By Althea Legaspi
Jack Antonoff won’t suffer fools who question his friend Taylor Swift, whom he has been collaborating with since 2012. In a Los Angeles Times interview ahead of the release of Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department (out April 19), the musician-producer touted Swift’s songwriting and said anyone who didn’t see her chops is “toast” to him.
In January 2022, Damon Albarn suggested the pop star didn’t write her own songs, in an interview with Los Angeles Times, claiming that it isn’t really the same when there are cowriters. “I know what co-writing is,” Albarn said. “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.” That implication didn’t sit well with Antonoff, Swift, or pretty much any of her fans. At the time, Antonoff replied to Albarn, tweeting, “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. If you were there … cool … go off. If not … maybe …. shut the fuck up?”
While Antonoff defended Swift, she also held her own following Albarn’s words. “I was such a big fan of yours until I saw this,” Swift tweeted. “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 fucked up to try and discredit my writing. WOW,” she responded on social media.
In the end, Albarn apologized, accusing the Times of publishing “clickbait.” “I totally agree with you,” he said, responding to Swift. “I had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologize unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand.”
In the new interview with Antonoff, he acknowledged his snipe, and stood by it: “I’m a little bitch sometimes,” he said. “But you come after my friend, Taylor, you’re toast to me.”
To question Swift’s songwriting, Antonoff added, “is like challenging someone’s faith in God. You just don’t go there.”
Antonoff and Swift teamed up again for her forthcoming The Tortured Poets Department. He also worked on the Grammy-winning 2022 album, Midnights. He has also recently produced the soundtrack for the series The New Look, which features the 1975 covering “Now Is the Hour.”
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