Taylor Swift's outlook has changed since she started getting involved in political issues.
The superstar previously refused to take public stances on controversial political issues, a policy she decisively reversed last year when she endorsed pro-LGBTQ and women's rights politicians in the U.S. mid-term elections.
She has since launched a Change.org petition calling for an American Equality Act, which garnered 600,000 signatures, and told editors at People magazine that becoming an advocate for causes has made her feel better about herself and the world.
"When numbers do come in that are promising and petitions are signed in the hundreds of thousands, it's a good feeling. It reinforces your feeling that there is good in the world," she said in an interview marking her selection as one of the publication's People of the Year.
However, the star is still wary of her advocacy being seen through the prism of her fame.
"When you advocate for something, it has to be completely disconnected from what people say about you advocating for it. It should be removed from hard numbers," the 29-year-old insisted.
Taylor has also embraced professional advocacy, slamming her former Big Machine label boss Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun for allegedly concocting a deal to control master tapes of her earlier albums, and demanding her new label Universal Music Group compensate artists better.
She noted that her new freedom has sparked her creativity - and that as a result, she is proud of her first record for Universal, Lover.
"Lover ended up being the album (where I was no longer) answering to something. In the past, I've definitely used my criticism as a jumping-off point for creativity," added Taylor.
