Damon Albarn has ‘unreservedly and unconditionally’ apologised to Taylor Swift after he suggested the singer doesn’t write her own music, Absolute Radio reports.
According to the report, the Blur and Gorillaz star recently sat down for a chat with the LA Times when the interviewer Mikael Wood suggested to Albarn that Taylor Swift was an “excellent songwriter.”
He replied: “She doesn’t write her own songs.”
When Wood countered that she did indeed write and co-write her songs, Albarn replied: “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.
Blaming the LA Times for allegedly creating clickbait, Albarn replied: “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.”
Jack Antonoff, who co-produced Swift’s latest five studio albums, also hit out at Albarn, writing: “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.”
Similarly, The National’s Aaron Dessner, who collaborated with Swift on her ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’ albums, criticised Albarn.
He wrote: “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.”
