It’s never a good idea to go after Taylor Swift and her musical credibility. English musician and songwriter Damon Albarn has issued an apology to Taylor Swift after he made claims that she “doesn’t write her own songs”, according to Consequence.

While on the topic of his performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on January 24 to support his second solo album, The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows, Albarn told LA Times pop music critic Mikael Wood that performing on just piano and strings is “actually quite hard, doing a whole concert on piano.” He stated, “You can’t hide behind anything. It’s a day of reckoning–and one, to be honest, that not much modern music could withstand.” Wood claimed that Swift’s songwriting is qualified enough for that kind of performance, Albarn replied, “She doesn’t write her own songs.”

Albarn added, “[Co-writing] 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…I suppose I’m a traditionalist in that sense.”

Certainly, Swift didn’t appreciate Albarn’s remarks and chose to defend herself.

@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

Albarn quickly apologized and attempted to make amends.

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

Hopefully Swift will accept his apology, and the two artists can put the situation behind them.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat