Singer Taylor Swift COURTESY
Not only did Joe Alwyn recently collaborate with Taylor Swift on multiple songs for folklore and evermore, but she's now revealing he also played a pivotal role in inspiring her song "Only the Young," too. Swift debuted the political track in 2020 for the documentary about her life, Miss Americana, though she wrote the song in 2018 following the U.S. midterm election.
Now that the film is a contender in the 2021 Oscars race, she's sharing new details about how the British actor (also her boyfriend of four years) encouraged her to speak out about politics and ultimately write the song.
"As a country musician, I was always told it's better to stay out of [politics]," Swift told Vanity Fair via email on Feb. 17. "The Trump presidency forced me to lean in and educate myself."
She continued, "I found myself talking about government and the presidency and policy with my boyfriend [Joe Alwyn], who supported me in speaking out. I started talking to my family and friends about politics and learning as much as I could about where I stand."
The "willow" singer added, "I'm proud to have moved past fear and self-doubt, and to endorse and support leadership that moves us beyond this divisive, heartbreaking moment in time."
After a career of staying out of politics, the Grammy winner broke her silence in October 2018 to endorse Senate candidate Phil Bredesen and Congressional candidate Jim Cooper in Tennessee.
"I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent," Swift wrote at the time, adding that she feels "very differently" about keeping quiet on governmental issues going forward.
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