Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner Defend Taylor Swift After Damon Albarn’s Songwriting Controversy
Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner, and Jack Antonoff all worked together to make Swift’s critically-acclaimed albums folklore and evermore. After Damon Albarn claimed that Swift “doesn’t write her own songs” in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Antonoff and Dessner were quick to come to her defense.
What Damon Albarn said about Taylor Swift
The Los Angeles Times published an interview with Albarn on Jan. 23. During the interview, Albarn claimed that Swift “doesn’t write her own songs.”
The Blur member expanded on this thought, saying:
“That doesn’t count. I know what co-writing is. Co-writing is very different to writing. I’m not hating on anybody, I’m just saying there’s a big difference between a songwriter and a songwriter who co-writes. Doesn’t mean that the outcome can’t be really great. And some of the greatest singers — I mean, Ella Fitzgerald never wrote a song in her life. When I sing, I have to close my eyes and just be in there. I suppose I’m a traditionalist in that sense. A really interesting songwriter is Billie Eilish and her brother. I’m more attracted to that than to Taylor Swift. It’s just darker — less endlessly upbeat. Way more minor and odd. I think she’s exceptional.”
Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff defended Taylor Swift
After the interview with the Los Angeles Times was published, multiple celebrities and musicians came to Swift’s defense. Dessner and Antonoff both frequently collaborate with Swift, and they each issued their own statements on the controversy.
“Not sure why you @Damonalbarn would try to discredit Taylor’s brilliant songwriting but as someone who has gotten to press record around her …your statements couldn’t be further from the truth…you’re obviously completely clueless as to her actual writing and work process,” Dessner tweeted.
Antonoff wrote two tweets in defense of Swift.
“i’ve never met damon albarn and he’s never been to my studio but apparently he knows more than the rest of us about all those songs taylor writes and brings in. herb,” Antonoff wrote in the first tweet.
In the second tweet, Antonoff wrote, “if you were there … cool … go off. if not … maybe …. shut the f*** up?”
Taylor Swift also responded to Damon Albarn
On Jan. 24, Swift posted her own response to Albarn’s interview comments.
“@DamonAlbarn I was such a big fan of yours until I saw this. I write ALL of my own songs. Your hot take is completely false and SO damaging. You don’t have to like my songs but it’s really f***** up to try and discredit my writing. WOW,” Swift wrote on Twitter.
In a second tweet, Swift wrote, “PS I wrote this tweet all by myself in case you were wondering.”
After Swift tweeted this, Albarn issued an apology to the singer-songwriter on Twitter.
