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In someone else's words.

"Got the radio on, my old blue jeans and I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve," Taylor Swift sings on "A Place in This World," a self-penned coming-of-age anthem from her debut album. It's an apt description of the enthusiastic, down-to-earth young woman, whose original compositions about ..teenage.. life brim with poignant honesty and an infectious spirit. Just 16 years old, Taylor is at an age when most teenagers are only beginning to find their identity and lay tentative plans for the future. But there's never been much doubt in Taylor's mind about her ..calling... Growing up on a farm in Wyomissing, Pa., music was ever-present in her home. Inspired by her maternal grandmother, a professional opera singer, Taylor took up singing early in life. At 10, she began performing around town at ..karaoke.. contests, festivals and county fairs, and even recording rough demos at a studio. At 11, she performed the national anthem at a Philadelphia 76ers NBA game in front of thousands of fans. But it wasn't until she picked up a guitar at 12 and learned to write her own songs that Taylor ..discovered.. how readily she could channel the turbulent emotions of growing up into her music. That year, she wrote "The Outside," a heartbreaking lament about loneliness. Before long, she was spending every available moment playing and writing. "I was playing four hours a day until my fingers were bleeding and my mom called me to dinner," she says. No strangers to the ..music.. business, Taylor's family recognized both her talent and determination. They began taking regular trips to Nashville to shop her music around, and she began writing with local songwriters. After a few years, during which the family made the decision to move to nearby Hendersonville, Tenn., a showcase at the Bluebird Cafe caught the ..attention.. of music-industry veteran Scott Borchetta, who was planning to launch a new label. After meeting with Taylor, he knew she was one of the first artists he wanted to sign. Since then, Taylor has pulled double duty as a straight-A high school student and full-fledged recording artist, a balancing act the ..teenager.. handles with grace. "I have tunnel vision as far as this goes," she says. "I can always keep my eyes on the goal." Still, she admits sheepishly, there are moments when songwriting inspiration strikes in the middle of a lecture, making ..concentration.. difficult. "If we had random notebook checks, my teachers might find biology notes, biology notes, then suddenly a bunch of lyrics," she laughs. The songs Taylor scrawls in those spiral notebooks are bright, engaging melodies filled with all the ebullience and drama of adolescent life. In "Our Song," the ..narrator.. bemoans the fact she and her boyfriend don't share a sentimental tune, only to have him affectionately describe all the little moments that make their relationship special. "Our song is the way you laugh," he tells her. Like all songwriters, Taylor is inspired by the life going on around her, and like any 16-year-old, she admits to a "..fascination.." with love. Thus, her classmatesóher biggest fans, she saysóoften find themselves the subject of her songs. "They're all going to buy the album and have a little bit of a heart attack," she says with a grin. A country superstaróand one of Taylor's greatest influencesówas also surprised to find himself the subject of her debut single. A tender ..ballad.., "Tim McGraw" describes the way music can evoke the sweetest of memories: "When you think Tim McGraw/I hope you think my favorite song/The one we danced to all night long." Elsewhere on the album, Taylor tackles more serious issues. "Tied Together With a Smile," captures the fragile self-esteem of teenagers, inspired by ..girls.. Taylor has known through the years, including a beauty-pageant queen who suffered from an eating disorder: "Seems the only one who doesn't see your beauty/Is the face in the mirror looking back at you." In the second verse, she laments lack of confidence sometimes leads girls her age to make hasty and ..reckless.. decisions about their relationships: "I guess it's true that love was all you wanted/'Cause you're givin' it away like it's extra change." Such flashes of maturity give weight to songs that otherwise sparkle with the carefree joie de vivre of youth. Taylor admits her primary agenda with her music is to evoke a strong ..emotional.. response. "I want to make people feel things," she says simply. As she prepares an album with that in mind, Taylor is careful not to let her "tunnel vision" keep her from enjoying every moment of her budding music career. "Everything about this business is exciting to me," she says, "whether it's putting on a pretty dress to go to an ..awards.. show, or putting on a sweatshirt to go into the studio to record." "You only get so many firsts," she adds. "Every one is a blessing."





"Thank you January."
Thank you January. I have had this month off. I have walked on snow-covered grass and discovered new coffee shops and laughed hysterically with friends about things that probably weren't technically funny. I've written songs on napkins and sat at a giant table with my whole family on my mother's birthday, all of us in one place for the first time in too long. I've gotten to take what has happened to me and process it to my full capability, and celebrate it the way it deserved to be celebrated. I've made new music. I've gone over the memories and jumped up and down with my producer and floated around with nothing on my schedule other than just appreciating what my life has somehow turned into. So thank you for giving me so much to be thankful for this January. Thank you beyond what I know how to say. If you want, I'll put more pictures up soon.. now that I know how fun it is to take them all the time.. I can't wait to see your beautiful faces on the road.
lovelovelove
-T-






Brittany!

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"This album is called "FEARLESS", and I guess I'd like to clarify why we chose that as the title. To me, "FEARLESS" is not the absence of fear. It's not being completely unafraid. To me, FEARLESS is having fears. FEARLESS is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, FEARLESS is living in spite of those things that scare you to death. FEARLESS is falling madly in love again, even though you've been hurt before. FEARLESS is walking into you freshman year of high school at fifteen. FEARLESS is getting back up and fighting for what you want over and over again...even though every time you've tried before, you've lost. It's FEARLESS to have faith that someday things will change. FEARLESS is having the courage to say goodbye to someone who only hurts you, even if you can't breathe without them. I think it's FEARLESS to fall for your best friend, even though he's in love with someone else. And when someone apologizes to you enough times for things they'll never stop doing, I think it's FEARLESS to stop believing them. It's FEARLESS to say "you're NOT sorry", and walk away. I think loving someone despite what people think is FEARLESS. I think allowing yourself to cry on the bathroom floor is FEARLESS. Letting go is FEARLESS. Then, moving on and being alright...That's FEARLESS too. But no matter what love throws at you, you have to believe in it. You have to believe in love stories and prince charmings and happily ever after. That's why I write all these songs. Because I think love is FEARLESS."

-Taylor