In a spotlight-stealing move, Taylor Swift has been crowned Time magazine’s person of the year for 2023. The announcement comes as no surprise — Swift has had an exceptional year marked by chart-topping albums, a record-breaking tour, and the ascent to billionaire status at the age of 33.
Time, renowned for its iconic covers, showcased Swift in various captivating poses, including one with her beloved cat, Benjamin Button. While the honour has historically been bestowed upon US presidents, Russian leaders, and popes, Swift’s inclusion underscores her ability to transcend borders.
In an exclusive interview, Swift delved into the personal aspects of her life, offering a rare glimpse into her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce. She also opened up about her headline-worthy feud with Kim Kardashian and peeled back the curtain on her intense workout routine leading up to the Eras tour.
Related: How Aussie Fans Can Win Free Tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
The Kim Kardashian and Kanye Feud
“Make no mistake — my career was taken away from me.”
Swift opened up about her feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. She labelled it as a period that nearly led to her “career death”. The drama reached its peak in 2016 when Kim Kardashian released snippets of an alleged phone conversation, centring on the lyric “I made that b***h famous.” According to Swift, Kardashian orchestrated a fully manufactured frame job, involving an illegally recorded call edited to portray Swift as a liar.
“That took me down psychologically to a place I’ve never been before,” she told the publication. “I moved to a foreign country. I didn’t leave a rental house for a year. I was afraid to get on phone calls. I pushed away most people in my life because I didn’t trust anyone anymore. I went down really, really hard.”
Out of this challenging time emerged 2017’s “Reputation”. Swift crafted the album as a response to the scandal, fully aware of the uproar and scepticism it would face.
Reflecting on that era, she said, “I thought that moment of backlash was going to define me negatively for the rest of my life.”
Related: …Ready For It? Here’s How to Snag Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Resale Tickets
The Travis Kelce Love Story
Taylor Swift finally spoke about her relationship with Travis Kelce, giving fans a glimpse into their love story.
“This all started when Travis very adorably put me on blast on his podcast, which I thought was metal as hell,” Taylor shared, revealing the unexpected beginning of their romance.
“We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other.”
And that game everyone thought was their first date?
“I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date,” she added.
Swift said the pair were in a relationship and so “we’re showing up for each other” at things the other loves, including football matches.
“Other people are there and we don’t care.”
Taylor Swift’s Vigorous Eras Tour Regime
Taylor also gave us a glimpse at her Eras Tour prep. Swift freely admits she used to party on tour back in the day, almost like a frat guy. But things have changed. Why, you ask? Well, the Eras tour is a different beast, featuring 44 songs and running for over three hours. It’s no cakewalk.
“I knew this tour was harder than anything I’d ever done before by a long shot,” she admitted. That’s when the prep began, a full six months before the first show.
Every day she would run on a treadmill and sing all the songs going “fast for fast songs, and a jog or a fast walk for slow songs”.
In addition to cardio, Swift committed to three months of dance training under the guidance of renowned choreographer Mandy Moore, who is known for her work on the hit musical “La La Land” with Emma Stone.
“I wanted to be so over-rehearsed that I could be silly with the fans and not lose my train of thought,” she added.
Taylor’s Decision to Quit Drinking
The pop star also gave up alcohol ahead of the tour, admitting: “Doing that show with a hangover. I don’t want to know that world.”
The fans deserved it, she said, because many had paid top dollar to be there.
“They had to work really hard to get the tickets,” she said. “I wanted to play a show that was longer than they ever thought it would be, because that makes me feel good leaving the stadium.”
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