Taylor Swift, known for her chart-topping success and occasional public controversies, rarely grants interviews. However, in a recent in-depth conversation with Time for their 2023 Person of the Year feature, Swift delved into various aspects of her life, from her successful 2023 to her relationship with Travis Kelce. Notably, she shared insights into one of the lowest points in her career—the aftermath of the infamous leaked phone call and subsequent feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in 2016.
The repercussions of the incident, which Swift described as “getting cancelled within an inch of my life and sanity,” deeply affected her, leading her to believe that it would define her for the rest of her life. According to Swift, the leaked phone call was a “fully-manufactured frame job” that Kim Kardashian edited and released to portray her as a liar. This experience had severe psychological effects, prompting Swift to make significant life changes, including relocating to a different country and withdrawing from the public eye entirely.
During this period of seclusion, Swift released the album “Reputation” in 2017, reflecting both anger and love inspired by her relationship with Joe Alwyn. The album marked the end of her contract with Big Machine, and she expressed relief at being able to make creative choices without constant second-guessing. However, Swift faced another setback when her masters were sold to Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings, someone she had longstanding conflicts with.
The sale of her masters to Braun, a figure associated with both West and Swift’s past controversies, intensified the challenges Swift faced. She described the sale as “having my life’s work taken away from me by someone who hates me.” Determined to regain control, Swift initiated the Taylor’s Version project in 2020, re-recording her albums to reclaim ownership of her masters. Despite the setbacks, Swift embraced defiance in the face of extreme pain, emphasizing that nothing is permanent.
Reflecting on her journey, Swift shared her philosophy: “My response to anything that happens, good or bad, is to keep making things. Keep making art… but I’ve also learned there’s no point in actively trying to quote unquote defeat your enemies. Trash takes itself out every single time.”
