Taylor Swift Has Connections to Puerto Rico Through Her Grandmother, Marjorie

American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has left an impressive mark on the music industry, and she still has so much more to give. With a loyal, close-knit fanbase that helped turn her Eras Tour into an economic boost, few artists have reached the heights she has. But Taylor isn’t the only musical talent in her family.

While her mom, Andrea Swift, is often spotted singing along at shows, it was Taylor’s maternal grandmother, Marjorie Moehlenkamp Finlay, who may have influenced her.

Marjorie was a professional singer and remained an active part of Taylor’s life until her passing in June 2002, when Taylor was just 13. In fact, old family footage even shows Marjorie singing to Taylor as a child.

What’s even more fascinating is that Marjorie once lived in Puerto Rico, where she made a name for herself as a performer and appeared on a local variety program called El Show Pan Americano. And that’s not all! We’ve rounded up even more fun facts about Taylor’s “abuelita” below.

Taylor’s grandmother Marjorie was born on Oct. 5, 1928, in Memphis, Tenn., so like Taylor, she was American. But she eventually became widely known in several South American countries as an opera singer, which explains Taylor’s unique connection to Puerto Rico.

Marjorie’s passion for music developed early on. While still in high school, she studied under Miss Pearl Walker, a music professor at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., according to a newspaper clipping published in The St. Charles Banner-News, via Find a Grave. She went on to attend Lindenwood, continuing her music training under Dr. Walker, and returned in 1953 to perform in concert.

Her career only flourished from there. After winning a singing competition on the radio show Music With the Girls, she toured the U.S. for 15 months, per The Latin Times. She also continued her studies at the Berkshire Music Center in Mass. and trained further in New York.

In 1952, she married Robert Finlay, Taylor’s grandfather, who served as president of Raymond Construction Co. His work took the couple to Havana, Cuba, according to the same newspaper clipping. However, due to “political unrest,” the business relocated to Puerto Rico.

Once the couple arrived in Puerto Rico, Marjorie continued her music career, landing a spot on El Show Pan Americano, which aired for an hour each night on APA-TV in Santurce, Puerto Rico. She also accepted a two-week engagement at the La Concha Room, located at the Caribe Hilton on the island.

While her parents weren’t exactly thrilled about her working at what the newspaper described as a “supper club,” Marjorie reassured them it was “very dignified.”

Although the Finlays didn’t stay settled in Puerto Rico for long, Robert’s work had them moving around to places like Venezuela, though they eventually returned and made their home in a suburb of San Juan, Santurce. The couple went on to have two daughters, and later made their way back to the U.S.