- Says Hendersonville councillor Scott Sprouse, one of the country star's neighbours
THEY could be the cutest couple in showbiz.
Country star Taylor Swift and One Direction’s Harry Styles have been inseparable since they hooked up at an X Factor show last month — as we exclusively revealed on The Sun’s front page.
The loved-up singers have since become one of the hottest couples in showbiz — and already have a Brangelina-style nickname — Haylor.
But while American Taylor, who turns 23 next week, and Harry, 18, only have eyes for each other, locals in her hometown of Hendersonville are less enthused.
Local councillor Scott Sprouse told The Sun: “My advice is for Harry to treat her nice. Taylor means a heck of a lot to this town and of course, everyone is very protective of her.” He continued: “She is a big star, a local girl and a role model to so many in Hendersonville. No one wants to see her hurt.”
His view is echoed by many others in the affluent, gun-loving town in the middle of rural Tennessee, where Taylor’s rich parents live.
A salesman at the popular firearms store Guns And Leather said: “Taylor deserves to be treated well and not messed around. She’s our hometown girl and we don’t want some hairy boyband singer messing with her.”
Taylor moved with her family to Hendersonville, about a 30-minute drive from the country music capital of Nashville, in 2003. Her dad Scott, a stockbroker, and mum Andrea decided to uproot the family from Pennsylvania so their daughter could pursue her music dreams.
But while Taylor’s singing career soared – getting her first hit at just 14 – her love life bombed. The star became downcast after having her heart continually broken while she was still in high school.
Taylor ended up having the last laugh — using her pain to carve out a career that has made her an international pop star worth an estimated £100million.
But it is the memory of her troubled past that has caused locals in her home town to be so nervous about her romance with swordsman Harry, who has been linke
d with a string of women including telly’s Caroline Flack.
Joni Worsham, head teacher at Hendersonville High School, where Taylor was a pupil for two years, said: “Taylor has a special place in the heart of the people in Hendersonville. She is very well respected and loved, and people only want the best for her. They would not want to see her hurt in any way by a relationship that went wrong.”
They might have good reason to be concerned. After all, her relationship with the British singer has had a rocky start.
Harry and Taylor first began dating earlier this year after meeting at the Kids Choice Awards in March, where they were introduced by Justin Bieber.
The relationship cooled when she found out Harry had been spotted with New Zealand-based model Emma Ostilly while on tour in the country.
Taylor then started dating 18-year-old Conor Kennedy, a relative of the late American president JFK.
Harry had to use all of his considerable charm to win her back. It began with a snap of them backstage at the BBC Radio One Teen Awards in October. Then last month he jetted to Los Angeles so he could woo her as she got ready to perform on the US version of The X Factor.
Harry was spotted hanging out with Taylor in her trailer on the set. He also found time to charm her mum Andrea as she watched rehearsals.
Since then, Taylor and Harry have been getting to know each other better in New York, where One Direction recently performed to 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden. After the gig Taylor joined Harry at the after-party where they went on stage together to sing karaoke. Then last Sunday they were spotted relaxing in Central Park. On Monday they sneaked back to Taylor’s New York hotel and the following day they left separately, with a windswept Harry clutching a black overnight washbag.
On Thursday they were pictured hand-in-hand at New York’s Crosby Street Hotel and on Friday they performed separately at the Big Apple’s Jingle Ball.
The loved-up couple yesterday flew to the UK together — Harry controversially travelling with Taylor on her private jet rather than with his bandmates.
The boys met up again last night to play at Capital FM’s Jingle Bell Ball at London’s O2 Arena. But while Taylor and Harry are having fun, her former high school pals say she always had a habit of rapidly falling in love — then getting her heart broken.
One pal who was in her English class said: “It would be all or nothing with Taylor. She was very romantic and would fall hopelessly in love from the get go. There were no half measures.”
Taylor went on to build a career writing songs about her many failed romances, including those with Hollywood stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Lautner, and also singer John Mayer. Her first ever hit, Tim McGraw, was about being dumped by local boy Brandon Borello. Her next romance was with high school student Sam Armstrong — that also went bad when he cheated on her, inspiring the break-up hit, Should’ve Said No.
Sam has since left Hendersonville, but his dad Troy told how he remembers his son’s romance with the star.
He said: “They were just kids, and it was nothing serious. Sam took her to the prom one year. They looked a lovely couple and she was a pretty girl.
“But, to be honest, my wife thought she was a bit clingy.
“Sam doesn’t talk about her. I guess they have all moved on.” Taylor next set her sights on Drew Hardwick, then 18, who was dating another girl. Her hit, Teardrops On My Guitar is about that unrequited love.
Demonstrating the loyalty the people of Hendersonville have for Taylor, all three exes refused to talk about the singer when approached by The Sun.
But at the local WalMart store, one worker had this to say about Taylor’s new British boyfriend: “I’ve heard of Harry Styles and he is cute.
“But he’d better not mess with Taylor and hurt her. I can tell you he will make some enemies around here if he does.”
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