“I had more fun writing ‘Blank Space’ than any song I’d written before. I had, over time, compiled lists of lyrics, zingers, and potential Twitter comebacks to criticisms and jokes people had made at my expense. When I finally came up with the chorus and hook for the song, I just went through that list on my phone and one by one slotted them into the song. It was the first time I had ever used songwriting as a humorous coping mechanism for an overly harsh depiction of me in the media, but it wouldn’t be the last. In reality, I was a 24-year-old young woman who was meeting people and dating the way everyone should be allowed to, but because I’m also a songwriter and in the public eye (and because this was five years ago when the conversation around double standards against women was less of a mainstream argument), people were allowed to shame me, joke about me, and make me feel like I was doing something wrong. I used ‘Blank Space’ as a way to show people that I knew what they were saying, and that the way they were portraying me (a serial man eater, volatile, dramatic, petulant, immature) wasn’t breaking me… it was actually an inspiring character they had drawn up. Was it factual or autobiographical? No. Was it a way for me to show strength by turning a scarlet letter into a fashion accessory? Absolutely.”
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