RUMOR MILL
"I have so many playlists full of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown. I love Wiz Khalifa."
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
FALL PREVIEW: TAYLOR
SWIFT’S RED
The 22-Year-Old Superstar Enlists Dan Wilson, Max Martin and Other Collaborators, Makes the Most Eclectic Album of Her Career
Taylor Swift’s Red (Big Machine, 10/22) is previewed in the Sept. 13 issue of Rolling Stone.
In contrast to its self-written predecessor, 2010’s Speak Now, the new album finds Swift working in collaborative situations, tapping, among others, Swedish hitmaker Max Martin and former Semisonic leader Dan Wilson, the who co-wrote and produced Adele’s “Someone Like You.” She wound up with nearly 40 songs, hooking up her writing partners in L.A. and Nashville on breaks from her most recent tour.
"I felt like an apprentice," Swift tells writer Patrick Doyle in the profile. "They taught me so much about melodic sense, and they let me do what I love, which is the lyrics."
Among the standouts on the LP, which Doyle describes as Swift's most eclectic set yet, are "State of Grace," a howling, U2-style epic with reverb-drenched guitars, an acoustic duet with buzzing U.K. newcomer Ed Sheeran and lead single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," which sports a hip-hop-flavored groove from Martin.
To Swift, the musical excursions aren't surprising, given how much hip-hop and R&B she listens to. "I have so many playlists full of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown," she says. "I love Wiz Khalifa."
What hasn’t changed is the primary theme—romantic entanglements. "I know general things about love," the 22-year-old admits. "How to treat people well, what you deserve and when to walk away. Other than that, love is a complete mystery—and that's why I like to write about it.
"I went through a few roller-coasters," Swift acknowledges. "Trying to chronicle each step of the way was challenging, because you go to some really dark places with the lyrics. Then in the next track, you're talking about how amazing it is to meet somebody new."
In contrast to its self-written predecessor, 2010’s Speak Now, the new album finds Swift working in collaborative situations, tapping, among others, Swedish hitmaker Max Martin and former Semisonic leader Dan Wilson, the who co-wrote and produced Adele’s “Someone Like You.” She wound up with nearly 40 songs, hooking up her writing partners in L.A. and Nashville on breaks from her most recent tour.
"I felt like an apprentice," Swift tells writer Patrick Doyle in the profile. "They taught me so much about melodic sense, and they let me do what I love, which is the lyrics."
Among the standouts on the LP, which Doyle describes as Swift's most eclectic set yet, are "State of Grace," a howling, U2-style epic with reverb-drenched guitars, an acoustic duet with buzzing U.K. newcomer Ed Sheeran and lead single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," which sports a hip-hop-flavored groove from Martin.
To Swift, the musical excursions aren't surprising, given how much hip-hop and R&B she listens to. "I have so many playlists full of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown," she says. "I love Wiz Khalifa."
What hasn’t changed is the primary theme—romantic entanglements. "I know general things about love," the 22-year-old admits. "How to treat people well, what you deserve and when to walk away. Other than that, love is a complete mystery—and that's why I like to write about it.
"I went through a few roller-coasters," Swift acknowledges. "Trying to chronicle each step of the way was challenging, because you go to some really dark places with the lyrics. Then in the next track, you're talking about how amazing it is to meet somebody new."
