Taylor Swift Talks '1989,' Takes our Rapid-Fire Quiz on Her Favorite Things

Mario, I know you probably remember 1989, but I know Taylor does. I was alive for about two weeks of it, but I did call my new album 1989. All right, let's talk about this album. Aside from being born in 1989, why did you name the album 1989? That's a good question. I named it 1989 because about... when was it? It was Grammy night this year that I decided that was the title. I remember it really vividly. I came home from the Grammys and I was sitting on the couch eating and I love that, and invited my friends over and decided to play them what I had so far that I thought were the strongest songs on the album. And we got into this discussion about how, without even realizing it, I had started to incorporate 80s synth pop elements into the sound of this new album. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was really true and how interesting that I at that point knew it was going to be a bit of a rebirth in pop music. I was essentially switching genres, starting over, and how appropriate to name this album after my birth year. Seven Grammys, 15 American Music Awards, 11 Country Music Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, and now a pop album. What is next? Who knows? I have no idea. If you would have told me two years ago, you're going to move to New York, cut your hair short, make a pop album, be very unapologetic about it. I don't think I would have seen any of it coming, so life is really unpredictable lately, and I'm thrilled by that, not scared of it. And you have managed to shake it all off. And speaking of shake it off, what's the message behind that song for you? For me, the song was about kind of the shift in the way that I handle humiliation or criticism or people picking on me or taking shots at me, and I live my life with a lot more humor and I take things a little less seriously now, which is all exhibited in that song. All right, so I want to do a little bit of get to know you, Taylor, with rapid fire questions. You ready? Yeah. Okay. Junk food of choice? Cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate shake. TV show you're hooked on right now? I watch Endless Friends marathons for comfort. Love it. Song that's stuck in your head that you cannot get out? Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran. Nice. The one thing you haven't gotten the knack of yet? I can't do a handstand or a cartwheel. First thing you do as soon as you wake up? Put in my contacts. Listen. Blind. Do you have a lucky charm? The number 13. Awesome. One thing you do before going on stage? Have a huddle with my band and dancers and we all, one of us makes a speech and then we go out on stage and it kind of like inspires us. That's cool.