When the world's most powerful talk show host compared his guest to the biggest band in music history, the air in the CBS studio thickened with expectation. This was not mere celebrity flattery; this was an attempt to officially quantify the cultural impact of an artist who has become an economic force in her own right. The guest was the multi-billionaire pop phenomenon, Taylor Swift.
Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the 35-year-old singer arrived in a striking, off-the-shoulder burgundy minidress, immediately commanding the attention of the audience. Host Stephen Colbert, 61, began his high praise after welcoming Swift back, noting the significance of the moment.
