Taylor Swift has performed ‘Mean’ at award shows before, but Sunday night’s performance at the 2012 Grammy Awards felt a little more personal. The country superstar was soaring with confidence after winning two awards for the third single from ‘Speak Now’ earlier in the night.

Someday, I’ll be singing this at the Grammy’s,” Swift sang, punctuating a performance that resembled the one she’s shared with fans during her live show. She wore a frumpy house dress beneath a toss of blonde hair for her number, rather than her red carpet look. The setting was the familiar ramshackle cabin that she’s brought to other award shows. Her band of nearly a dozen musicians played their roles as well, barely coming out of character to rip through the extended solos.

During a pre-show red carpet interview with Ryan Seacrest, Swift admitted that accolades for this song are worth more than previous awards because it was written to get her through a very difficult time in her life. “Criticism, rejection and dealing with that, and kind of having to have this blind faith that things will get better,” she said. The song was a response to criticism to her performance with Stevie Nicks at the Grammy Awards in 2010.

Swift said she thinks of those critics when she sings the song, and there is little doubt she was smilingly at them on Sunday night as delivered a perfect performance on the country’s biggest stage.

Watch Taylor Swift Perform ‘Mean’ at the 2012 Grammy Awards

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