"My Life Could Matter": Maya Hawke on the Taylor Swift Influence Behind Her Music

Maya Hawke credits Taylor Swift for inspiring a generation of songwriters as she prepares to release her fourth album, 'Maitreya Corso,' this May.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 24, 2026, 8:55 AM EDT

Source: People

A Life-Long Influence

Hawke noted that Swift, 36, has been the soundtrack to her entire life. Her connection to the music is so deep that she claims she could finish the lyrics to any Swift song regardless of where the track begins. This "undeniable influence" is expected to be felt throughout her upcoming LP, which Hawke recorded with her regular collaborators, Benjamin Lazar Davis and her new husband, Christian Lee Hutson.

"She made a generation of young people listen to music and think, ‘Oh, my life could matter... My feelings could matter and the details of it could matter.’" — Maya Hawke on Taylor Swift's legacy.

Family Traditions: Making Ethan Hawke a Swiftie

The actress also reminisced about a milestone moment in 2022 when she finally found a song her father, Ethan Hawke, didn't know: Swift's "Ours." By playing it for him on the guitar, she effectively converted the veteran actor into a fan. The duo eventually attended the Speak Now tour together, a memory Maya describes as a "happy moment" of shared musical discovery with her primary creative mentor.

What’s Next: Maitreya Corso and Beyond