Taylor Swift Tears Up on New Heights Podcast While Reflecting on a Major Career Win — What Moved Her to Tears?

With her emotional lyrics and sweeping performances, Taylor Swift has made many of her fans bawl their eyes out, but this week, fans saw her at her most vulnerable yet, offstage and unplugged.

In a rare and intimate interview on the New Heights podcast, hosted by her boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, and his brother Jason, Swift, who was also there to announce her latest album, opened up about a deeply personal triumph that's been years in the making, with a very public multiple and dramatic ups and downs.

'I Got All My Music Back'

Appearing as a guest on the August 13 episode, Swift spoke at length about her lengthy fight to own the rights to her early catalogue, the music she famously began re-recording after the original masters were sold without her consent. While she's addressed the issue publicly in the past, this marked the first time she went in-depth on what the journey truly felt like.

'I've always kind of referred to it as 'I got my music back,' Swift said. 'But the truth is, I never owned it to begin with.'

Swift recounted signing her first record deal at 15 and how standard industry contracts often prevent artists from owning their master recordings. For her, it was never just a business decision. 'These are my handwritten diary entries, my photography, my artwork,' she said, very emotionally upset. 'Everything I've ever done is in that catalogue.'

Getting Her Music Back Was An Emotional Breakthrough

The turning point came earlier this year, when Swift approached Shamrock Capital, the private equity firm that had purchased her masters, for a possible buyback. It should be noted that, initially, her masters were bought by Scooter Braun's Ithaca Holdings, who later sold them to Shamrock.

Meanwhile, rather than taking the usual route of sending in lawyers, she sent her mum and brother to explain the emotional weight behind the request.

'They told them the whole story,' Swift shared. 'All the times we tried to buy it back, all the plans that fell through.'

The gamble paid off. Weeks later, while in Kansas City, Swift received a life-changing phone call.

'My mum called and said, 'You got your music,'' she recalled, choking back tears as Kelce, who was by her side, comforts her. 'I just hit the floor, bawling my eyes out. I had no control over my body. I was just... sobbing.'

Trying to relay the news to Kelce, who was mid-video game session at the time, proved just as overwhelming. 'I knock on the door, I'm trying to be normal, and I'm like, 'I got all my music back,' Swift said, laughing through the memory. 'Then I just start absolutely heaving.'

Kelce's Proud Reaction to Swift's Triumph

Kelce, visibly moved during the podcast, jumped in to share his side of the moment. 'I started crying too. You know I'm a crier,' he admitted. 'I've seen how much she puts into her work. To finally see her get that back—it was just beautiful.'

Swift said the moment still doesn't feel real. 'Every day I think about it. But now it's not an intrusive thought that hurts me, it's one that fills me with gratitude.'

Swift Says the Impact is Beyond Herself

Beyond the personal win, Swift said the process sparked broader awareness across the music industry. 'New artists come up to me now and say, 'I didn't even know master ownership was a thing,'' she explained. 'Now they're negotiating for it in their contracts.'

For Swift, that's what makes the years of struggle worth it. 'Even if it's not every artist's priority, at least they get to make that choice now.'

Meanwhile, the episode wasn't all business. Swift and Kelce shared easy chemistry throughout, laughing over inside jokes and gently teasing one another. At one point, Kelce even called her 'the smartest woman in the world' and 'the greatest songwriter of all time.' Swift was also having fun with the Kelce brothers, saying, 'The podcast got me a boyfriend.'

Furthermore, the fans who've followed the long, complicated saga of Swift's masters, her emotional and tearful moment on the podcast said it all.