Taylor Swift on Reclaiming Her Masters, Wrapping The Eras Tour, and The Life of a Showgirl
Taylor Swift Opens Up About Reclaiming Her Masters, Ending The Eras Tour, and Life Beyond the Stage on New Heights
Kansas City — Taylor Swift made a rare and deeply personal podcast appearance on New Heights, joining hosts Travis and Jason Kelce for an extended conversation that ranged from music ownership and touring endurance to domestic hobbies and life after the spotlight. The episode marked Swift’s first-ever podcast interview and offered fans an unusually candid look at one of the most pivotal chapters of her career.
Reclaiming Her Masters: “I Got My Life’s Work Back”
One of the most emotional moments came when Swift spoke about finally reclaiming ownership of her master recordings, a journey that began when she signed her first record deal at just 15 years old.
Swift explained the difference between publishing rights and master recordings, noting that while she always owned her songwriting, she did not own the recordings, artwork, videos, and creative assets tied to her first six albums.
“This was my handwritten diary from my whole life,” Swift said. “These are the songs I wrote about every phase of who I was.”
After years of frustration — including seeing her catalog sold without her consent — Swift made the bold decision to re-record her albums, a move that was widely criticized by industry insiders at the time. Instead, it became a landmark moment in artist empowerment.
The turning point came after The Eras Tour, when Swift approached the current rights holders, Shamrock Capital, with a deeply personal appeal — sending her mother and brother to explain what the music meant to her on a human level, not a financial one.
When she finally got the call confirming she owned everything outright, Swift said she collapsed to the floor in tears before telling Travis Kelce, who immediately sensed something was wrong.
“I got all my music back,” she told him — before breaking down completely.
Now, she says, the intrusive pain she carried for years has been replaced with gratitude.
“Instead of thinking about it every day and being hurt, I think about it every day and can’t believe it actually happened.”
The Eras Tour: Pushing Limits and Creating a Cultural Moment
Swift also reflected on wrapping The Eras Tour in December — a record-breaking global run that spanned 149 shows across five continents and became the most attended tour of all time.
She described the tour as both transformative and physically demanding, comparing it to an NFL season.
“It was constant physical discomfort,” she admitted. “But you don’t shorten the show just because you’re tired. You prioritize the fans.”
What made the tour special, Swift said, wasn’t just the scale — it was the fan-driven traditions that emerged organically, from light-up orbs during “Willow” to chants that turned concerts into communal performances.
“By the end, it felt like Rocky Horror Picture Show,” she said. “The fans had their own show.”
While she misses the connection with audiences, Swift acknowledged that ending the tour felt right.
“It was perfect for what it was. I’m proud of how hard I pushed myself.”
Life After Touring: Bread, Painting, and Quiet Joy
With the tour over, Swift shared that she’s rediscovering hobbies she jokingly described as “things you could’ve done in the 1700s.”
She now spends her time sewing baby blankets, painting, cooking, and — most notably — baking sourdough bread. The sourdough hobby has become so consuming that even Travis Kelce has joined in, proudly baking loaves of his own.
“I use the internet almost exclusively for sourdough blogs,” Swift laughed.
The shift marks a dramatic contrast to life on the road, where every mental ounce was devoted to performance logistics and fan experience.
Creativity, Easter Eggs, and Artistic Control
Swift also discussed her famous Easter eggs, explaining that she deliberately avoids tying them to her personal life.
“They’re always about the music — something I’m building toward.”
She cited her NYU commencement speech as one of her favorite examples, later revealed to be filled with lyrical clues to Midnights.
A Rare Glimpse Behind the Curtain
Throughout the episode, Travis Kelce repeatedly expressed awe at Swift’s work ethic and creative discipline, while Jason Kelce served as both curious listener and comic relief.
What resonated most wasn’t celebrity — it was authorship.
Swift’s story on New Heights wasn’t just about success. It was about ownership, resilience, and reclaiming control over a life’s work — and learning how to rest after the biggest tour in music history.
For fans, the episode offered something rare: not a performance, not an announcement — but a moment of reflection from an artist finally standing on fully owned ground.
