Taylor's speech before Tied Together With A Smile in Minneapolis on September 1, 2018

"So one thing I’ve been loving about this tour that’s so, so, so much fun for me is, and I actually got this idea from you guys, because you kept saying on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, ‘we want to hear old songs we haven’t heard in a while!’ So I was like, 'okay! That’s a good idea! So we’ll do that.’ So this tour I’ve been playing songs I haven’t played in five years, 10 years, three years, four years, whatever, 13 years! And so tonight I want to play one that’s um, really pretty old, on my first album. And you know, one thing that I have noticed in my life is that you can never judge what somebody else is going through. Even if they seem like they have it all together, they seem like, 'how could they ever have any problems?’ like you’re looking at somebody who maybe is really beautiful, or seems like they have it all together, maybe they have a life that you’re really envious of. But I’ve learned that, you know, appearances aren’t everything, and just because someone looks happy doesn’t mean they are, or just because somebody looks confident doesn’t mean they are. And there’s so much pressure on everyone these days to have it all together, to have a perfect body, a perfect life, to know exactly where they want to go with their life. And I think the stress and the pressure of not being able to say that they’re hurting has really taken a toll on a lot of people. So I’m asking you to just try and be kind to yourself, just know that there are so many people who are going through the exact same thing that you might be going through, whatever it is. This is called Tied Together with a Smile."

Taylor introducing ‘All Too Well’ at the ATT/TS Now Chicago fan event

“You know it’s interesting, looking back on writing a lot of songs about my life because when I first played it live, I’m obviously thinking about that experience that I had that inspired the song. That basic, initial experience that I had that I was writing about. Then it kind of, over time, it morphs? Because first of all, time helps you get over things, right? You hope! Hopefully! That’s the dream. But basically, I think that as time passes, what’s so weird, is that like, my memory that when I relive a certain song, or when I play a certain song, changes from being about a person that was in my life, or an experience I had originally, and it kind of morphs into like, times I’ve played the song and heard you singing it back super loud. So there’s a song that I wrote that thankfully you guys seem to like, which is so nice, and it’s a song that originally was a song when I played it, it was like ahhhhgghghhh, owwww, and now, I play it and I think of the times I’ve played it in a stadium or an arena or my living room with you guys screaming the words back to me. And so it changed it, and I wanted to thank you for changing it because it’s kind of nice to sing a song that you’re proud of, but not feel pain while you sing it. It’s very nice. With that in mind, this is called All Too Well.”

Taylor introducing Delicate at the Chicago TS Now event

“So this next song is a song that I wrote about … I was kind of thinking a lot about the concept of a reputation. I knew very early on I wanted to name the album ‘reputation.’ It was one of the first things… so I was able to really kind of construct the album based on that concept. Usually, every time before, I think, I’ve kind of come up with the title of the album pretty late in the process. 'What are these songs, what do they all have in common, what’s a word I use a lot, what …' and so this one was different because I kind of built it out from the concept of a reputation. so there are a lot of like, 'I’m angry at my reputation’ moments. There are like, 'I don’t care about my reputation,’ 'I’m fine okay, I don’t care,’ and then there are these moments where it’s very like, 'Oh my God, what if my reputation actually makes the person that I like not want to get to know me? Oh no, that’s a reality that could happen!’ And so when I was thinking about that part of it, where your reputation, how real is it? It’s only real if it stops you from getting to know someone where you feel like you could connect with them in a really real way. So this is a song I wrote about that.”

Taylor introducing ‘New Year’s Day’ at the Chicago ATT/TS Now event

“Basically this album, the way that I see it, I feel like it works in sort of a linear timeline. I feel like it starts in a certain place, … it’s like the album is sort of a catharsis. After I wrote it, I was like, [deep sigh] okay wow, okay so that’s done. But I had to say all of it, because I was feeling a lot of feelings. So the album starts out and it’s all very bombastic and grrr grrr grrr … it’s really like, I think that there was a bit of a bait and switch that happened with this album when we put out ‘Look What You Made Me Do,’ and we were like 'Guys this album’s gonna be one thing.’ And when the album came out, it’s legitimately an album about finding love throughout all the noise. And so it starts with the noise and how all that makes you feel, and how it makes you feel when people are saying things about you that you feel like aren’t true. And living your life sort of in defiance of that…. in defiance of your reputation. And then sort of in the middle the album, you kind of realize, okay so how much do I really value that? If you can find something real in spite of a bad reputation, then isn’t that what matters the most to you? And doesn’t it matter the most to you that you know who your real friends are now? So,… I found myself two New Year’s Eve’s ago … I found myself in the midst of a very incredible 3 a.m. moment where you feel like you’re invincible and you end up like jumping in a pool in the winter. And you feel super untouchable in that moment. And then the next morning you feel very fragile. And you’re like,.. this is love! This is what love really is. Like we all wanna find someone to kiss at midnight, that’s cool or whatever, but who’s gonna want to hang out with you the next day when you’re like 'ADVIL OR NOTHING.' So this is a song about real love and finding someone to hang out with on New Year’s Day.”

Taylor's speech before Long Live in Detroit on August 28th

"So um, this stadium is just crazy to play here and to have been able to play here a few times, it just really is, and um, on this tour, we have 200-300 people with us that help build the stage, and drive trucks, and set up the stage, and do that, and they leave their families, and on top of that, there are about 3,000 to 4,000 people here in Detroit that help us put the show on. They put the stage up, they do security, they keep us safe. And so I am so, so grateful to these people who work so hard, everything from doing parking to selling t-shirts, selling food, selling water, cleaning up the confetti on the floor after the show, they stay here so long, the first to get here and the last to leave. So I want to thank everyone here in Detroit who helped us do it, because this stage did not put itself up and I’m so lucky to get to be on it. One thing that is so so cool about being on tour is getting to come and meet you guys. And I do meet=and-greets after the shows, and I find it really surreal when people remind me of the passage of time. And like, I get it, I understand how time works, I know, we all get older, but when somebody comes up to you and says, ‘I’ve been listening to your music since I was eight,’ and I’m looking at an adult saying that to me, it’s completely, no matter how many times someone says that, it still makes me feel really special, because I feel like music is one of those things, you go through, lots of time, you have a phase where you love some music, you go, 'Oh my god I had this favorite band when I was in eighth grade,’ and I’m so lucky that I’ve been more than just like a phase in your life. And I think in life we go through phases, we go through ups and downs, I’m able to keep up with a lot of you online and see things that you do, and see that you’ve had ups and downs too, and I’m going to sing a song that I wrote awhile ago that for me, is always going to be about you."

Taylor's speech before Jump Then Fall in Detroit on August 28th, 2018

"So uh, this tour, let’s just go over: you guys are really awesome, and this tour is the most fun I’ve ever had in m whole life. So it’s really crazy, it’s really flown by. We only have nine shows left in the US after this one, which is wild, and one of the things that’s been so fun about it is that every night we get to have a moment with you guys, just me and a guitar and you, which is so fun for me, and I love it, and I hope it’s okay with you. Is it alright? And I’ve been doing different songs that I don’t really usually do, like songs I haven’t played in a really long time, or songs I’ve never played acoustic. I’m pretty sure I’ve never played tis song acoustic live. If I’m wrong about that, I’m sure you’ll remind me later, but I’m pretty sure I’ve never played Jump Then Fall this way."

Taylor's speech before Delicate, in tribute to Aretha Franklin, in Detroit, MI on August 28th, 2018

"Detroit, last week, we lost an irreplaceable force. Aretha Franklin did so much for music, she did so much for women’s rights, she did so much for civil rights. She was one of those people that, no matter what you said, no matter what you possibly say about her, it would be an understatement. Words would never ever describe how many things she did in her lifetime that made our world a better place, and this is her home. I would like it if we could have a moment of silence so that every single one of us could reflect on the love and respect for her and everything she did in her life, so can we please dim the lights and have a moment of silence for Aretha. [long moment of silence] We love you, Aretha."