Grammys 2021: Taylor Swift Performed the Medley of Fans' 'Folklore' Dreams

Taylor Swift on Sunday came back stronger than a '90s trend when she took the stage at the 2021 [...]

By Allison Schonter

Taylor Swift on Sunday came back stronger than a '90s trend when she took the stage at the 2021 Grammy Awards, marking the first time the 10-time Grammy winner has played the show since 2016. In her return performance, Swift was joined by collaborators Aaron Dessner and Jack Antonoff, who helped her wow viewers with a hit song from her album folklore.

Prior to taking the stage Sunday night, the "cardigan" singer had sent Swifties into a spiral when she teased Dessner and Antonoff, who also collaborated with Swift on her latest album, evermore, would be joining her for the performance. During a March 11 appearance with CBS News, the singer said the "one thing I can tell you about my Grammy performance that's not highly confidential is that my Grammy performance includes my collaborators." Swift said it is "really exciting," adding that "this has been adventure that the three of us has been going on since the beginning of quarantine and lockdown."

Nominated for a total of six awards, including album and song of the year ("cardigan"), Swift joined a star-studded lineup for the show, which also included fellow artists Dua Lipa, Haim, Post Malone, Black Pumas, Billie Eilish, Mickey Guyton, Miranda Lambert, BTS, and several others. Given that it was her first Grammys performance since 2016, when her album 1989 earned album of the year, fans were more than just a little excited about the performance, and social media quickly flooded with reactions. Keep scrolling to see what viewers had to say about Swift's 63rd annual Grammy Awards performance.

​

Just months after releasing Lover, Swift surprised fans when she announced in July 2020 she would be dropping a new album, folklore. At the time, the singer revealed she wrote and recorded the entire album amid coronavirus-related lockdowns, adding that she "poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into" the project.

prevnext

​

Swift brought that passion to her medley performance of "cardigan," "august," and "willow." Fans on Twitter

prevnext

​

The album was released on July 24 with a 16-song tracklist, including "the 1," "cardigan," "Betty," "invisible string," and "exile." Swift collaborated Aaron Dessner, Bon Iver, Jack Antonoff, William Bowery as well as engineers Laura Sisk and Jon Low and Serban Ghenea and Low, who mixed the album, for the project.

prevnext

​

prevnext

​

Folklore went on to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with the largest one-week sum of 2020. It also became the best-selling album of the year. The album marked Swift's seventh No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, with all of the 31-year-old's albums save for her eponymous debut earning the achievement.

prevnext

​

prevnext

​

Taylor Swift Grammy Nominations:

At Sunday night's awards ceremony, Swift is nominated in seven categories. Folklore is nominated for Album of the Year (her fourth Album Of The Year nod) and Best Pop Vocal Album. "Cardigan" is nominated Song of the Year and Pop Solo Perofrmance, with "exile," Swift's collaboration with Bon Iver, up for Pop Duo/Group Performance. Hers song "Beautiful Ghosts" from Cats, meanwhile is nominated in the Song Written for Visual Media category.

prev
0comments
Start the Conversation

of