Natalia Bryant Graduates USC Cum Laude; Taylor Swift Makes Social Media Return

USC's latest cum laude graduate Natalia Bryant celebrated her achievement with a TikTok post that drew an unexpected response from Taylor Swift. She liked it, and it was her first time engaging on social media in about six months.

The TikTok clip shows Natalie and three friends in graduation caps and gowns, while lip-syncing to Taylor Swift's "Nothing New." The moment Taylor liked the post, fans noticed quickly since this was her first TikTok interaction since late 2024.

"How can a person know everything at 18 but nothing at 22? And will you still want me when I'm nothing new?" The graduates mouthed these lyrics in the video. Swifties rushed to comment on the rare interaction.

"TAYLOR LIKED IT, this is such a cute sign of life," commented one user. Another exclaimed, "MOTHER IS ACTIVE AGAIN," while someone else wrote, "Omg Taylor might be back."

It turns out that the Bryant family has been a big fan for years. "Both my parents, absolutely," Natalia revealed to E! News. She added, "I actually found my original concert t-shirt from Taylor Swift's like first concert. I still have it."

Before his passing in 2020, Kobe Bryant spoke about Taylor during a 2019 interview on The Jordan Harbinger Show. "I think it's important to listen to people who do great things," he said. "Taylor's been at the top of the game for a very, very long time."

Natalia wore special Kobe-themed decorations on her sash at graduation to honor her late father. Her degree came four years after losing her father and sister, Gianna, in the helicopter crash.

Vanessa has honored Kobe's memory by incorporating him into family outings. She wore a custom denim jacket to a Taylor Swift concert in August 2023.