Taylor Swift wins ‘unreserved’ apology from Damon Albarn after calling out ‘damaging’ claim
Damon Albarn apologises “unreservedly” after claiming that Taylor Swift doesn’t write her own songs (Jim Dyson and Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Damon Albarn has apologised “unreservedly” to Taylor Swift after his “damaging” claim that she doesn’t write her own songs.
The Blur frontman made the claim in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, saying he preferred Billie Eilish to Taylor Swift, who “doesn’t write her own songs”.
After the interviewer explained that Swift wrote and co-wrote her music, Albarn said “co-writing is very different to writing”.
He added: “I’m not hating on anybody, I’m just saying there’s a big difference between a songwriter and a songwriter who co-writes… When I sing, I have to close my eyes and just be in there. I suppose I’m a traditionalist in that sense.”
Swift hit back at the claim on Twitter, calling his statement “completely false and so damaging”.
@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 fucked up to try and discredit my writing. WOW. https://t.co/t6GyXBU2Jd
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) January 24, 2022
She wrote: “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**ked up to try and discredit my writing.”
I totally agree with you. i had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologise unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand. – Damon— Damon Albarn (@Damonalbarn) January 24, 2022
After thousands came to Taylor Swift’s defence, including musician Jack Antonoff, who has worked with Swift extensively, Albarn issued an apology.
“I had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologise unreservedly and unconditionally,” he wrote on Twitter.
“The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting.”
It comes as Taylor Swift continues her mammoth re-recording project to take control of her masters.
In August 2019, Swift confirmed rumours that she was taking the unprecedented step of remaking her first six albums, song by song, to regain control of her music.
It came two months after music manager Scooter Braun took ownership of her back catalogue as part of a takeover of her old record label.
Under the deal Braun continues to profit from the original versions of Swift’s first six albums, while Swift has limited say in how her back catalogue is used.
“It has already proven to be both exciting and creatively fulfilling,” she said of the process. “I have plenty of surprises in store.”
She recently released Red (Taylor’s Version), including a 10-minute version of break-up anthem “All Too Well”.
