Laid off 8 months into my first dev job. How do you talk about it in interviews without sounding like damaged goods?

Company did a round of cuts, last-in-first-out, and I was gone. It wasn't performance — my manager even offered to be a reference — but I still feel this weird shame about it.

Now I'm interviewing again and I freeze up when they ask "why did you leave after 8 months." Do you just say "layoff, business reasons" and move on? Do you volunteer the reference unprompted? I don't want to sound defensive but I also don't want them assuming the worst. What's worked for you?