Taylor Swift's next album will be about her "earth-shattering heartbreak."

The 'Love Story' singer has been taking solace in her songwriting after another unlucky episode in love, although, as with her previous confessional songs, she won't name who exactly who they are aimed at.

Taylor - who has dated Joe Jonas, Taylor Lautner, and John Mayer and broke up with actor Jake Gyllenhaal in January last year - told Vogue magazine: "There's just been this earth-shattering, not recent, but absolute crash-and-burn heartbreak, and that will turn out to be what the next album is about.

"The only way that I can feel better about myself - pull myself out of that awful pain of losing someone - is writing songs about it to get some sort of clarity."

Taylor, 22, has recently said she's keen to pursue a different musical direction to the country-pop of her first three records on her next album.

She said: "I think my goal for the next couple of years would be to make departures in little ways and do things a little differently. And to try to maintain a balance between always providing your fans with what they've always liked from you and continuing to write all my own songs.

"I'd love to make collaborations in different directions that aren't exactly expected."