Taylor Swift has hinted that her next musical era could see her reconnect with her country roots.
During an appearance at the Grammy Museum, Swift reflected on her career and how her music has changed alongside her life. She also spoke about her growing connection to the country music that influenced her when she was starting out.
“I love my country roots more and more, the further along this path I get, and I want to honour them. I feel more tied and loyal to them, to the people that shaped who I am as an artist and as a writer.”
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The comments have got fans wondering whether Swift could return to the genre that launched her career.
Swift has previously spoken about how closely her albums are connected to different stages of her life, saying her music allows her to look back at the experiences that inspired each record.
“It’s fun to have these glimpses of what my life felt like. When I look back on my discography, I see exactly what I was going through at these points in my life. To me, that feels special. I look back now on songs that I wrote about gut-wrenching heartbreak, and I’m like, that song is about a really good lesson I learned.”
Taylor Swift. Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
Swift has always been open about the importance of country music to her career.
Although she eventually became one of the world's biggest pop stars, she began her career as a country artist and released her self-titled debut album in 2006.
Her connection to the genre has remained visible in recent years, including through her admiration for country music legends.
Taylor Swift releases her new original song 'I Knew It, I Knew You' for Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5
Earlier this year, Swift released I Knew It, I Knew You, a new song written specifically for Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5.
She described herself as “a Toy Story kid from the age of 5 til now” while sharing a video of herself at five years old dressed as a cowgirl, echoing the character of Jessie.
Swift has also been reflecting on her country influences following the death of Dolly Parton.
Dolly Parton. Photo credit: DFree Shutterstock
Paying tribute to the country music icon this week, Swift spoke about the impact Parton had on her and generations of other artists.
“A world without Dolly doesn't feel possible, real, or right,” Swift said in a statement. “But because of the eternally generous way she spent her time on this earth and the countless lives she changed for the better, her legacy will be an everlasting one.”
Swift went on to praise Parton for encouraging people to be themselves and for the example she set for young women hoping to build careers in music.
“She was truly the gift that kept on giving,” Swift said.
She also thanked Parton for the music she created and for the millions of books provided to children through her Imagination Library.
Swift and Travis Kelce have also supported Parton’s charity themselves.
Last month, Parton revealed that the couple had donated $2 million to the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library.
Parton thanked the pair in a social media message, saying she had been told about their donation and was “blown away and overjoyed”.
The donation came after the state of Missouri cut more than half of its funding for the programme for the upcoming fiscal year. Missouri contributed $6 million to the programme last year, but that figure was reduced to $2 million.
Parton told Swift and Kelce that the donation would help the foundation continue its mission of encouraging children to dream, learn and grow.
Taylor Swift. Jamie Lamor Thompson, Shutterstock
So could Swift's next era take her back to country?
Her comments at the Grammy Museum certainly suggest that she feels increasingly connected to the music that shaped her. Whether that means a full return to her country roots or simply bringing more of that influence into her next project remains to be seen.
For now, Taylor Swift is keeping fans guessing.
