KEY POINTS

  • Maisie Williams presented the award to Taylor Swift
  • Swift thanked the artists who made special appearances in her music videos
  • She has been nominated seven times before for Brit Awards

Taylor Swift on Tuesday became the first female and first non-English artist to win the Global Icon Award at the Brit Awards 2021.

The 31-year-old singer was also the youngest person to receive the honor.

"Game of Thrones" star Maisie Williams called Swift the "biggest names in the history of music" and "an inspiration to people all around the world" while presenting the award to the singer.

"If anyone who knows me at all knows that Game of Thrones is my life. So, the fact that Maisie was here to present this, I want to grab you," the "Look What You Made Me Do" star said in her speech. "I can't since we're social distancing but thank you so much for coming here to do this."

The singer thanked the stars who made special appearances in her music videos, which included Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, Zoë Kravitz and Annie Lennox.

The official handle of the BRIT Awards shared Swift's acceptance speech Tuesday.

"My soul left my body when Annie Lennox was on that video," she said. "It was like 1000 surprise birthday parties and all your friends are like jumping out like, 'Ah!' and you're just like, 'This is the best."

"Last year I even almost played Glastonbury, but we all know what happened next, the world changed. And I ended up putting out three albums instead," she said. "Making folklore and evermore was one of the most unique, cathartic, extraordinary experiences I've ever had."

Swift went on the thank her collaborators, including Aaron Dessner, Justin Vernon, Jack Antonoff and her boyfriend Joe Alwyn.

"I want to thank my friends and family who know exactly who they are, whose opinion of me never changed whether my stock was up or down," she said. "If there's one thing that I've learned it's that you have to look around you every day and take note of the people who have always believed in you and never stop appreciating them for it."

She also had a piece of advice for rising stars.

"If you're experiencing turbulence or pressure, that probably means you're rising. And there might be times when you put your whole heart and soul into something, and if it is met with cynicism or skepticism, you cannot let that crush you, you have to let it fuel you," she said. "We live in a world where anyone has the right to say anything that they want about you at any time, but just please remember that you have the right to prove them wrong."

Swift has been nominated for Brit Awards seven times before. She won the international female solo artist award in 2015.

Taylor Swift
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 12:Taylor Swift attends the 2019 Billboard Women In Music at Hollywood Palladium on December 12, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images