"I was excited to be achieving one of my goals of reaching a wider audience. I got some help reaching that goal during the summer of 2013 when I was asked to be the opening act for a huge artist I really admired, which was exactly the kind of opportunity I'd been hoping for. I have to tell you, though, when my managers told me who I'd be opening for, I couldn't believe it: Taylor Swift- who I'd always felt a real respect for, especially since she'd been so nice to me back in Nashville. Plus, I admire how she's grown her career and respect her talent. The first time we met backstage, I had to tell her where and how we'd met before. Of course, this time she knew I was a singer because I was her opener, and she smiled at me even bigger than before. "Hey, Taylor, we actually met once in Nashville a couple years ago," I said. "I came up to you in a coffee shop and told you I was a singer on YouTube." "I totally remember you," she said, laughing. "No way," I said. "No, I totally do." I wasn't sure I believed her. But it didn't matter. I was her support act on a lot of her dates that summer, and we always got along well. Plus, I got to meet and hang a little with Ed Sheeran, who was also on the tour. He's a cool guy and very talented. That tour was fun and amazing, and I learned so much from watching Taylor. She's always such a pro."