Phil Collins has praised Taylor Swift, saying she "deserves" her status as "the hugest thing in the world" after being left "blown away" by an early performance he witnessed around 15 years ago. Speaking to Vernon Kay on BBC Radio 2's Tracks of My Years, the Genesis frontman recalled watching Swift perform her song "White Horse" at a Songwriters Hall of Fame event, well before she reached her current level of global stardom, and said the moment stayed with him ever since.

Collins described Swift's stripped-back guitar performance as beautifully sung and emotionally affecting, adding that it is "easy to knock someone that's got so much success" but that he believes she has earned it. "White Horse", from Swift's 2008 album Fearless, went on to win two Grammy Awards, while Swift now holds the record for the most number one albums on the Billboard 200 among solo artists, with 15. The comments came as Collins also revealed his hit "In the Air Tonight" was largely improvised, and arrive in a milestone year for him, as he prepares to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2026.