If anyone ever doubted Taylor Swift‘s megastar status, the reaction to her 11th studio album could not have been more emphatic.

Taylor Swift’s surprise double album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” shattered streaming records across major platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. It achieved several milestones, including being the first album in Spotify history to surpass 300 million streams in a single day, the biggest pop album of all time in terms of first-day streams on Apple Music, and the most streamed album on Amazon Music on its release day.

Which is probably why information on the billionaire singer, however inconsequential, is now a huge commodity.

Step forward Tyler Conroy, a self-confessed superfan who has been hired by ITV‘s This Morning to be the show’s first Taylor Swift correspondent. According to Conroy, who has followed her for 16 years, Swift remains determinedly down-to-earth despite her immense stardom. Her biggest weakness: monogrammed bath towels. Monochrome, with TS embroidered on them, to be precise.

Conroy, a 31-year-old influencer from Massachusetts, has been a devoted follower of Taylor Swift since 2008. At the age of 15, he started taking guitar lessons with the goal of learning to play every song from her second album, Fearless. In 2016, he authored the biography “Taylor Swift: This Is Our Song.”

Conroy, now 31, has been following Ms Swift since 2008. He said: ‘When I met Taylor she just hugged me so closely, she knew I had been bullied and she knew she had helped me. I didn’t want to let her go’

The Tortured Poets Department — Taylor Swift’s surprise double album released on Friday — broke streaming records across all the major platforms, from Spotify to Apple Music

Tyler Conroy is a self-confessed superfan who has been hired by ITV ‘s This Morning to be the show’s first Taylor Swift correspondent

The unquestionable highlight of Conroy’s life, according to Tyler, occurred when he received an invitation to spend a day with his idol at her New York residence after organizing a musical in her honor. During their visit, he and other chosen fans were granted access to the star’s ground-floor living area. They had the opportunity to use her bathroom, complete with monogrammed towels, help themselves to items from her fully stocked fridge filled with her favorite Diet Coke, enjoy pizza, and explore her library where Taylor enjoys reading Harry Potter novels.

Her protective father, Scott, was even there at the time, relaxing in the TV nook.

And the music in the background as the astonished superfan made himself at home? Taylor’s chart-topping hit Shake It Off, of course.

Taylor, aged 34, acquired the seven-bedroom Tribeca townhouse for $18 million (£15 million) from Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson in 2014. During her initial visit to view the property, Sir Ian McKellen was residing there, as Tyler discloses: ‘Her father told me when Taylor went to look at her apartment Ian McKellen was sat there at the dining table in his pyjamas.’

Following McKellen’s departure to accommodate her, Taylor proceeded to expand the residence by acquiring three units in the neighboring building for just under $10 million (£8 million) each. Subsequently, she merged the top two floors to form a single expansive space, encompassing 8,300 square feet.

Ms Swift bought the seven-bedroom £15 million Tribeca, New York townhouse from Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson in 2014, which she then expanded with three more units

Today, the property is valued at approximately $50 million (£40 million). According to Tyler, the interior decor exudes a rustic charm. Taylor, known for her privacy regarding her home life, has occasionally shared glimpses of her apartment on social media. From these snapshots, one can observe the yellow walls of her kitchen adorned with white, country-style cupboard doors and wooden ceiling beams. A substantial wooden dining table takes center stage in the space.

Another room has a large TV hidden in a wardrobe, concealed behind some dainty looking Laura Ashley-style white curtains.

Red walls, velvet couches and neoclassical chandeliers throughout also complete the look.

Tyler tells me more: ‘Taylor had the whole top floor. Everything was brown, it was in an old New York style with a red sofa and a nook.

‘Her dad was sat there when I was there and told me they had watched Frozen a few weeks before. It was so cute.

“I played with her pet cats, and it was then I noticed a birdcage containing a broken Grammy award. Taylor had accidentally dropped it at the awards ceremony and wanted to care for it by placing it in the cage.”

Tyler describes awards scattered throughout the house: “They were all over the place, a couple on the fireplace, even one on the top of the toilet. I’ve never seen anything like that before. Most people have potpourri or flowers, but she had a Grammy award in her bathroom.”

The apartment’s highlight was the bathroom. “To access it, there’s a secret door behind a bookcase, a kind of speak-easy,” Tyler reveals.

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Ms Swift’s new album is the first in Spotify history to have over 300 million streams in a day

The singer also has a Polaroid camera on a cupboard in the lounge, as she likes to take regular shots off the cuff. Indeed, her walls are covered with many Polaroid pictures of her family.

Despite recent criticism regarding her use of private jets, Taylor’s friends maintain that she strives to stay grounded. While some may fault her travel choices, those who know her attest that she’s always willing to get her hands dirty.

Known for her exceptional work ethic, Taylor credits her parents, Andrea and Scott, for instilling this drive in her. She prioritizes her fans, often engaging with them directly. According to her team, she remains down-to-earth, unlike some other celebrities.

Taylor doesn’t shy away from addressing her critics, as evidenced by her latest album’s lyrics. Fans speculate that one track, “thanK you aIMee,” takes aim at Kim Kardashian, with whom Taylor has had a longstanding feud, particularly after clashes involving Kanye West.

‘The ultimate f*** you’ wrote one Taylor fan online, while another said: ‘Kim your day of reckoning is here’.

Others see Matt Healy — Taylor’s ex and lead singer of band The 1975 — as a target of her song The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, with brutal lyrics that seem to refer to their short-lived relationship last summer.

Taylor Swift’s music has always resonated deeply with her fans, offering solace and guidance through life’s challenges. For Tyler Conroy, her impact has been profound. He describes her as a mentor who helped him navigate his tumultuous 20s and find his voice.

Meeting Taylor was a transformative moment for Tyler, who had struggled with bullying. Her embrace conveyed understanding and support, leaving a lasting impression on him. Tyler credits Taylor with helping him find the courage to come out as gay and speak his truth. As a freshman in college, he grappled with his identity, and Taylor’s music provided a beacon of empowerment during this pivotal time.

‘Taylor helped me come out to my family. It was scary but I listened to her Fearless album and I just knew.’

‘The last time I saw her I asked Taylor to write the word ‘Fearless’ in her handwriting on a piece of paper. She was so thrilled to do it and I then took it to get a tattoo of it on my left foot.

‘I am an advocate for her and I know so much about her. I feel like the luckiest Swifty in the world.’