Taylor Swift reveals surprising way Travis Kelce inspired her song about 'exploited' Elizabeth Taylor

Taylor Swift has given insight into how some of her most famous songs came to be.

The 36-year-old pop star revealed that fiance Travis Kelce, also 36, played a role in how her single Elizabeth Taylor came to fruition, and also shared the inspiration behind her 2008 hit song Love Story.

'There are so many different ways that a song begins in my world,' she told New York Times Magazine this week.

Swift – who enjoyed dinner with her inner circle on Monday night – went on to share that Elizabeth Taylor, the track from her 2025 album The Life of a Showgirl, started out as an idea during a car ride with Kelce.

'I'm riding in the car with Travis. I go on and on in explaining to Travis, like, why I love Elizabeth Taylor so much,' Swift shared.

'She fought for artists' rights. She was exploited in so many ways, and yet she kept her humanity. She kept her humor. She kept her passion for life. I was just going on and on.'

'I was like, "Her eyes were violet. Some people said they were blue. Some people said they were violet. I think they were violet." We get home. He gets out of the car and I'm just in my head, just this intrusive melody….And I'm just scrambling to open my record app on my phone,' she recalled. 

Swift also gave fans insight into her older smash hit Love Story. 

Written nearly 20 years ago, the singer revealed she penned the passion-filled track when she was just 17-years-old.

'I think the first time I felt I don't care if people hate this because I love it so much was when I wrote the song Love Story when I was 17, sitting in my bedroom.'

The singer-songwriter said when she wrote the song, which had references to Romeo and Juliet, she had been 'mad at my parents [Andrea and Scott Swift] because they wouldn't let me go on a date with a guy who was too old.'

And she teased, 'And this is why you need to discipline your kids, because they might write songs that go number one.'

Swift is featured as one of the publication's 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters, and opened up about the process of writing her chart-topping music.

The Eras music artist said she started writing songs when she was just 12 years old and songwriting continues to mystify her.

'Even though I've been writing songs for so long, and I've started songs and finished songs so many different ways – they've gone through so many journeys, they've happened quickly, they've happened over time. 

'They've been inspired by my life, by mythology, by fables, by books, by movies, by characters, by warnings, lessons – and they never quite happen exactly the same way and I still don't quite understand how it works,' she admitted.

The music industry veteran also noted that she tries to stay in touch with the intensity of emotions that's inherent to youth.

'I have this very strong opinion that when you're young you feel things on such an intense and detailed level,' she stated.

Swift explained, 'There's an attention to detail when you're 17-22 years old and you're longing or you're reaching and grasping but you're never holding someone's attention or someone's love or someone's dedication.

'You can't understand why you spend all day thinking about it.'

'I've always tried to – without being a completely unhinged adult – keep that level of detail and intensity when it comes to trying to describe a feeling.' 

Swift's high-profile romances have infamously been documented throughout her discography.

She penned Dear John about her relationship with John Mayer, and her hit song All Too Well chronicles her fling with Jake Gyllenhaal.

Now the music sensation is set to tie the knot with Kansas City Chiefs star Kelce.

Page Six reported this week that Michael Rubin has moved his annual July 4th bash so it doesn't coincide with the upcoming wedding.

Rubin has bumped his party to July 1 amid reports that Swift and Kelce will tie the knot in New York during Independence Day weekend. 

The US Sun previously reported that the future Mr. and Mrs., who began dating in 2023, are preparing to jet off on a trip of a lifetime for their honeymoon.

According to the outlet, they will fly to the Bahamas before heading to Europe to enjoy the Italian coast at Lake Como.

From there, it's off to Paris for 'a few days' before romantic expeditions to the French Riviera and Croatia.