Be it for her music or her boyfriends (current or exes), Taylor Swift is always a newsmaker. The singer, songwriter who has had an impressive list of exes — including Taylor Lautner and John Mayor — has recently released her fourth studio album Red. Excerpts from an e-mail interview:
Red has already become a huge hit... What’s so special about it?
I put a lot of hard work into all my music and I think that’s what makes it special. When you work hard at something, it shows. Also, I write about real experiences and I think people really connect with my songs and relate to them. For me, I really wanted to make an album that wasn’t like my first three. I feel really proud because every album can stand on its own and stand for something different. And when you’ve made three albums, on your fourth album you can do things the way you’ve always done them, or you can challenge yourself and step out of that comfort zone and work with new people and make different sounding songs that you’ve made before.
Your songs have always had an association with your exes. Why?
I think all artists have to draw from their own experiences and their own emotions. You can’t make music unless you really feel what you’re writing about. It’s not a conscious effort so much as it is inevitable. Also, I hear about stories from my fans when I meet them and they influence my music as well. It’s all a mix of different things and different people.
You have written so much on love and lovers. What is it that urges you each time?
I suppose I’m at that age that relationships are a big part of your life, and music is a natural outlet for me. I really like writing about love because it’s such an important human experience, everyone goes through it. Sometimes, when you’re writing songs about relationships, sometimes it helps you figure out what that relationship actually was or you realise what actually happened. It could be something that really helps you to figure out how to process what you just went through.
What do you credit your success to?
Hard work will always give you results, if you really want something you have to give it your all and that’s all that really matters.
Have you heard of any Indian artistes/songs?
Unfortunately I haven’t heard much of Indian music, but I definitely want to hear different music from other artistes.
How aware are you of Bollywood or Indian culture/food etc?
I know that Indian films have a lot of music in them and I think that’s great. I’ve had Indian food, I really like it.
Besides music, what else interests you?
I like horse riding.
