Having sold 22 million albums worldwide and over 50 million downloads, it's safe to label Taylor Swift one of the biggest female artists in the world today.

What's more, the 22-year-old has managed the tricky feat of seducing the British public with her catchy blend of country-styled pop music that's made her a bonafide superstar across the globe.

Digital Spy caught up with Taylor to chat about her fourth studio album Red, working with Ed Sheeran and why she's a big fan of GaGa, Rihanna and Katy Perry.

Congratulations on new single 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together'. It smashed records in America upon its release; do achievements like that still surprise you?

"I was very surprised about the immediate success because this is my fourth album and to have the first single from my fourth album to be the most successful yet is so exciting. I can't tell you how happy I was because you want your newest thing to be your biggest."



When you were writing the track did you ever think it would get the reception it did?

"I really didn't expect this song to be what it's turned into. I wrote it in the studio with Max Martin and Shellback and we were actually writing another song. Randomly this guy walked into the studio who I had never met before - but I heard of him through my ex - and he made some comment about how he'd heard that we were going to get back together. That was not the case! After he left I explained the story to Max and said, 'We are never ever getting back together' and someone said we should write that. I just grabbed the guitar and it just happened very randomly. It was hilarious - we wrote the song in 25 minutes."



Is the single a good representation of the new album Red?

"Actually no! I don't think there's any particular song which represents this body of work because I was writing this album about very sporadic emotions. They were all on different levels from each other and so I tried to look at the songs individually and decide what each emotion would sound like."



Is there a particular track you're most excited for fans to hear?

"There's a track called 'I Knew You Were Trouble'. It's about this very chaotic feeling of looking back on a relationship that absolutely broke your heart and thinking that you knew that person was bad news the first time you saw them. Now you're looking back and it's like, 'I knew it! Why didn't I listen and see those red flags?' I just ignored them."



Do you still get nervous before a big album release?

"I get nervous for everything - literally everything. I'm so proud of this record and I think I know my fans well enough to know they're going to like it too. There's a lot of pressure putting an album out all over the world and hoping people everywhere like it. There's a lot of nervousness that goes on in my everyday life that I try to balance out by saying, 'It's okay, calm down, everything's going to be alright'."



A lot of your songs deal with love and relationships; how much of it is from personal experience and how much of it is just a general view on the topic?

"There's a lot of both. There's part inspiration I get from my own personal life and there are bits from seeing the people around me experience things. Even sometimes watching a movie and seeing a storyline play out. A lot of it does come from first-hand experience though."



You've worked with Ed Sheeran on the album; how did that come about?

"The first time I heard Ed's music was when I was in Australia and I saw his video for 'Lego House' with Rupert Grint in it. I fell in love with his music and I couldn't believe we hadn't had his album come out in the US yet. So I reached out to his management to see if he wanted to write, but at the same time he was reaching out my management as well. So it was very strange, but I let his management know that anywhere he was on tour I'd fly there and write with him. He came to LA and we ended up writing our duet 'Everything Has Changed'."



Ed's songs can be quite dark; is this song along those lines or is it lighter?

"It's actually about falling in love! It's about meeting someone and all of a sudden your entire perspective on the world changes - you're thinking for two, instead of one."



Are you a fan of British music?

"For me Ed is my absolute favourite, but I've always been obsessed with Florence + the Machine and that sound. But ever since Ed came out, he's been the only artist I've been listening to! His album is so good."



We know you're a big Nicki Minaj fan; what kind of judge on American Idol do you think she'll be?

"I think Nicki is a really good role model and she's always telling her fans to stay in school and keep believing in themselves. She's also got an incredibly honest opinion, so that will probably be really good. I'm interested to see it."



Is that a role you'd ever consider doing in the future?

"I don't know, it's impossible to say. Right now things are just crazy and hectic. I don't have the opportunity to do side-projects like that, but you never know what might happen in the future."



Another congratulations for your MTV EMA nominations. You're up for five awards, so you must be pleased?

"I am freaking out about that! I was in the middle of hair and make-up getting ready to do an entire day of interviews and I stood up and started screaming. I need to call people and was like, 'How do I make sure this is real?!' I've always seen the list for the EMAs come out and always wished I could see my name on there just once. To get five - it was a bit of a happy, excited meltdown."



You have some tough competition from Rihanna, Katy Perry and Lady GaGa - are you a fan of their music?

"Absolutely - I'm a fan of them as musicians and as people. I really like Lady GaGa and everything she is for her fans. I love Katy because she's really funny and makes me laugh at award shows and Rihanna is one of the friendliest people I've ever met."



Surely there must be a new tour on the horizon.

"I think we're going to be touring a lot. It's going to be a more extensive world tour than I've ever experienced before."



Taylor Swift's new album Red will be released in the UK on October 22 and a day later in the US.

Watch the music video for Taylor Swift's 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' below:

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