7 takeaways from Taylor Swift's appearance on the 'New Heights' podcast

Business Insider

a day ago

Taylor Swift sent Swifties into a frenzy this week with the news that she'd be a guest on the "New Heights" podcast, which is hosted by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and his brother, Jason Kelce.
The nearly two-hour episode premiered on Wednesday evening and has racked up over seven million views at the time of writing.
Her debut on the show was full of revelations, from the toll of touring to her Easter egg rules and even an album announcement.
Here are seven standout moments from the conversation.
1. Swift said she was in a "state of perpetual physical discomfort" on the Eras Tour.
Performing night after night onstage wasn't easy.
The singer said that she was "in a state of perpetual physical discomfort" and had to undergo "a lot of physical therapy" while on the road.
The Eras Tour consisted of 149 shows held across 21 countries. On average, each concert lasted about three hours and fifteen minutes.
"It's really just prioritizing the fans' experience before anything else," Swift said.
2. She designed her Eras Tour shows to feel like "you're scrolling in an algorithm."
Swift said she wanted to weave elements of musical theater, Broadway, ballet, and opera-style scenery into her Eras Tour, with the goal of showing fans "things they hadn't necessarily seen before, all in one concert."
"But I wanted to do it at the highest intensity. Rapid fire. You are seeing something new every 15 to 30 seconds, and so it feels like you're scrolling in an algorithm," Swift said.
The singer added that when she heard about the reports of her fans experiencing " post-concert amnesia," she took it as proof that the design of the show had worked.
"I think we did it. Nailed it. That's genuine. I wasn't even shooting for that goal when they're like, 'I saw so many things and I experienced a state of euphoria that I now don't remember what happened to me.' I was like, oh my god," Swift said.
3. She has been saving up to buy her music masters since she was a teenager.
Swift bought back her masters earlier this year. On the podcast, the singer said she had been saving for it for a long time.
"Since I was a teenager, I've been actively saving up money to buy my music back and to ever own it in the first place because it's usually the label that owns it," Swift said. "I've always wanted this to happen."
She added that she sent her mother and her brother to represent her during the meeting with Shamrock Capital, a private equity firm that owned her music masters.
Billboard reported that she paid $360 million for them.
4. She explained the rules behind the Easter eggs she hides for fans.
If you know, you know. But if you don't, all's good — Swift took the time to explain the rules behind her Easter eggs.
"Well, I have some parameters," Swift said. "There are dos and don'ts, right? I'm never going to plant an Easter egg that ties back to my personal life."
The singer said that it's "always going to be" related to her music.
"Something that you don't know I'm saying for a specific reason that you'll hear later, and you'll go back and be like, oh my God," Swift said.
Her favorite Easter egg moment came in the commencement speech she delivered in 2022 when she received an honorary doctorate from NYU.
"I put so many lyrical Easter eggs in that speech that when the 'Midnights' album came out after, the fans were like, 'The whole speech was an Easter egg,'" she said, adding that she found it fun because her fans found it fun.
She also said she loves numerology, math, and dates. However, they are just a bonus for those who want to find them, and they're not essential to the listening experience.
5. She and Travis Kelce learned key lessons from each other on how to handle media scrutiny.
Swift said she's developed a thick skin over the course of her career.
"I've been in the music industry for 20 years. It's pretty hard to hurt my feelings at this point," she said.
On the podcast, both Swift and Travis Kelce noted that they've taken cues from each other in handling the intense public attention on their relationship.
"Her being so calm, cool, collected, and so real and understanding about everything that's going on really made me grow up real fast in that aspect of things," Travis Kelce said.
In contrast, Swift said that his sense of humour helps her stay unfazed.
"If he's seeing things and he thinks it's funny, and it doesn't even affect his day at all, that's really completely bled into the way that I metabolize these things," Swift said.
"It's at a point where something can be about me — my name can be in the actual headline — and it can still be none of my business," Swift said. "People might be out here doing too much, doesn't mean I have to do a damn thing."
6. She ignores social media chatter about her personal life.
Swift said she rarely pays attention to online commentary about her.
In today's social media-driven world, many people tie their identity to online feedback, but she values constructive criticism instead.
"Give me constructive criticism all day. I will take it, it'll fuel me, it's helpful," Swift said.
However, she has seen many people let a single negative comment ruin their entire day.
"And I just want to say to them, you should think of your energy as if it's expensive, as if it's a luxury item. Not everyone can afford it," Swift said. "Not everyone has invested in you in order to be able to have the capital for you to care about this because what you spend your energy on, that's the day."
7. Swift revealed details about her new album, "The Life of a Showgirl."
Swift unveiled her new album cover and tracklist during the podcast, sharing them simultaneously on social media.
She said her new album is inspired by her experience while on the Eras Tour, and the tracklist includes 12 songs — one of which is a duet with Sabrina Carpenter.