Even Taylor Swift couldn’t have imagined the incredible heights her career has reached. In fact, back when she was just 21, she felt “overwhelmed” thinking about her future.
This insight comes from unreleased footage of her 2011 interview with 60 Minutes, which has now surfaced in the podcast 60 Minutes: A Second Look. During the interview, she shared her feelings about what her life might look like in ten or twenty years. “Sometimes I get really overwhelmed when I think about, like, ten years from now I’ll be 30 — what’s the sound then?” she told Lesley Stahl. “What choices will I have made? Oh my god, what does my life look like? A lifetime career isn’t just my job right now.”
Despite these feelings, Swift offered some thoughtful perspectives on what drives her success. When asked what fuels her passion, she said, “Deep wells of insecurities.” She explained, “I don’t know if any of this would have happened if I ever felt completely settled and satisfied. You can let success cripple you or you can let it fuel you. You have to rise to the occasion and beat what you did last time.”
At the time of that interview, she had just released her first three albums. Since then, she’s become a billionaire, released eight more studio albums, and re-recorded four of her earlier works, with two more on the way. The re-recorded albums, known as Taylor’s Versions, have done exceptionally well, with the latest release of 1989 selling even more than the original. Swift attributes much of this success to her connection with her fans, something she also discussed back in 2011.
When Stahl noted that her fans seem to “give you power,” Swift responded, “No, it just kind of feels like unconditional love, which is amazing. You can never abuse unconditional love when you’re lucky enough to have it. You can’t mistake someone’s kindness for weakness, and you can’t assume they’ll always be there if you betray their trust because I know that kind of support is rare.”
Swift emphasized that her fans are her top priority. “If you have to pick one priority, that’s the fans. They’re the reason I get to do what I love. They understand me and have my back, and that feeling is wonderful.” This focus on her fans is especially relevant now, as her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, explores the complexities of fandom.
As her fame has grown, Swift has also become more cautious about discussing politics. Recently, she made headlines for endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz for president. In her earlier years, however, she had a different approach. Reflecting on her past, she told Stahl, “I don’t really sing about politics because I don’t get melodies and ideas that relate to our economic climate.”
Swift’s journey highlights her evolution as an artist and the deep connection she maintains with her fans.