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Taylor Swift refused country request


Taylor Swift refused her record label boss’ request to put two country songs on her new album.

The 24-year-old singer has admitted she was so insistent on changing genre from country music to pop for her upcoming fifth studio album ‘1989’ that she went against the wishes of her label chief, who is now "as happy as a clown" with the record.

She said: "The decision came directly from me. I had to plead my case with everyone and certain people at the record label.

"I had to really campaign and get everyone on my side.

"I showed them that I was doing this for all the right reasons and that this was the creative decision and artistically there was no other option than to boldly hone this album for what it is.

"I had to convince my Nashville record label president it was right for me. I presented the album to him and he said, ‘It’s great, it’s the best thing you’ve ever done but can you put two country songs on it?’

"But I refused. I explained it would change the solid cohesiveness of the record, so he agreed.

"He’s happy as a clown now as we then got our first Hot 100 No.1 with ‘Shake It Off’."

The blonde stunner also admitted her famous female pals, Lena Dunham, Lorde and Hayley Williams, helped influenced her to ditch her country roots and make a full-on pop album.

She added to The Sun newspaper: "I cut my hair, moved to New York and completely embraced being single. That was a new bold step forward for me.

"Surrounding myself with strong and beautiful women in my girlfriends has made it a really good two years. And this has helped make the decision to officially change genre on ‘1989’."

Taylor dabbled in pop music on her last album ‘Red’ but she has admitted she thought the first single from the record, ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’, "sounded ridiculous" until she was nominated for Record of the Year at the Grammy Awards last year.

She said: "I have got a thicker skin now and I have a better sense of humour.

"Some people think I am serious when I am doing the rap in ‘Shake It Off’, but the whole song is done with a wink and a comedic vibe, the same way as people thought I was really serious in We are Never Ever Getting Back Together.

"I was going, ‘Like EVER’. We did that in the studio and it was so annoying that we just had to put it in the song.

"We cracked up laughing thinking, ‘Can we get away calling it a song?’ It had the longest title ever and sounded ridiculous. Then I got nominated for record of the year at The Grammys!"

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