Taylor Swift has a 'unique' work ethic, says recording engineer
Taylor Swift's old recording engineer Laura Sisk is thrilled about her experience working with the pop star.
“Taylor Swift, I just want to thank you so much for the endless inspiration,” Sisk said on stage at We Are Moving The Needle's Resonator Awards on Tuesday, January 30. The Hollywood Reporter. “She is truly unique in her work ethic and being able to do so many different types of projects with her has helped me grow tremendously as an engineer.”
The three-time Grammy winner, who was on hand to accept the Exceptional Ears Award, noted that it was “so special” to see the music she helped create played to sold-out stadiums as Swift continues her career. Eras tour over the world.
Sisk began working with Swift, 34, and producer Jack Antonoff in 2014 for the release of her first pop album, 1989. The trio has since collaborated on 2017's Reputation2019 Lover2020s Folklore And Always and 2022 Midnights. Sisk was also part of Swift's reissue project, which she cited as an example of the singer's talent and ability.
“I want to specifically mention the re-recordings as an incredible technical challenge, and an intellectual, technical and creative endeavor,” Sisk explained of the process. “It was so exciting and it trained a whole different part of my brain.”
Swift announced in 2019 that she would re-record her first six albums after becoming a music manager Scooter Braun acquired her former record label, Big Machine Records, and acquired the rights to her masters. (Braun and Swift have a longstanding rivalry dating back to 2016.)
Braun later sold the rights to Swift's music to private equity firm Shamrock Holdings for more than $300 million in 2020, which Swift claimed occurred without her knowledge. Battling sales, Swift released her first re-recording, Fearless (Taylor's version) in April 2021, with Red (Taylor's version) follow six months later. Speak Now (Taylor's Version) And 1989 (Taylor's version) hit shelves in July 2023 and October 2023 respectively, with Swift inviting her previous collaborators to help recreate the songs. (Reputation and the 2006 title album have yet to be re-released.)
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All of Swift's re-recorded albums have achieved great success. Earlier this month, the “Anti-Hero” singer reached the No. 1 spot on the 2024 Billboard Power 100 list, which serves as a definitive ranking of the music industry's most powerful players.
When Swift heard about her win, she offered advice to other changemakers in the music industry, noting that her re-recording was one of her most successful efforts.
“The advice I would give to the other executives on this list is that the best ideas are usually ideas that have no precedent in the industry,” Swift said. Billboard on Wednesday, January 31. “The biggest crossroads in my career came down to staying true to my instincts when my ideas were viewed with skepticism.”
“When someone says to me, 'But that's never been done successfully before,' I get excited,” she continued. “Every now and then you really have to trust your feelings and take a flying leap. My re-recordings are my favorite example of this, and I'm so grateful to my team and fans for taking that leap with me, because it absolutely changed my life.
Among her other accolades, Swift is currently nominated for six Grammys, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Pop Solo Performance, Best Duo/Group Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album. Midnights is also nominated for Album of the Year, her sixth place in the category overall. If she secures victory at the ceremony on Sunday, February 4, she will become the first person ever to achieve the distinction four times.