Maya Hawke, the acclaimed actress and singer-songwriter best known for her role in Stranger Things, has never been shy about her musical inspirations. But in a candid Rolling Stone interview published on March 19, 2026, Hawke pulled back the curtain on just how deeply Taylor Swift has shaped her creative journey — and, in her view, the outlook of an entire generation of young listeners.
Hawke, now 27, is preparing to release her fourth studio album, Maitreya Corso, on May 1. Yet, as she explained to Rolling Stone, her artistic roots run straight through Swift’s discography. “Taylor Swift inspired a generation of young people to feel that their lives and feelings matter,” Hawke told the magazine. “My feelings could matter and the details of it could matter, my personal stories.” She added, “Of course, it’s a Chekhovian thing, but I was hugely influenced by her.” According to Rolling Stone, Hawke’s admiration for Swift is both personal and profound, with Swift’s storytelling serving as a blueprint for Hawke’s own approach to songwriting.
“You could start any song from any word and I would be able to know where you were and finish it probably,” Hawke insisted, a testament to the years she’s spent immersed in Swift’s music. The pop superstar, now 36, has been an “undeniable influence” on Hawke’s sound, she emphasized. This isn’t simply casual fandom: Hawke credits Swift’s ability to turn personal moments into universally relatable songs as the spark that taught her to value authenticity and emotional honesty in her own lyrics.
But Hawke’s connection to Swift’s music isn’t just about artistry. It’s also about family. Back in October 2022, Hawke managed to do something she says was rare: introduce her father, actor Ethan Hawke, to a song he didn’t already know. She played him “Ours,” a track from Swift’s 2010 album Speak Now. “It took me a long while to be able to show him something he didn’t already know about,” Hawke recalled. “‘Ours’ was the first Taylor Swift song that I played for him on guitar. He told me he thought it was a really good song, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I just brought something to my dad that he didn’t know, and he likes — and I like!’ It made me feel so confident.”
This moment proved pivotal, not just for Hawke’s relationship with her father but for her sense of self as an artist. As she explained in a separate conversation with The Line of Best Fit, “My dad was such a powerful creative influence on me musically, he showed me so many songs and artists that I still listen to, and love and care about.” The tables turned when she introduced him to Swift’s music, and it wasn’t long before the pair attended a Taylor Swift concert together on the Speak Now tour. Hawke described the experience as “such a happy moment, sharing an experience with someone who put so much energy into cultivating my taste.”
Hawke’s reverence for Swift extends beyond nostalgia. She sees Swift’s impact as something almost literary, referencing the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov to describe how Swift’s focus on the minutiae of everyday life — the small heartbreaks, the fleeting joys — gives those moments weight and meaning. According to Reuters, Hawke believes Swift’s storytelling prowess has taught a generation to value their own experiences. “Taylor Swift inspired a generation to value personal storytelling and made young listeners feel their lives and emotions mattered,” Hawke said.
The excitement around Hawke’s upcoming album, Maitreya Corso, is palpable, and she’s been teasing fans with hints of more to come. At the recent premiere of her latest film project, Wishful Thinking, Hawke revealed to PEOPLE that she has “secret” plans for summer 2026. “I wish I could tell you, but I can’t,” she teased. “Right now, I’m really looking forward to putting my record out and doing a little tour, but that’s more spring. For the full summer, I wish I could tell you, but I can’t.” While she remained tight-lipped about the specifics, her enthusiasm suggested that fans can expect more Hawke-driven surprises as the year unfolds.
Of course, Maya Hawke is no stranger to the music scene. Maitreya Corso will be her fourth studio album, following Blush (2020), MOSS (2022), and Chaos Angel (2024). Each release has further established her as a thoughtful lyricist and a distinctive voice in indie-pop, drawing critical praise for her introspective songwriting and understated vocals. But as she prepares to launch her latest project, Hawke makes clear that Swift’s influence remains a guiding light.
Fans and critics alike have noted Hawke’s knack for weaving personal stories into her music, a trait she attributes directly to Swift’s example. “Swift’s lyrics and personal narratives shaped not only her artistic approach but also her understanding of her own experiences,” The Tribune reported. Hawke’s ability to recognize and finish any Swift song from any word is more than a party trick — it’s a sign of deep musical kinship and respect.
For Hawke, the journey from devoted listener to confident artist has been shaped by the music that first moved her as a child. As she told Rolling Stone, “I have been listening to Taylor Swift my entire life.” This lifelong fandom has blossomed into a creative philosophy: that the details of one’s life — the awkward, the joyful, the heartbreakingly mundane — are worthy of song.
It’s a message that resonates with fans across the world, many of whom see themselves in Hawke’s story. In an era when the lines between artist and audience are increasingly blurred, Hawke’s openness about her influences offers a refreshing reminder that even the brightest stars are, at heart, music lovers too.
As the release date for Maitreya Corso approaches, Hawke stands poised to add her own chapter to the tradition of confessional songwriting that Swift helped popularize. Whether she’s sharing a stage with her father or teasing secret summer plans, Hawke’s journey is a testament to the power of music to connect, inspire, and transform — one song at a time.