It’s hard to imagine now, but Taylor Swift wasn’t always the superstar pop icon that we know today. Growing up in Pennsylvania, Swift had to find ways to get noticed for her vocal talents, and that included singing the National Anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers game back in 2002.

Vulture dug up some video footage of a 12-year old Swift belting out the final few lines to the Star-Spangled Banner before the Sixers game, which became her first major performance in front of a large crowd. (She’s had a few since then.)

Swift didn’t exactly look or sound the same a dozen years ago as she does these days but, then again, did you? At least she ditched the braids. Not sure her career would have panned out as great as it did if she was still rockin’ this look.

[FTW]