Taylor Swift pretty much pulled off *Folklore* as a one-woman show.

At least, that was the case when it came to styling herself for the album cover.

The hitmaker, 34, reflected on how her eighth studio album came together during the COVID-19 pandemic. She shared her thoughts during her second Eras Tour show in Hamburg, Germany, on July 24.

While setting up for her *Folklore* set on stage during the concert, which coincided with the four-year anniversary of the record, Swift revealed she did her own hair, makeup, and styling for the album shoot.

That’s right. Those cottage-core looks and intricate plaited space buns were the pop star’s doing.

“You can’t have hair and makeup. You can’t have wardrobe. You just have to do it yourself,” said Swift in a fan-captured video shared to TikTok.

“So, I called my friend who has some woods behind her house and was like ‘Can I take some pictures in your forest.’ She said yes. “I ordered all these nightgowns online and brought them,” she said. “I did my own hair and makeup and just was like, ‘I guess I’ll braid it, I don’t know.’”

Swift reflected on how she and her team, including producers Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, made music during lockdown.

“Making an album is usually such a collaborative situation. You usually get lots of people together. You get to play all these new songs for your friends or your band and be in the same room with the people you’re writing or producing with. All of that went away during the pandemic. She shared that she recorded songs with Antonoff and Dessner over the phone.

“It was such a challenge for us as creators, but it was so fulfilling.”

Since its release in 2020, Folklore — which houses tracks like “August,” “Cardigan,” “Exile,” and “Betty” (the latter named in part after Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ third daughter) — has touched many.

“The way you guys embraced this album and the storytelling on this album has just warmed my heart,” Swift said during her show. “I’m so appreciative of it. Thank you for making this album what it was.”

The project won album of the year at the 2021 Grammys, beating out Jhené Aiko, Black Pumas, Coldplay, Jacob Collier, HAIM, Dua Lipa and Post Malone. Of course, she accepted her award in a very *Folklore*-coded Oscar de la Renta mini dress. The dress was embellished with flower appliqués and paired with blush pink heels.

Not only did she make history as the first and only solo woman artist to win in the category three times, but she also tied with Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, and Paul Simon. This made her one of the artists with the most Album of the Year wins.