ELLE UK/ Quentin Jones
Never underestimate the power of music.
It’s no secret that millions of Swifties around the world have connected with Taylor Swift‘s personal lyrics and infectious beats.
But as it turns out, the pop music superstar also has her fair share of artists that delivered impactful songs for herself.
While covering ELLE UK‘s Music Issue, the 29-year-old wrote an essay on the Power of Pop. Through her writing, Taylor revealed some of the artists and songs that got her through various stages of life.
“When I hear ‘How to Save a Life’ by The Fray, ‘Breathe (2AM)’ by Anna Nalick or ‘The Story’ by Brandi Carlile, I immediately flashback to being 17 and on tour for months on end,” she explained to the publication. “When I’d get a day at home in between long stretches on the road sharing a van with my band and crew, I would spend my rare nights off painting alone with candles lit in my room—just being alone with those songs (Those are all from the Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack. My commitment to that show truly knows no bounds).”
Taylor continued, “I’m convinced that ‘You Learn’ by Alanis Morissette, ‘Put Your Records On’ by Corinne Bailey Rae and ‘Why’ by Annie Lennox have actually healed my heart after bad breakups or let downs.”
Can anyone else say relatable?!
ELLE UK/ Quentin Jones
The personal confessions come as rumors swirl that Taylor could be releasing her seventh studio album as early as March 1.
While the Grammy winner is staying mum, she playfully took to Instagram and addressed the speculation. “She just read all the theories,” Taylor wrote on Instagram with a picture of her cat looking visibly shocked.
In her personal essay for ELLE UK, Taylor shared her perspective on what fans want from their favorite artists.
“I think these days, people are reaching out for connection and comfort in the music they listen to. We like being confided in and hearing someone say, ‘this is what I went through’ as proof to us that we can get through our own struggles,” Taylor explained. “We actually do NOT want our pop music to be generic. I think a lot of music lovers want some biographical glimpse into the world of our narrator, a hole in the emotional walls people put up around themselves to survive.”
ELLE UK/ Quentin Jones
She continued, “This glimpse into the artist’s story invites us to connect it to our own, and in the best case scenario, allows us the ability to assign that song to our memories. It’s this alliance between a song and our memories of the times it helped us heal, or made us cry, dance, or escape that truly stands the test of time. Just like a great book.”
And for those wondering what else is on Taylor’s playlist, we’re happy to share a glimpse into her musical tastes.
When she hears Panic! At the Disco‘s “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” Taylor instantly goes back to being 16 and driving down the streets of Tennessee with her best friend Abigail.
As for the Dixie Chicks‘ classic single “Cowboy Take Me Away,” Taylor can’t help but travel back in time to when she was just launching her career.
“I instantly recall the feeling of being twelve years old, sitting in a little wood paneled room in my family home in Pennsylvania,” she shared. “I’m clutching a guitar and learning to play the chords and sing the words at the same time, rehearsing for a gig at a coffee house.”
How far she has come!
The April issue of ELLE UK is on sale everywhere March 7.