Taylor Swift Admits It's 'Really Fun To Mock' Those Who Take Shots At Her

A Conversation About Criticism

Taylor Swift, the 14-time Grammy winner, sat down with Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. for the Grammy Museum's "Icon Sessions," a nearly hour-long conversation that delved into how the singer navigates public scrutiny. TMZ reported that Mason asked how public perception doesn't interfere with her creativity, and Swift replied, "Sometimes when people are mocking me, it's really fun to mock them back." She also joked that she sometimes uses words her critics have to look up before they can talk about her.

CinemaBlend's coverage of the same conversation sets a different tone, emphasizing that Swift has long been open about criticism being fuel for her work. The interviewer, unnamed in CinemaBlend's report, noted that he does not think there's another songwriter who has had to consider public perception as much as Swift has. He then asked how that doesn't block her creativity or slow down her process.

Learning from Reputation

Swift cited two songs as prime examples of her firing back at critics: "Blank Space" from 1989 and "Look What You Made Me Do" from Reputation. Both became massive hits, but it was the Reputation era that, CinemaBlend says, really bit back at the general perception and misinterpretation of the singer. Swift explained that through this album she learned that when "people are in a hate frenzy," you can't reason with them. Instead, she said people won't listen to a sincere response, so she turns to satirical and mocking music as her way of answering.

"The Tortured Poets Department" and "The Life of a Showgirl" were mentioned in the conversation, though the latter title may be a misnomer, as noted by the coverage.

The Weight of Superstardom

TMZ also reported that Swift said she has developed different ways to cope with the scrutiny over the years, namely reminding herself that she chose this life and could have walked away before things got "unmanageably big." But she didn't, because, as she put it, she loves making music that much. All the baggage that comes with superstardom is still worth it, as long as she gets to keep doing what she loves.

CinemaBlend's piece adds context about the intensity of public attention on Swift's love life, noting that this scrutiny intensified before Reputation was released.