‘I’ve never talked about this before’: Taylor Swift says she has secret ‘genres’ for songwriting styles

Grammy-winning artist is currently preparing to release her 10th album, ‘Midnights’

Taylor Swift has revealed that she has three secret genres that she refers to when writing new music.

The singer divulged a number of details about her writing protest during her acceptance speech for the Songwriter-Artist of the Decade award, which she recieved on Tuesday night (21 September).

The award was given to her as part of the annual Nashville Songwriters Association International ceremony.

During her 13-minute speech, Swift told the audience that she created three of her own genres: Quill Lyrics, Fountain Pen Lyrics, and Glitter Gel Pen Lyrics.

“I’ve never talked about this publicly before, because, well, it’s dorky,” she began. “But I also have, in my mind, secretly, established genre categories for lyrics I write. Three of them, to be exact. They are affectionately titled Quill Lyrics, Fountain Pen Lyrics, and Glitter Gel Pen Lyrics,” the singer said.

“I came up with these categories based on what writing tool I imagine having in my hand when I scribbled it down, figuratively,” she continued, citing examples of her songs that fit into each category.

“I categorise certain songs of mine in the ‘Quill’ style if the words and phrasings are antiquated,” she said before listing lyrics from her song “Ivy”.

Moving onto the Fountain Pen category, she said: “Fountain pen style means a modern storyline or references, with a poetic twist. Taking a common phrase and flipping its meaning.”

Swift then quoted lyrics from her song “All Too Well” to demonstrate this.

“The third category is called Glitter Gel Pen and it lives up to its name in every way. Frivolous, carefree, bouncy, syncopated perfectly to the beat,” she continued, before citing her hit song “Shake It Off” as an example.

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(Getty Images for MTV/Paramount G)

The singer also described the origin behind the full length version of her track “All Too Well” and later performed the 10-minute version.

“A song can defy logic or time. A good song transports you to your truest feelings and translates those feelings for you. A good song stays with you even when people or feelings don’t,” Swift said.

“This award celebrates my family and my co-writers and my team. My friends and my fiercest fans and my harshest detractors and everyone who entered my life or left it.”

Swift’s forthcoming album Midnights is out on 21 October.