Taylor Swift has addressed the criticism surrounding her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl," saying she accepts the backlash as part of the process of releasing art.
Speaking on Apple Music's "The Zane Lowe Show," Swift said she expected strong opinions and views them as proof that her work is sparking conversation.
"I welcome the chaos," Swift said.
"If it's the first week of my album release and you are saying either my name or my album title, you're helping," Swift continued.
"And art, I have a lot of respect for people's subjective opinions on art. I'm not the art police."
"It's like everybody is allowed to feel exactly how they want. And what our goal is as entertainers is to be a mirror."
Her comments come after "The Life of a Showgirl" drew mixed reviews from critics. Some praised its upbeat sound and pop energy, while others criticized the lyrics as shallow or lacking depth.
Swift said she understands that listeners' reactions often reflect their own experiences.
"Oftentimes, an album is a really, really wild way to look at yourself," she told Lowe. "What you're going through in your life is going to affect whether you relate to the music that I'm putting out at any given moment."
Swift said that she thinks about how her music will stand over time instead of worrying about early reactions.
"We're doing this thing for keeps," she said.
"I have such an eye on legacy when I'm making my music."
"I know what I made. I know I adore it, and I know that on the theme of what the 'Showgirl' is, all of this is part of it," she added.
Swift's comments come on the heels of remarks she made addressing speculation that she plans to end her music career after releasing her latest album and marrying NFL player Travis Kelce.
In a BBC Radio 2 interview, she called rumors that she plans to retire "shockingly offensive."
"It's not why people get married, so they can quit their job," Swift said.
"It's like, I love the person that I am with because he loves what I do, and he loves how much I am fulfilled by making art and making music."
Swift added that Kelce supports her career fully.
"That's the coolest thing about Travis," she said.
"He's so passionate about what he does that me being passionate about what I do, it connects. There's no point in time where he's gonna be like, I'm really upset that you're still making music."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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