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.”