Taylor Swift Shares Advice and Favorite Songs with Stephen Colbert as Late Show Nears End

Taylor Swift and Stephen Colbert: A Rare, Honest Conversation as Late Show’s Curtain Falls

For late-night television, the end of an era often comes quietly. But on a chilly December evening in 2025, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert found itself at the center of a cultural crossroads. In a heartfelt sit-down, pop icon Taylor Swift joined Stephen Colbert—just months before his two-decade run as host is set to conclude—to talk about transitions, creativity, and the art of moving on.

Advice for Navigating Big Changes

Colbert, whose wit has been a fixture on American screens for twenty years, didn’t shy away from the elephant in the room: CBS’s announcement that The Late Show will end in May 2026. Turning to Swift, who herself had just wrapped her record-breaking 21-month Eras Tour, Colbert sought wisdom about facing major life changes.

“To come down from a two-year tour like that, I’m sure there’s a little bit of transition,” Colbert mused. “Any advice for me?”

Swift, always quick with a wry smile, admitted she didn’t have a roadmap for Colbert’s exact situation. “For this specific situation, no… but I can sort of see from afar that we’re both very passionate, hyperactive people—let’s not say workaholics—so when I take time off, I can’t slow down that need to get up and do a lot of things today. But I can change what those things are,” she explained.

She continued, “I can figure out how to chill out, but I’m never going to be a chill person. I’m a ‘bread girl’ now, or I’m like, ‘This isn’t going to cross-stitch itself!’ Hobbies are kind of incredible.”

Swift’s advice was simple, but resonant: after years of pouring energy into work, it’s possible—and valuable—to redirect that passion to new pursuits, whether it’s baking bread or picking up cross-stitching. She noted that the drive to create and connect doesn’t disappear; it just finds new outlets. “You give everything to this, you love to do a million things to prepare for this, and you give everything to the people that watch. So come May, you can give that to your friends and family, your community—.”

Colbert, never missing a beat, joked, “But my friends and family don’t chant my name.”

“You’re Going to Be Podcast Guy”

The conversation took a lighter turn as Swift playfully suggested Colbert’s next chapter might involve podcasts, TikTok, or even becoming an influencer. “You’re going to be, like, podcast guy, you’re going to be an influencer. You’re going to make TikToks—maybe with me,” she laughed. In a world where celebrity reinvention is almost a given, Swift’s encouragement felt both tongue-in-cheek and entirely plausible.

As she promoted her new docuseries, The End of an Era—a six-part look behind the scenes of her seismic Eras Tour, set to premiere on Disney+—Swift reflected on the importance of embracing change and finding joy in new challenges. For Colbert, whose quick wit and warmth have made him a late-night staple, the message was clear: the end of one project is simply the beginning of another.

Top Five Songs—Or Maybe Just Two

Colbert, always the entertainer, pressed Swift to name her five favorite Taylor Swift songs. The moment was lighthearted but telling. Swift, whose discography now spans over a decade and countless genres, hesitated. “This is so much pressure,” she told Colbert. “You’re already writing five.”

Ultimately, she could only commit to two: “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)” and “Mirrorball.” Both choices say a lot about where Swift is right now as an artist. “All Too Well,” the epic centerpiece of her Red (Taylor’s Version) re-record, is a fan favorite for its raw emotion and storytelling. “Mirrorball,” from 2020’s Folklore, reflects Swift’s ability to reinvent herself—always adapting, always reflecting the world around her.

Swift admitted she’d need more time to settle on the rest of her top five, promising an update in the future. “I think I require a little bit of time to like, appreciate my work in a way… and it’s constantly changing, right. It’s a little too soon.”

Colbert, ever the master of timing, quipped, “You’ve got all the time you need between now and May.” The remark, half-joking and half-melancholic, underscored the countdown to the show’s finale and the sense of transition both stars were feeling.

A Moment That Resonated Beyond Ratings

Swift’s appearance wasn’t just another celebrity booking. As LateNighter and Billboard noted, few guests can move the needle on late-night ratings like Taylor Swift. Her presence on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in October 2025 led to the program’s biggest audience in months. Just days later, her “Tay/kover” of Late Night with Seth Meyers gave that show a significant boost, too.

But beyond ratings, Swift and Colbert’s exchange captured something more elusive: two artists at pivotal points in their careers, candidly discussing the uncertainty and excitement of what comes next. Their conversation was peppered with genuine warmth, a dash of self-deprecating humor, and a mutual respect that transcended the typical host-guest dynamic.

The night even included a playful backstage TikTok, with Swift and Colbert lip-syncing to “Hey Stephen”—a nod to Swift’s 2021 joke that Colbert had inspired the song. It was a reminder that, for all the transitions and endings, some showbiz traditions (and friendships) endure.

As Stephen Colbert’s late-night era draws to a close, Taylor Swift’s advice to embrace change and redirect creative energy resonates not just for television hosts and pop superstars, but for anyone facing a new chapter. Their exchange on The Late Show was more than celebrity banter—it was a moment of honest reflection on how to keep moving forward, even when the spotlight shifts.

Sources: LateNighter, Billboard.