Taylor Swift is shedding new light on the powerful sense of passion that inspired her song “Elizabeth Taylor,” revealing the deeper emotions behind the tribute to the legendary actress.
In a New York Times interview, the pop superstar reflected on how the late Elizabeth Taylor embodied a fearless intensity that stuck with her long after first learning about her life and career. Additionally, she went on to explain that channeling that same emotional depth helped shape the tone of the track. This turned the song it into a heartfelt nod to one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons.
Taylor Swift Shared The Surprising Reason For Writing ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ Hit
In a new Interview with The New York Times, Taylor Swift shared details behind the inspiration for some of her biggest hit songs. Among those revelations, she opened up about the surprising “passion” that sparked her song “Elizabeth Taylor” from her newest LP, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
She revealed, “I’m riding in the car with Travis. I go on and on in explaining, like, why I love Elizabeth Taylor so much.”
Swift listed all the reasons why she found the film icon and humanitarian so inspiring. “She fought for artists’ rights, she was exploited in so many ways, and yet she kept her humanity.”
Swift added, “She kept her humor. She kept her passion for life. I was just going on and on.”
“I was like, ‘”‘Her eyes were violet. Some people said they were blue. Some people said they were violet. I think they were violet.'”
“We get home. He gets out of the car and I’m just in my head. Just this intrusive melody….And I’m just scrambling to open my record app on my phone,’ she concluded.
The full New York Times Interview can be found on their website.
Taylor Swift’s Fascination With Elizabeth Taylor Mirrors Her Own Life Experiences
In an interview for Z100s “Elvis Duran Show,” Taylor Swift discussed the song, sharing how she feels some of her own life experiences mirror those of the screen legend.
Swift told Duran, “In this record, there’s a song called ‘Elizabeth Taylor,’ which is sort of my emotions and my issues with fame through the lens of cosplaying the life of Elizabeth Taylor, so you kind of meld the two experiences together.”
“She is always someone that I’ve looked up to as being this very glamorous, very beloved, but for some reason a polarizing figure, which I found myself in that place, too.”
The song loosely references many of the life circumstances the screen legend experienced throughout her personal life and career. Swift has also faced the same scrutiny since first exploding onto the public’s consciousness in 2003.
“She was funny,” Swift added. “I think [Taylor] is just a fabulous role model and person that I hope my fans will look her up and see how much she went through and how she was making her best art. Even in the midst of people’s outrage over something in her life, she continued being at the top of her game in terms of her artistic output.”
