Taylor Swift isn’t losing any sleep over the mixed reactions to her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl.
In a candid chat on The Zane Lowe Show for Apple Music on Tuesday, the global pop icon said she “welcomes the chaos” that comes with differing opinions about her music.
“The rule of show business is, if it’s the first week of my album release and you are saying either my name or my album title, you’re helping,” Swift said with a smile.
Her 11th studio album — which pulls back the curtain on her life on tour and her relationship with fiancé Travis Kelce — dropped last week to both adoration and debate. Fans worldwide lined up at record stores and hosted listening parties, even as critics questioned the album’s lavish rollout and reinterpretations of classic characters.
“I have a lot of respect for people’s subjective opinions on art,” Swift told Lowe. “I’m not the art police. Everybody is allowed to feel exactly how they want. Our goal as entertainers is to be a mirror.”
The 14-time Grammy winner noted that she’s used to strong reactions. “What I often love seeing my fans say is, ‘I used to not relate to Reputation, and now it’s my favourite album.’ That’s the long game,” she said.
Swift added that her focus now is on creating music that stands the test of time. “We’re doing this thing for keeps. I have such an eye on legacy when I’m making my music. I know what I made. I know I adore it — and all of this is part of what being a showgirl means.”
Love her or not, Taylor Swift seems firmly in control of her own show.
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