Taylor Swift Captivates with ‘folklore’ and ‘evermore’ Medley at 2021 GRAMMYs
She's once again nominated for Album of the Year, this time, with 'folklore.'
Taylor Swift returned to the GRAMMY Awards stage for the first time in five years with a performance of her songs, “cardigan,” “august” and “willow” from her GRAMMY-nominated album folklore and its sister record, evermore. The performance kicked off with Swift up on a moss covered rooftop, wearing a gorgeous blue and gold gown, singing “cardigan.”
As the song closed, Swift made her way off the roof and into a small cabin where her long-time collaborators Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner were waiting to perform a small portion of “august.” She then put down her guitar and walked out of the cabin to lead into the catchy single, “willow.” She was joined by Antonoff and Dessner for a jam session dance party, reminiscent of the whimsical music video.
Swift teased the “highly confidential performance ahead of Sunday’s show by letting viewers know that she’d be performing with Antonoff and Dessner. “[It’s] really exciting because this has been an adventure that the three of us have gone on since the very beginning of quarantine and lockdown and we’ve only gotten to be together in the same room once and so this is really awesome to get to be together with them again,” she told CBS backstage. “We’re quarantining in the same house for the whole week. We’re tested every day, so it’s just really exciting. Honestly, to play music with your collaborators is something that I will never, ever take for granted again.”
Swift is a top nominated artist for tonight’s celebration, earning six total (just three behind Beyoncé’s nine). Among her nominations is for Album of the Year with folklore. folklore surprised fans everywhere with its release just 24 hours after Swift shared the news of its existence. Within just a few months, the songstress followed the project with a second, called evermore.
While fans are busy consuming the new music, the Tennessee native is also preparing to release updated versions of her familiar tunes, beginning with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) on April 9. Swift has been working to re-record her previous albums after an on-going battle with her former record label Big Machine. The singer has been outspoken for months after the label CEO Scott Borchetta sold the masters of her work without her knowledge to Scooter Braun, a man Swift accused of bullying her for years, and without giving her a reasonable price tag. Until recently, she was unable to re-record the music, but is now making her way through her first albums, including the aforementioned Fearless, as well as Speak Now, Red, 1989, reputation and her self-titled debut.
Other performers from tonight’s show include Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile.
The 2021 GRAMMY Awards, hosted by The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah, broadcast live tonight (3/14) on the CBS Television Network from 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. See all of our coverage from the 63rd GRAMMY Awards here.
