From the Vault: Taylor Swift Once Made a Pact to Get a Tattoo

It's probably just as well that Taylor Swift didn't keep her word in 2008. In this week's From the Vault, we re-visit an interview Swift gave The Boot upon the release of her 'Fearless' album in which she talks about the possibility of getting tattooed.

Swift had made a vow to get a tattoo on her foot if her debut album went Double Platinum, which it did. But the singer-songwriter was already beginning to question the wisdom of that promise by the time she spoke to The Boot, admitting her father would never approve. To this day, Swift remains ink-free.

In the following interview, Swift also talked about her "dream" acting job, and revealed an alternate career she might have pursued. Fortunately for her -- and us -- her career in music appears to have worked out just fine.

This interview was first published on Nov. 11, 2008 by Deborah Evans-Price.

What has been your most embarrassing moment?

I have them all the time! Mostly it has to do with me being tall. I'll always be hitting my head on the side of a car or going through a door. I think I've gotten minor concussions from hitting my head on things. And in the beginning, when I was on the radio tour and doing free shows, people would introduce me as Taylor Hicks, because that was right when he won 'American Idol.'

You have a cameo in the upcoming ‘Hannah Montana’ movie. Do you have any acting aspirations?

As far as acting is concerned, I would love to do it if was very well written and witty. I would love to be on ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ in some sort of supporting role. That would be my absolute dream.

If you could have dinner with anybody, who would it be?

Ellen DeGeneres. Every time I’ve been on her show, I’ve had the most fun ever. I think she has such talent for bringing out the best stories and the best part of your personality. That social dynamic is something I’d love to learn.

You’ve met a lot of your musical heroes. Who stands out?

Faith Hill. Every time Faith talks to me, she’s incredibly sweet. It just blows me away that she can be so incredibly beautiful and talented and such a huge star, and be so down to earth and humble. Also, Nicole Kidman blew me away when I met her. She was so gracious and sweet, and I love that about her.

What’s the most unusual thing in your purse?

I was so proud of this in high school — I won the best dissector award in biology. I have that little piece of paper in my wallet, from ninth grade … Surgery and biology have always been really fascinating to me, so I was really excited that they thought I had like the most potential as a surgeon.

Do you ever wish you were older?

No, actually it’s quite the contrary. I’m not sitting here thinking I wish I could go out for a drink tonight, that’s not where I am in my life. I’m not 18 wishing I was 25. I’m happy in this moment. I’m not trying to be older and get to do things that older people do. When that moment happens, I’ll live in that moment. But right now this moment is the best moment I’ve lived in my entire life.

You made a pact to get a heart tattoo on your foot if your debut album went Double Platinum. It has actually gone quadruple Platinum now, so have you gotten inked?

It’s still up in the air.There’s that little voice in the back of my head — actually it’s my dad — saying, ‘I’ll take it off with a belt sander if you get that tattoo!’ So I’m thinking about it, weighing my options. I’m really excited about going Triple Platinum. Obviously I didn’t expect to or I wouldn’t have made a pact to get a tattoo!

What is your favorite movie?

It’s ‘Love Actually,’ because it’s all these different angles of love and relationships. It takes place around Christmas time and you see how all these different people are in all these different situations, and the way that it coincides is just brilliant. I think that that movie has inspired me in so many different ways in just seeing how all these different things could be going on in these people’s lives. It’s this huge quilt of stories, and I love that.

If you hadn’t made it as a singer/songwriter, what career path do you think you’d be taking?

I would have either been in business with creative ads, or gone in a completely different direction of criminology or surgery. I don’t know. It’s very interesting because the ad thing would have been creative, but the other two are completely logic and the other side of things. It’s weird. I’m all over the place.

Now that you’ve graduated high school, will you move into your own home?

I’ll be staying at home for a few more years. I’m never home anyway, and my parents and I get along so well. I think everybody’s afraid of me growing up too fast, and I’m afraid of that, too. I really love my parents, and I like watching my brother grow up. I don’t have lots of opportunities to pick him up from school or see him go off to his dances. So when I’m home, I want to witness whatever normalcy I can.

Do you plan to go to college?

Obviously I want to be as knowledgeable as possible, know as many aspects of life as I can and be well rounded. College is one way that can happen. But I think traveling around the country and getting to shake hands with people I’ve looked up to my entire life, and writing songs and co-producing an album makes you well rounded, too. I’m not gonna shut doors and say that I’m never going to college, but right now, I’m not gonna walk away from something that I’m so lucky to have.