Taylor Swift In Her Own Words: The World's New Pop Superstar on Boys and Breaking Into the Bigtime

For Rolling Stone's cover story on Taylor Swift, writer Vanessa Grigoriadis tailed the 19-year-old country-pop star as she jetted from L.A. to New York and back to her Nashville home, chatting candidly about her quick rise from karaoke competitions to the national spotlight. Grigoriadis opened up about her time with Swift for our story behind the story, and shared some undiluted interview from their conversations, where Taylor revealed her taste in boys and how she copes with life on the road:

Do you have a Google alert on your name?
It's very tempting. But if you read something about yourself it makes you wonder what the public perception is of you. It makes you wonder if you look like a different person. And to be constantly questioning yourself is never good.

How do you act with boys now?
Right now I play it cool. If he doesn't want to be with you, then let him do what he wants to do. The worst thing in the world to do is kick and scream and nag. The only time I lose my temper is in songs. I'm enthralled by relationships and I love the drama in them, but that's usually where it lives. I'm not a dramatic person. I like to let people state their case before I get irrational about things.

What do you look for in a guy?
If they mention their ex-girlfriend within the first hour of conversation it's not going to go anywhere. It also says "damaged" a little bit. I don't do that. Relationships when they're over... a lingering ex-girlfriend is a girl that I never want to be. I've dated guys who have lingering ex-girlfriends and I've always said I'm not going to be that because I don't want to ruin his future relationships. And what if you're with someone great? You don't want to have lingering ex-boyfriend-itis.

I have girl-next-door-itis. I was always the girl who would be friends with the guy and he liked the other girl, the girl he couldn't have. And I was the one who he could confide everything in, we're friends! Then he would get the other girl and I would say nothing. I would write songs about it... Taylor Swift albums one and two.

What's a recent dream you had?
I had a dream this girl was chasing me. I was like, I don't want your boyfriend! It was a couple I know and I like both of them. I can't even remember everything that was going on but I was like, running. I wouldn't do that! That's my biggest fear. Getting in trouble for something I didn't do.

What's your relationship with your brother like?
My brother is 16. We used to fight like cats and dogs but when I went on the road I started really missing him. I'd come back and he'd be four inches taller. So we started hanging out when I came home. He's got a taste in music that's really eclectic and cool, he introduced me to Kings of Leon, things I wouldn't have ventured into. He likes Jack White. He's into the coolest production and how does that sound and I'm all about words. I've found that boys are more into production, actually. He plays lacrosse and goes to high school and gets good grades. He doesn't want to do music. He's the opposite [of me].