The singer-songwriter honors her close friend and Woman of the Year with a song from her album '1989' at the 10th annual Billboard Women in Music Event. Friday, December 12th, 2014.
When it says rain came pouring down when I was drowning that when I can finally breathe gone was any trace of you I think I am finally clean makes me cry.
Ingrid Michaelson is seriously one of the most underrated artists out there. She deserves so much more fans. If you ever get the chance to see/hear her live, you better not let it slip away. I had the pleasure of meeting her, and she is such a sweet lady with an absolutely haunting voice. Love you Ingrid! You did Taylor proud!
I've been a fan of hers for so long I can't even remember when I first found her haha. But seriously your right she is the most amazing singer songwriter, if you haven't checked out her song "I'm through" then listen to it, youll be in tears.
msmusik2 I know right? Haha She has been around for quite a while! Omg yes! Everyone has to listen to that song. She is a pure genius, especially when it comes to cohesively putting together genuine lyrics and enchanting notes!
The technique, the stylized rendition of clean showing the breathlessness of the message. She encapsulated it entirely and presented it in a disturbing yet impressive manner. She's brilliant.
Taylor's depth in writing song is beyond amazing. her own use of emotions and creativity create metaphors that people need to listen twice before realizing how deep and good her lyrics truly are. Except for the song shake shake shake shake shake shake. But that SONG is just for fun. Her truly beautiful songs lay beneath songs like White Horse, Fifteen, Never Grow Up, Last Kiss, Enchanted, Clean, ETC ETC
Kevin M Abraham Even that song has a metaphor to it. Taylor said about it "Life and who people are can be greatly reflected in how they dance. I really think that…and I don’t mean how good you are, I mean your willingness to dance. …If you go to a house party and you see this group of people who are “too cool for school” and they’re over here and they’re just like “omg those people are dancing that is so, ugh” You know, those people I don’t feel like are having as good a time as the people that they’re making fun of. Those people who don’t care how they look dancing ‘cause they like dancing."
STUNNING performance. She really did justice to Taylor's song. Wish people just stop bad mouthing both artists. They're friends. Enjoy the tribute between friends. It's an excellent song with excellent lyrics performed brilliantly by an excellent artist.
I'm glad Taylor kept the song because it means so much to me and I think that a story so personal should be shared from the person who wrote it. It also makes me really happy that one of Taylor's closest friends performed the tribute for Taylor's album.
17 year old me didn’t understand this song upon release. This song is NOT about ‘cleaning’ or ‘being a clean good person.’ This song is about being clean of an ADDICTION and being clean of that inner feeling of needing a toxic relationship. This song hits so hard now it’s insane. Took years to discover the meaning of this song on my own but I really understand how deep it is now. “When the flowers that we’d grown died of thirst” depicts how addiction ALWAYS results in never ending downward spirals with negative results-even though the input can be ‘fun’ and inviting-we think the addiction will grant rewards but the fruit it bears are evil. Not until we get clean do we see the bright side.
The first time i listened to 1989 I instantly fell in love with this song... I seemed like I was the only one, but hearing this stripped down version made me realize yet again how much I love this song. Like Ingrid said, it's one of Taylor's best written songs to this day
Why are people comparing this LIVE performance to Taylor's studio version, when Taylor herself hasn't even performed it live? Let me guarantee you, Taylor will reserve her most emotional performance of Clean in her concerts, just like when she sang All Too Well in the RED Tour.
***** I really like what you said, hopefully people will shut up! Some may say that this is better than the album version. But I completely agree that Tay's performance will be amazing
It's strange because I've listened to this song so many times but Ingrid sings it with such emotion that i'm finally listening to the lyrics and actually realising how deep the lyrics are and I have tears in my eyes, it's such a good song wow.
Yes! I wish Taylor included a piano ballad version of this song on her album. I loved 1989, but this is how this song should be done. Ingrid is great. Now that she's Clean she can Be Okay. ;)
I understand what a lot of people on this comment thread are saying in that they prefer Ingrid's stripped down, raw music to Taylor's over the top performances. I have to agree. I think Taylor is a great performer, and I think her lyricism has a lot of high points. However, I tend to prefer these simpler, more emotionally raw performances. I tend to dislike Taylor's music because I think it could be a lot more powerful without the modern "pop" sound.
james wall yes, I've heard her older songs. I still believe they lack the emotional raw feeling I was describing with Ingrid's music - there is a distinct difference in my opinion. The only Swift song I believe is the exception to this is All Too Well.
I completely agree. She is still very young, with great potential and if she did a stripped down album, which had songs that had the same lyrical style as Clean or All To Well, it could possibly be one of the all time great albums. It's a shame the general public only know her for pop songs such as 'Shake It Off'. A fun song yes, but not showing her true writing talent.
no. it fits this more in the last track than in the track 5. just like her closing tracks in previous albums, it's always about new beginning and about moving forward.
I love you, Ingrid Michaelson! I wish her performance of "Clean" would be available for download! You're an amazing artist and I've been your biggest fan since day one. This was by far the best moment of the 2014 Billboard Women In Music ceremony. 😍🙌❤🎉😁
my favorite thing on earth. a song written by my favorite person on the planet (with the oh-so-wonderful imogen heap) and now performed by one of her best friends in such a raw and beautiful way - wow. everything taylor does is magic and this performance just shows how deep and incredibly special her songwriting skills are, not only for her, but for everyone who listens to her music. I'm so proud of you, Taylor. Thank you for introducing me to Ingrid's music a few years ago - and thank you, Ingrid, for this breath-taking performance and for being so wonderful.
Hayes Liang I know but songs don't always have to be singles in order for them to be sung :( I really hope it becums one though the best song on the album!!
I am crying so hard right now. This song means so so much to me because I got bullied at school for a while and I suffered the pain in silence but this song helped me to fight back. Thank you Taylor, I love you ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️
I like Ingrid, but I prefer Taylor's version. It's Taylor song and I think she sings it with the softness that comes after you are drained of emotional energy as in this song. I have gone through a similiar experience when you let the tears flow. Of coarse, Ingrid has to make it her own, and shouldn't sing it as a replication of Taylor. Ingrid has to own her own interpretation of the song, and she did.
Look at that entire table just on their phones during the performance. Can't imagine their tweets/texts/thoughts. Girl 1: Oh my god! This is so amazing! I can't believe Idina Menzel is singing a Taylor Swift song! #Blessed " Girl 2: "Yeah, I think Ingrid is that girl on RU-vid. The one who does make up tutorials? Who knew she could sing!" Girl 3: "I'm looking at Taylor Swift and I literally think she fell asleep...oh wait, that was me. #imasleep " Girl 4: "Can't she sing any faster? I really need to poop!" Girl 5: "Wow, so many haters! She's way better than Taylor Swift. She just SLAYED this song and it isn't even hers!"
Wow when I first heard this song, I was like this sounds like some Ingrid Michaelson would write/sing!!! She did do it well, but of course, this is about Taylor's personal journey, and I absolutely love the original.
I don't know why I couldn't tell how beautiful this song was when I listened to Taylor sing it. For some reason the lyrics really stick with me in this version
Take any song, slow it down, and replace the track with a piano and it sounds more emotional. I think it's amazing that Taylor can take such emotional lyrics, make it a pop song, and keep the integrity of the song :)
This is a really good performance and she sang it as her own which is amazing but I just have to say since everyone seems to think that this is more of an emotional performance and better than the original, NO ONE I SAID NO ONE SINGS A TAYLOR SWIFT SONG BETTER THAN TAYLOR SWIFT!!! Even though the original is a pop song it has so much emotion. It's not anybody's fault if you can't feel emotions of a song unless it's a stripped down version. The emotion Taylor writes and sings with is invincible. That's her song, her story, her experience. This performance is such a beautiful tribute. People saying they didn't realise what an emotional song this was or couldn't feel the emotion in the real version probably don't care about the lyrics much cause if you know Taylor first thing you do is check her lyrics. That's the first and a must. It's sad that people can't feel the emotions of a song just because it's packaged as a pop song.