Superstar Taylor Swift took to “X Factor” on Thursday night for her first live TV performance of the new song “State of Grace,” from her smash hit album “Red.”
Flanked by two giant video screens, Swift rocks a sensible, yet still fashionable, outfit with a cute little black hat and that ubiquitous red microphone as she leads her band (including some indispensable backing vocalists) through a somewhat subdued take on the guitar-driven song. Maybe it’s all the constantly screaming fans, but the tune never sounds quite right in the live “X Factor” setting.
Watch the performance here:
It doesn’t exactly sound very “country,” but “State of Grace” is a catchy pop anthem that gives “X Factor” contestants something to aim for. Swift also offered some advice to the contestants (and to viewers), when she recommended that they “be nice to people.”
You can read the HitFix recap of the episode here.
What do you think of the performance?