Taylor Swift says The Chicks taught her 'female rage can be a bonding experience'

Taylor Swift has often cited The Chicks -- formerly The Dixie Chicks -- as one of her biggest inspirations, both in their music and their political outspokenness. She even enlisted the country trio on one of the most emotional tracks on her "Lover" album, titled "Soon You'll Get Better."

In a new Billboard feature story on The Chicks, Taylor articulated just how much the group's unapologetic feminism helped mold her into the artist she is today.

"Early in my life, these three women showed me that female artists can play their own instruments while also putting on a flamboyant spectacle of a live show," Taylor said in an email statement to the publication. "They taught me that creativity, eccentricity, unapologetic boldness and kitsch can all go together authentically."

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She added that one of their songs in particular, "Goodbye Earl," taught her an important lesson.

"Most importantly, they showed an entire generation of girls that female rage can be a bonding experience between us all the very second we first heard Natalie Maines bellow 'that Earl had to DIE,'" she continued.

As for The Chicks, they say they're happy to pass the torch to Swift.

"The power she has right now to change things is way beyond any power we ever had," The Chicks' Emily Strayer -- whose sister Martie Maguire is also in the band -- said. "She's in a different position than we ever were."