is ok to do so. "I really want everyone to know, especially young people, that the hundreds or thousands of dumb ideas that I’ve had have led me to my good ideas,” she said. “You have to give yourself permission to fail.”

Before Swift's acceptance speech, a video was shown which featured tributes from the likes of Dolly Parton, Selena Gomez, previous Innovator Award winner Justin Timberlake and Ed Sheeran – each artist being a key figure in Swift's life over the years.

The award win comes just a few weeks after the opening date of her Eras Tour, which is a celebration of her extensive back catalogue, the latest release Midnights, and of Swift regaining the rights over her early albums. Bridgers and Swift last collaborated together on "Nothing New (Taylor's Version)", and will be playing on seven dates of the Eras Tour which will also feature support slots from the likes of MUNA, beabadoobee, Gracie Abrams and HAIM.

Swift also won the Song of the Year Award for "Anti-Hero", which was presented by Ice Spice and PinkPantheress.